Yesterday morning I took Kidd to the specialist that my regular vet had referred him to. It was a busy and bustling office, but the staff were warm and friendly. A nice tech took Kidd’s history and then spirited him away for a few minutes for mundane things like temperature and weight while I knit rapidly and mindlessly. (Temp, normal / weight, way low)
When returned, Kidd cuddled up close to me and stuck his head up my sweater sleeve. He knows that if his head is hidden, nobody can see him and he’s safe. The original ostrich. I sat quietly holding Kidd and listening to the soothing sound of water running in this kitschy little Christmas village fountain. I’m not sure why it’s still Christmas here, but the sound was calming so maybe that’s the point. For all I know, it’s been Christmas here for years.
After a short wait, Dr. Specialist came in for the exam. He looked Kidd over from stem to stern and discussed his history with me. His suggestion was to start with x-rays to see if that would show anything, although most of the possible diagnoses would probably not be x-rayable.
The nice tech fetched Kidd again and whisked him away to parts unknown. I sat and again mindlessly and swiftly knit away on the basketweave socks. I hadn’t decided whether to go with a short-row heel (more “basket” looking) or a gusset-and-flap heel (more comfortable). At some point during the wait, I must have unconsciously decided to go with a short-row heel because I mindlessly and swiftly knit way past the point I should have started a gusset. I began to like the Christmas display.
Between the mindless knitting and the babbling Christmas fountain, I kept my cool pretty well, I think.
The x-rays were inconclusive. Except Kidd’s stomach appears distended for no visible reason. Certainly it’s not from eating. Dr. Specialist suggested as a next step an endoscopy, to see what’s really going on inside there. I have to drop Kidd off on Monday morning. The procedure will be done on Tuesday. The concern now, of course, is keeping Kidd alive until then.
Dr. Specialist handed me his card so I’d have his office number.
If you get in there and it’s really bad… I started to say, meaning to add please don’t let him wake up. But I couldn’t get that far.
Dr. Specialist said, In that case I’ll call you right away. I think he knew what I was trying to say. He took his card back from me, wrote on it, and then returned it. There’s my home number, he said. Call me directly if he gets into trouble over the weekend.
What a nice man, eh? I don’t think I’ve ever had a vet give me their home number before. Even my regular vet, who I love and who has taken care of my animals for 20 years, suggests Dove Lewis in an emergency.
I shook Dr. Specialist’s hand, thanked him sincerely, and said I’d have Kidd in first thing on Monday.
On the way home from work, I stopped at the store and stocked up on all of the Gerber baby meats I could find: Turkey, chicken, veal, beef, lamb… As far as I’m concerned, if that’s what Kidd wants to eat for the next two days, then that’s what he gets.
The pic is from happier times, last November. When I’m doing “computer stuff” at home, Kidd likes to either curl up under my desk at my feet or sit next to me on my bookshelf. Sometimes he lays on my desk, and runs his tail back and forth over the touch-pad I use instead of a mouse. The distance from the shelf he is sitting on to the shelf behind his head is 15″, so that gives you an idea of his size. He has to crouch to fit. He’s the tallest of my three cats, but not of course the heaviest. That distinction goes to Moo Cow.
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I’m sorry your cat is ill. We lost our dog around New Years but not to death – she (I like to think) is on vacation and seeing the world. Probably was dog-napped. We miss her horribly but life must go on. We want to get another dog sometime down the road – but not yet.
I was googling buttonhole bags and came across your post. I too, have a front-loading machine. I’ve only felted a couple of things and not liked the result. That was until today when I felted them “naked” instead of in a lingerie bag as all directions I’d read suggested. They felted beautifully with no wrinkles!! I didn’t wash them with anything – just tossed them in there with a squirt of detergent on the normal cycle and ran it through twice. The only thing is that the edges on my bag and fuzzy feet didn’t curl as usual. They were straight and perfect. You said you coaxed your bag edges into rolling. How did you do that? Now that I know I can felt without washing them in a lingerie bag with a couple of pairs of jeans – and they will come out so beautiful, I see lots more bags and fuzzy feet in my future. I look forward to hearing any tips from you!
1Thanks,
Marsha
Remark from Marsha — Monday, 2/13/2006 @ 12:35 PM
Hi, Marsha; Thanks for your kind words. Sorry to hear about your dog. It’s funny how quickly the little four-footed family menbers become so important to us!
I did put my buttonhole bag in a lingerie bag that was big enough for it to fit flat. I washed it on super-hot on normal cycle with a bit of detergent and several old bath towels. It took about three cycles for it to felt to the point I liked it. I didn’t have any problems with wrinkles at all! To get the edges to curl, I let them curl during the first wash, and then curled them more a bit by hand during the second wash. By the third wash the curl was set. I think the lingerie bag helped to hold it curled because it was a net bag and it almost melded with the felt. I also think that the towels worked better than jeans.
I’d love to see a picture of your bag!
2Remark from Judy — Monday, 2/13/2006 @ 7:37 PM
If I knew how to put pictures on the internet I would!! I got a free 30 blog and then didn’t ever post anything!! Thanks for the tips!
3Remark from Marsha — Monday, 2/13/2006 @ 11:34 PM