Off to Maple Creek and Medicine Hat

Today we left home early so I could see the vet before she did surgery for the morning. I was very NOT impressed with having my temp taken and let everyone know about it. I was more tolerant of having blood drawn once the needle was in. The good news is that I've gained the weight lost while I was ill a couple of weeks ago so I am back up to what I was when I had my diagnosis for hyperthyroidism made. Still down about 1.5 lbs from my previous normal weight.

The not so good news is that both options for my treatment are a bit complicated and they are seeking some more advice prior to us making a decision which way to go. Louise has already ruled out radioactive iodine treatment due to the cost.

I kept clinging to Louise's shoulder, wanting to make sure she didn't leave me there again. Once we were in the car, I 'talked" to me frequently during the trip to Medicine Hat (about an hour). Louise still hasn't figured out what that was all about.

Stanza sitting on her blanket in the car........with a white bandage this time fortunately they didn't have to shave her again to take the blood

I wanted to get out of the car at stops in Medicine Hat....... but we were only there long enough for Louise to drop of sewing machines for servicing, pick up some supplies for her workshop at the end of March at both Michael's and Fabricland.

We had to stop back at the vets in Maple Creek to pick up more canned food for me plus a bag of "healthy" treats. I liked them a lot and ate 3 in the car. Renee said eating them would be like having a rice krispie treat when you really wanted chocolate, but these days, a treat is a treat!

I finally settled down for a bit of a nap on the way home.......... it's hard when a fur gal misses her morning snooze! Louise was happy she got home in time to see most of GH. More snoozing in my new closet napping place once home.

Stanza's new napping spot.......when not being woken for photo ops

Stanza gets Sprung - A pictoral post

Today when talking to the vet about how stanza was doing we decided that, although she's not yet eating on her own, I could feed her at home instead of her staying there. So, off to Maple Creek to pick her up. That meant I had to cancel meeting up with Dale Anne Potter at 3Pm as they requested me to be there at 2 pm and it's a 1.5 hr drive each way. Once I learned how to feed her when she wouldn't eat on her own and how to add fluids if not drinking, we headed for home. Once home, we tried the feeding routine, not really a fun event for either of us, but she started licking it off my fingers which was an improvement. Later on she decided she would try eating out of her dish.and has continued to do so. A phone call to the vet to let her know things were going so well. A big relief to know Stanza is glad to be home and settling into her routine. I am feeling a bit of a meany by not letting her mooch or have treats - she has to stay on the special diet food to make sure she doesn't get her system upset again.

Stanza thanks everyone for their concern for her and support for her owner during this trying time!

Sittng on the table waiting for "mom"

that's a pen the vet is holding

Stanza's accomdation at the vets, glad to be out of there!

Waiting at the desk for things to be readied to leave

Renee knows how to keep a gal happy!

Are we there yet??

A sight to gladden an owner's heart - Stanza eating on her own!!
Messy as she is, she's eating

The indignity of having my fur shaved for IV site.....
wonder how long it will take to grow back in?


Looking thinner and a bit worse for wear
but glad to be home at last!!!

AT LAST - back to sleeping on the quilt frame!!

Stanza Update

Stanza's new preferred nap location

The vet called today with the results of Stanza's bloodwork. She is apparently extremely hyperthyroid. Otherwise her blood results are good for a gal of her age. They are shipping the meds this afternoon and we should have them in the morning. She also said to keep feeding her whatever she wants when she wants it for the time being. Stanza is up to 3 cans of fancy feast per day, the first one in am practically being inhaled! I think the FF bill will be worse than the meds. We need to have Stanza's blood re-checked in 3 weeks to see how the meds are doing. Because of her age they are only giving her 2 pills a day to start. She also advised me on what possible side effects may show up and to call her if I had any concerns. I told her stanza already seemed a bit improved with getting the extra food - poor thing was literally starving to death.

New Beginnings

Today is a big day for my US friends and for the world as well. Barack Obama is being inaugurated today. My owner, Louise, spent the time handquilting on her charm quilt in the frame.

Stanza thinks the new quiltframe makes a great perch for looking out the window

Since she a big meanie and doesn't want tufts of cat fur on her quilt, she makes me get off the quilt when she's working on it.I decided that there are other places a kitty can nap. She does keep the quilt covered with a flannel sheet when not working on it for two reasons:

1) the window faces east and she doesn't want the fabrics to fade - she likes to quilt in the natural light in the afternoon

2) it keeps my kitty "stuff" off the quilt.

Stanza napping on the Ottoman - she adopted this as her own after we moved into apt

The ottoman was left in the apt when we moved in - it makes a good coffee table with a shelf on it for a hard surface; is a great foot rest when sitting on the couch but it's primary purpose seems to be to serve as Stanza's own private comfort zone!

Off to Maple Creek, SK - a trip to our vet

Stanza and headed late this am for her trip to the vet in Maple Creek. We still use the vet in Maple Creek as they were recommended when we used to live in Gull Lake. They've treated us well and know Stanza so we've kept going there even though we moved to a place with several vets. I like to visit Maple Creek every now and then, it's a nice little day trip. We haven't had a road trip together since we came back from BC in October. The weather was great......warmer than it has been in ages. Should be above freezing before we head home, She settled in once we were on the highway and snoozed most of the way. Once I turned off the Trans Canada, though, she was up looking out the window and checking things it. It always makes me chuckle when she does this.

Stanza checking out what's up in Maple Creek

We spotted this over the street metal silouette which we hadn't remembered seeing on previous trips to Maple Creek. Louise took a number of photos of it on the way out.........

Maple Creek street silouette sign

Maple Creek is nestled close to the Cypress Hills Inter-Provincial park and the rolling landscape is great ranching country. It is not unusual to see cowboy hats and boots on "real" cowboys. The first time we drove into Maple Creekwe thought it was a place we'd like to live in. It is about a 10 min drive from the Trans Canada highway. Louise have been known to head into Curragh's for cinnamon bun(s) if she's going by and has the time. There are folks here with the same last name as Louise. She ran into some of them at a local rodeo and found they are not related' Too bad, they are nice folks and well known ranchers in the area.

Stanza going for a little stroll before heading into the vet office. She is looking quite thin for her

Stanza was her usual trooper self during the exam which was very thorough and included bloodwork to check on a variety of conditions. She was not impressed when they shaved her front paw to take the blood. The blood goes off to Saskatoon on the bus to be tested. Results won't be back until Tuesday or Wednesday. The vet said she had a nodule on the side of her thyroid and had me feel it. Stanza has also lost about 1.5 lbs which is a lot for an approx 8 lb cat. Her thinness at this time of year was one of the things that concerned me. She's usually putting on a bit of weight due to what I call the "fur doily" syndrome (sleeping everywhere) in the winter.

Stanza back at home with her "bandage" just before it was removed

After all the travel and news from the vet we were both a bit tuckered. wegot home in time to see an Oprah show I didn't want to miss from Washington DC and stanza went off to catch up on her missing naps and rest up from the indigities she had to endure with her vet visit (they took her temp).

Glamour girl

A Wonderful Surprise Came Today

Stanza, determined to go for a LONG walk!

After work, Stanza (my 14 yr old Maine Coon Cat mix) and I went for a walk over along the creek, near the library and our new neighborhood. She is leash trained and has started actually wanting to go for walks like a dog in the past several weeks....... this is new behaviour. Today, she was determined to have quite a walk, I had to walk quickly to keep up with her. I kept wanting to stop and take pictures and she kept wanting to walk.

view along the creek, a skim of ice has formed in spots, giving a shimmer to the reflections
We ended up walking about a total of 10 or 12 blocks....... she was ready for more, but I wasn't, having just finished standing while working for the past 8 hours. I took a number of texture type photos during our walk, one old tree captured my interest due to the depth of the fissures in its bark.

Today, Louise received a "love quilt" from her online friends at Quilt Chat. They made a lovely blue and white quilt she will put on her bed........ a great new place for me to sleep.