Some things I can predict. Like the weather being dangerously hot every one of my days off last week. That prediction caused me to actually plan ahead for once and consider that four days of being trapped indoors would be a good time to make some progress on the ceiling in the back bedroom. Y'all remember that ceiling, right? The one with three layers of ugliness and, as an extra bonus, a petrified rat in the insulation. When I got off work last Wednesday morning, I very nearly went to Lowe's to buy the planks for the new ceiling. But I was tired and cranky, so I drove home instead.
Some things I cannot predict. Like walking in the house to see Louis Cat sprawled out on the laundry room floor with his eyes glassy and his breathing shallow and raspy. That was an oh-schidt moment. Y'all know that Louis is my little sweetheart and that I love him so much that The Hottie Priest told me it's almost a sin. (Probably calling Father Stephen "The Hottie Priest" is a sin, too, but I digress.)
Anyhow. I called the vet but she couldn't see him because she was in surgery, so she told me I should take him to the animal hospital in Concordia, 30 miles away. I was scared. Louis was scared. Cats just don't feel the same way about car rides that dogs do.
 |
Florian is very happy
that his friend
is home. |
Louis had fever, but right away the vet ruled out really terrifying stuff like poisoning, heart failure, respiratory failure, leukemia, AIDS, and thyroid trouble. Dr. Liz suspected a urinary tract infection and said that Louis would have to stay until he provided enough pee to confirm this diagnosis. I waited around for a couple of hours, but since Louis showed no inclination to pee and I'd been awake for a really long time, I reluctantly drove home. Louis began a hunger strike and the hospital began pee-pee watch. The pee-pee watch lasted about 30 hours, until Dr. Liz decided that since Louis wasn't voluntarily providing a sample she'd catheterize him. Apparently the sight of the catheter was enough to motivate Louis to pee. Poor guy. Dr. Liz's diagnosis of UTI was confirmed. Louis still had fever, so he had to stay again Thursday night. The hunger strike lasted until Friday afternoon, when Louis's captors--I mean, the animal hospital--caved in and let him come home. Louis is still a little bit cranky, but he's feeling much better.
All this is a long way of telling y'all that I didn't work on the house last week at all. Maybe this week will be better.
