Our Last Day

Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits.
Originally uploaded by mkb_nf.

Well, today is our last day together. Right now Natasha is walking around the top of my desk as I type this. I don't normally let her jump up here, as my transcriber is there and she likes to chew on the headphone wire, but today I just move it somewhere else. Today she can do whatever she wants.

Over the past few days you can tell that her breathing is probably more difficult.. Her belly moves more with each breath and when she is lying on her back you can hold your ear to her belly and actually hear the fact that she is probably struggling a little.

On the outside, minus the more pronouced physical action of her belly when she breaths, you wou;dn't know she was sick. The things that the vet said would indicate that she had moved from mild discomfort to pain, stress, and even panic (i.e., coughing and not being able to catch her breath, making a sound whe she breaths, and open mouth breathing) still haven't occurred. But I know that it is time.

She still isn't eating a lot, even though we are still able to get her to take her steriods, which are supposed to help her appetite. It is a challenge to make sure that she is getting what I think is enough food and water. I'm glad that the wet food that she does eat always has lots of sauce or gravy in it, as it is the water that I have been most concerned about.

Not sure how the day will unfold for me, thus far I haven't been the pillar of strength (and I've only been away for about 90 minutes). I'm kind of glad that it is just the two of us for most of the day, as Lisa is working again today. I have a couple of afternoon meetings myself, which will take me away from her for about two and a half hours, but other than that it is just me and her one last time.

Tags: cat, Flickr