GOOD AND BAD NEWS

Hi, guys!

Happy holidays to you all! Our pretty tree sits on a low table, which
is covered by a green cloth, then a decorated tree skirt. But what is
that sticking out from under the green cloth? Can it be a tail? Or is
it a paw? Or paws? The answer to all of the above is YES!

I wish I had better news from TED. Creampuff saw (was seen by!) a
specialist Tuesday, as he continues to lose weight and is so HUNGRY!
They did an UltraSound -- had to shave his beautiful belly for this and
he is mortified! -- and found that the problem is with his liver
--perhaps the Bg C.

The UltraSound, diagnosis and medication cost me $505.00. The
specialist wants to do exploratory surgery (cost estimated at $1400 to
possibly $2120). After much prayer and thought, I have decided not to
put him through this trauma and pain. It is NOT the money, although it
is a very serious consideration.

He is 11 years old and has known only love and kindness for his whole
life. (He is the one I found in the dumpster at two weeks old!) We
are going to love him like crazy, take very good care of him, and say a
tearful goodbye when the time comes. It is breaking my heart.

Comments?

Renee







"Time spent with cats is never wasted." Colette "I've
traveled a long way -- and some of the roads weren't paved!" Anon
"I am too blessed to be stressed" Anon

"Renee Darvin" wrote in message
...
Hi, guys!

Happy holidays to you all! Our pretty tree sits on a low table, which
is covered by a green cloth, then a decorated tree skirt. But what is
that sticking out from under the green cloth? Can it be a tail? Or is
it a paw? Or paws? The answer to all of the above is YES!

I wish I had better news from TED. Creampuff saw (was seen by!) a
specialist Tuesday, as he continues to lose weight and is so HUNGRY!
They did an UltraSound -- had to shave his beautiful belly for this and
he is mortified! -- and found that the problem is with his liver
--perhaps the Bg C.

The UltraSound, diagnosis and medication cost me $505.00. The
specialist wants to do exploratory surgery (cost estimated at $1400 to
possibly $2120). After much prayer and thought, I have decided not to
put him through this trauma and pain. It is NOT the money, although it
is a very serious consideration.

He is 11 years old and has known only love and kindness for his whole
life. (He is the one I found in the dumpster at two weeks old!) We
are going to love him like crazy, take very good care of him, and say a
tearful goodbye when the time comes. It is breaking my heart.

Comments?

Renee

This is only my point of view. We had a Siamese cat who was badly injured
when he was just over a year old. Partly because there was never really a
point where we could say, no more, let him go, he went thru hell with
surgery and a very long recovery as a complete invalid. He finally did
recover with a steel pin holding one back leg together. And he lived a
long and good life. But if I had it to do over, I wouldn't. A person who
is sick understands why they are suffering and in pain. He didn't. He
didn't know he might get well and go on to have a pretty good life. He
just suffered severely for months without knowing why.

It is natural to want to "save" your friend. But at 11, and without
knowing the treatment would even be successful, it might well not be the
kind and compassionate thing to do.

When you go the limit for a pet, no matter how much you love him, remember
that every day there are thousands of perfectly healthy cats and kittens
that never make it to their one true home. That it might be better for
everyone to let one go when it is their time and to make room in your heart
for another.

Jo

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 09:02:19 -0800, "Jo Firey"
wrote:

"Renee Darvin" wrote in message
...
Hi, guys!

Happy holidays to you all! Our pretty tree sits on a low table, which
is covered by a green cloth, then a decorated tree skirt. But what is
that sticking out from under the green cloth? Can it be a tail? Or is
it a paw? Or paws? The answer to all of the above is YES!

I wish I had better news from TED. Creampuff saw (was seen by!) a
specialist Tuesday, as he continues to lose weight and is so HUNGRY!
They did an UltraSound -- had to shave his beautiful belly for this and
he is mortified! -- and found that the problem is with his liver
--perhaps the Bg C.

The UltraSound, diagnosis and medication cost me $505.00. The
specialist wants to do exploratory surgery (cost estimated at $1400 to
possibly $2120). After much prayer and thought, I have decided not to
put him through this trauma and pain. It is NOT the money, although it
is a very serious consideration.

He is 11 years old and has known only love and kindness for his whole
life. (He is the one I found in the dumpster at two weeks old!) We
are going to love him like crazy, take very good care of him, and say a
tearful goodbye when the time comes. It is breaking my heart.

Comments?

Renee

This is only my point of view. We had a Siamese cat who was badly injured
when he was just over a year old. Partly because there was never really a
point where we could say, no more, let him go, he went thru hell with
surgery and a very long recovery as a complete invalid. He finally did
recover with a steel pin holding one back leg together. And he lived a
long and good life. But if I had it to do over, I wouldn't. A person who
is sick understands why they are suffering and in pain. He didn't. He
didn't know he might get well and go on to have a pretty good life. He
just suffered severely for months without knowing why.

It is natural to want to "save" your friend. But at 11, and without
knowing the treatment would even be successful, it might well not be the
kind and compassionate thing to do.

When you go the limit for a pet, no matter how much you love him, remember
that every day there are thousands of perfectly healthy cats and kittens
that never make it to their one true home. That it might be better for
everyone to let one go when it is their time and to make room in your heart
for another.

Jo

I wish I could have stated my case as well as you did. This is the
choice I had to make when Princess (RB 16) was ill. The Vet suggested
surgery was my only option, I asked about her chance of making it --
he said "zero". So why put her through surgery? She lasted about
another month. I caved at the final moment and took her to emergency
for the final act. I wish I had kept her home, but I felt "I" could
not handle it. MLB

In article , (Renee Darvin) wrote:

-- and found that the problem is with his liver
-- --perhaps the Bg C.
--

Well, this is eerily similar to the Lester scenario that I presented the last
several weeks in this newsgroup.

I respect your decision, but will point out a contrary view just for the sake
of discussion. Lester was 16, and I decided to try surgery after the CT scan
and ultrasonic scan revealed the possibiity of treatment. And this very old
cat managed to survive the surgery, without really being forced to suffer. It
turned out that they had to remove too much of the liver in order for him to
survive, and we knew going in that this would be the iffy part, assuming he
survived the surgery.

But as far as the surgery itself, major as it was, he was back to his normal,
happy self after a handful of days. I feel, in retrospect, that taking the
chance was worth it, even if it ultimately failed.

Art

"Renee Darvin" wrote in message
...
Hi, guys!

Happy holidays to you all! Our pretty tree sits on a low table, which
is covered by a green cloth, then a decorated tree skirt. But what is
that sticking out from under the green cloth? Can it be a tail? Or is
it a paw? Or paws? The answer to all of the above is YES!

I wish I had better news from TED. Creampuff saw (was seen by!) a
specialist Tuesday, as he continues to lose weight and is so HUNGRY!
They did an UltraSound -- had to shave his beautiful belly for this and
he is mortified! -- and found that the problem is with his liver
--perhaps the Bg C.

The UltraSound, diagnosis and medication cost me $505.00. The
specialist wants to do exploratory surgery (cost estimated at $1400 to
possibly $2120). After much prayer and thought, I have decided not to
put him through this trauma and pain. It is NOT the money, although it
is a very serious consideration.

He is 11 years old and has known only love and kindness for his whole
life. (He is the one I found in the dumpster at two weeks old!) We
are going to love him like crazy, take very good care of him, and say a
tearful goodbye when the time comes. It is breaking my heart.

Comments?

Renee

I think those are decisions you just have to make yourself. Sometimes, as
much as I understand it, going through extensive traumatic medical
treatments for less that a major guarantee that recovery is expected seems
to me just to be cruel to the animal. Very often, blood tests and ultrasound
is pretty darned certain. In many, many ways, I wish we had not put Amigo
through that experience. He went into the surgery and it was found that it
was inoperable. Mom had given permission to euthanize if so, but I now think
we should have just taken care of him for as long as possible in comfort so
he did not have to go that way. Many purrs that Creampuff stays comfortable
and happy with you for as long as he can.

Karen

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 18:29:37 GMT, (Arthur
Shapiro) wrote:

In article , (Renee Darvin) wrote:

-- and found that the problem is with his liver
-- --perhaps the Bg C.
--

Well, this is eerily similar to the Lester scenario that I presented the last
several weeks in this newsgroup.

I respect your decision, but will point out a contrary view just for the sake
of discussion. Lester was 16, and I decided to try surgery after the CT scan
and ultrasonic scan revealed the possibiity of treatment. And this very old
cat managed to survive the surgery, without really being forced to suffer. It
turned out that they had to remove too much of the liver in order for him to
survive, and we knew going in that this would be the iffy part, assuming he
survived the surgery.

But as far as the surgery itself, major as it was, he was back to his normal,
happy self after a handful of days. I feel, in retrospect, that taking the
chance was worth it, even if it ultimately failed.

Art
FYI -- I have respect and admiration for the way you love and care for
your pets. I wish everyone had that much devotion. Best wishes .
MLB

"Renee Darvin" wrote in message
...
Hi, guys!

Happy holidays to you all! Our pretty tree sits on a low table,
which
is covered by a green cloth, then a decorated tree skirt. But what
is
that sticking out from under the green cloth? Can it be a tail? Or
is
it a paw? Or paws? The answer to all of the above is YES!

I wish I had better news from TED. Creampuff saw (was seen by!) a
specialist Tuesday, as he continues to lose weight and is so HUNGRY!
They did an UltraSound -- had to shave his beautiful belly for this
and
he is mortified! -- and found that the problem is with his liver
--perhaps the Bg C.

The UltraSound, diagnosis and medication cost me $505.00. The
specialist wants to do exploratory surgery (cost estimated at $1400 to
possibly $2120). After much prayer and thought, I have decided not
to
put him through this trauma and pain. It is NOT the money, although
it
is a very serious consideration.

He is 11 years old and has known only love and kindness for his whole
life. (He is the one I found in the dumpster at two weeks old!) We
are going to love him like crazy, take very good care of him, and say
a
tearful goodbye when the time comes. It is breaking my heart.

Comments?

Renee

I think you've made the right decision. If there were a surgery that
was almost certain to help him, it might well be worth it. However,
exploratory surgery sounds bad for all of you. We have a lot of hard
decisions, and set ourselves up for heartbreak, to make when we allow
ourselves to love these little critters, but they give us (and we give
them) a lot of happiness, so it's worth it.

((((((((Renee))))))))

Joy

"Arthur Shapiro" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Renee Darvin) wrote:

-- and found that the problem is with his liver
-- --perhaps the Bg C.
--

Well, this is eerily similar to the Lester scenario that I presented
the last
several weeks in this newsgroup.

I respect your decision, but will point out a contrary view just for
the sake
of discussion. Lester was 16, and I decided to try surgery after the
CT scan
and ultrasonic scan revealed the possibiity of treatment. And this
very old
cat managed to survive the surgery, without really being forced to
suffer. It
turned out that they had to remove too much of the liver in order for
him to
survive, and we knew going in that this would be the iffy part,
assuming he
survived the surgery.

But as far as the surgery itself, major as it was, he was back to his
normal,
happy self after a handful of days. I feel, in retrospect, that
taking the
chance was worth it, even if it ultimately failed.

Art

Obviously you made the right decision for you and Lester. However,
before the surgery you knew there was a possibility it would help.
Exploratory surgery is a different thing. It might cause all that pain
and trauma (and expense) for nothing.

Joy

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 07:01:39 -0800 (PST), (Renee
Darvin) wrote:

Hi, guys!

Happy holidays to you all! Our pretty tree sits on a low table, which
is covered by a green cloth, then a decorated tree skirt. But what is
that sticking out from under the green cloth? Can it be a tail? Or is
it a paw? Or paws? The answer to all of the above is YES!

I wish I had better news from TED. Creampuff saw (was seen by!) a
specialist Tuesday, as he continues to lose weight and is so HUNGRY!
They did an UltraSound -- had to shave his beautiful belly for this and
he is mortified! -- and found that the problem is with his liver
--perhaps the Bg C.

The UltraSound, diagnosis and medication cost me $505.00. The
specialist wants to do exploratory surgery (cost estimated at $1400 to
possibly $2120). After much prayer and thought, I have decided not to
put him through this trauma and pain. It is NOT the money, although it
is a very serious consideration.

He is 11 years old and has known only love and kindness for his whole
life. (He is the one I found in the dumpster at two weeks old!) We
are going to love him like crazy, take very good care of him, and say a
tearful goodbye when the time comes. It is breaking my heart.

Comments?

Renee







"Time spent with cats is never wasted." Colette "I've
traveled a long way -- and some of the roads weren't paved!" Anon
"I am too blessed to be stressed" Anon

Aww, Renee, I'm sorry to hear it sounds bad for Creampuff. From my
perspective, it sounds like you are doing the right thing, for what
that's worth. Treasure every minute, take lots of photos, cuddle a
lot, and just love him. Yes, you could do the surgery -- and then
maybe chemo -- but if it is cancer, all you are buying is time, and
probably not much of it. I don't mean to discourage others; I have
heard of others that have survived for several years after cancer, but
in my own experience, putting my little Sonia through surgery and
chemo, it can sometimes be a mistake.

At any rate, my thoughts are with you and Creampuff.

Blessings,

Ginger-lyn

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 20:12:14 GMT, (Ginger-lyn
Summer) wrote:

On Fri, 12 Dec 2003 07:01:39 -0800 (PST), (Renee
Darvin) wrote:

Hi, guys!

Happy holidays to you all! Our pretty tree sits on a low table, which
is covered by a green cloth, then a decorated tree skirt. But what is
that sticking out from under the green cloth? Can it be a tail? Or is
it a paw? Or paws? The answer to all of the above is YES!

I wish I had better news from TED. Creampuff saw (was seen by!) a
specialist Tuesday, as he continues to lose weight and is so HUNGRY!
They did an UltraSound -- had to shave his beautiful belly for this and
he is mortified! -- and found that the problem is with his liver
--perhaps the Bg C.

The UltraSound, diagnosis and medication cost me $505.00. The
specialist wants to do exploratory surgery (cost estimated at $1400 to
possibly $2120). After much prayer and thought, I have decided not to
put him through this trauma and pain. It is NOT the money, although it
is a very serious consideration.

He is 11 years old and has known only love and kindness for his whole
life. (He is the one I found in the dumpster at two weeks old!) We
are going to love him like crazy, take very good care of him, and say a
tearful goodbye when the time comes. It is breaking my heart.

Comments?

Renee


Many purrs and good wishes for all to have peace and comfort. MLB




"Time spent with cats is never wasted." Colette "I've
traveled a long way -- and some of the roads weren't paved!" Anon
"I am too blessed to be stressed" Anon

Aww, Renee, I'm sorry to hear it sounds bad for Creampuff. From my
perspective, it sounds like you are doing the right thing, for what
that's worth. Treasure every minute, take lots of photos, cuddle a
lot, and just love him. Yes, you could do the surgery -- and then
maybe chemo -- but if it is cancer, all you are buying is time, and
probably not much of it. I don't mean to discourage others; I have
heard of others that have survived for several years after cancer, but
in my own experience, putting my little Sonia through surgery and
chemo, it can sometimes be a mistake.

At any rate, my thoughts are with you and Creampuff.

Blessings,

Ginger-lyn