Re: Keegan

Despite a fairly major setback, Keegan is doing well and recovering nicely!

The planned date for surgery was postponed due to the discovery that Keegan was anemic.  Apparently due to the blood loss when the cyst burst, he lost juuust a bit too much blood.  Makes sense.

So, surgery was pushed to the following week... and all went really well.  He was home that same night- groggy from the anesthesia, and feeling good from the pain medicine- but doing very well overall.  As seen in the picture, he still has a bandage on his tail.  The tough little guy really hasn't shown any ill effects, in fact he has seemed quite a bit rejuvenated.  He seems much more like his old, lovable self.  Not that he wasn't lovable prior to surgery, but I think it's quite apparent how much discomfort and (maybe) pain he was in.  

He hasn't tried to remove the bandage.  His breath doesn't reek!  He seems to have no real notion than anything happened- and he has only thrown up twice in 12 days!  Wonderful news!

Em and I are excited to be around him more like we used to- spend time playing, cuddling, and hanging out without fear of hurting him or making a mess.  The staples are to be removed Tuesday, and with that we hope the bandages too...  he may be back to unencumbered status very soon!

And as seen in the picture... his tail isn't all that short- which was certainly a worry of ours going into the surgery.

Glad to have you healthy and happy buddy!

*Written on a lazy stormy Sunday in July while listening to "Rearviewmirror: Greatest Hits 1991-2003-Pearl Jam"*

July Eighth Two Thousand Fourteen

I've got one specific reason to write today, a thrust of emotion and the need to get something out.  I also wish to continue the kinetic motion I started way way back.  I don't know if anyone reads this, or if anyone cares; and I don't say so as a sympathetic grasp, but as a statement of fact:  I don't know.  Not knowing makes it hard to pinpoint a target audience...  not that I write for anyone else but myself, but at times like today when there are far too many thoughts racing around (mid-July) I find it difficult to settle upon one notion in one fragment in time.

Keegan is in for surgery today.  Unfortunately, the little guy has a rather large cyst on his tail that needs to be removed.  It's been there for years, and we've drained it a few times at the veterinarian office.  It has grown to be considerably larger than it ever was, and last week it burst and made a mess all over the house.  So, after consultation with our vet it was decided that we would bring him in today for a surgical procedure to remove the cyst.  While he is under anesthesia they will also be doing some dental work...  another fairly invasive process.  I guess it makes sense to consolidate all necessary work while he's going to "be under", eh!?

The caveat to the cyst removal is that there may be a possibility that the cyst returns in the future.  With this information, we also have the decision to make of amputating his tail to prevent future infections or issues.  Em and I discussed this last night, and we're treating this decision with the gravity it deserves.  Basically, we're considering his situation as if it were one of us...  we both agree that if it were our arm or leg (as close an approximation of his appendage as we can muster) that we'd only amputate as a last resort.  So...  we've instructed the vet surgeon to amputate only if there are complications or if long term prognosis (cyst-wise) is not good.

It's a tough day.  Since we brought Pepper into our family a few years ago, Keegan has become somewhat of the forgotten creature.  Em and I and Digger and B&A poke fun at how, "I hate him now" but that certainly isn't true.  Part of the distancing is due to the problems with his tail and teeth- they've coalesced into essentially making him a "mess-machine" as I call him.  Weather it's vomit, excretions from his cyst, or the copious amounts of fur-balls throughout the house, he's tough to cozy up with because there is always something to contend with.  The other aspect of the distancing is that Pepper and Keegan aren't capable of being in the same spaces with each other (for the most part).  There are no violence issues or anything like that, but Keegan basically keeps his distance.  That fact makes it tough to spend time with him as well...  everything is so compartmentalized.

For the past several days Keegan has been wearing a cone to protect him from trying to remove the tail bandages.  He's been miserable...  lonely.... upset.... hungry....  tired.... and confused.  Hopefully this surgery will be the salve for his woes.  I love the little guy- I spent a few extra minutes with him this morning petting his face underneath the cone.  He loved it!  He's got our love, concern, and faith.  I hope he is OK today... and I hope he is fixed up nicely so he can be the great cat that he is.

Brother and Sister surprisingly close on purpose!

Also going on now- this is a big week at work.  Surely I've alluded to it in the past- it's Jimmy Young week.  A 4 day member-guest tournament that basically consumes all my time, thoughts, and energy for a week or so.  If I'm lucky, I'll still carve out some time to read, discover, watch, listen, taste, and feel the moments in between all the chaos.  If so, hopefully I'll be equipped to bring something more poignant or substantive next time I write...

Until then, be well!  Best wishes Keegs!