Hi Everyone. Thanks for all your concern about my Dad and our power issues and stuff. We've had power for several days now so we are very lucky. Some people in our area have been without power for over a week. So we really feel that we are very fortunate. And my Dad is doing great. He doesn't like having a kidney stone, but after we thought it was something so much worse, we are all very grateful that it's a stone and that it's only one.
Now on to ME!!! It's my Gotcha Day! This is a very very special day. At nearly midnight tonight it will be exactly one year since Mom and Dad found me. I don't remember much of my first experiences with Mom and Dad because I was small and sick and scared and they were just really big strangers. So I'm going to let Mom tell the story. I'm very thankful that they found me. Our whole family has a lot to be gratful for and thankful for this week. Ok here's Mom.
At about 11:30pm on July 25, 2005 my husband and I were returning from a late dinner. I was driving up and down the streets of our neighborhood looking for a parking spot, when down one street we found a gray little creature just sitting in the middle of the road. I slowed the car, but it didn't move. We could see that it was a kitten and figured it must be very frightened to not be able to move from the middle of the street. So my husband got out of the passenger seat to move the kitten from the middle of the road. I found a parking spot and went to meet him. He was walking towards me with a scrawny kitten dangling from his completely outstretched arm. (My husband was NOT a cat person... though I think the emphasis in that statement should be on WAS). Anyway I took the kitten in my arms and my husband said, "I think it's blind. It kept running into things trying to get away from me." Sure enough, the kitten's eyes were so infected they were completely crusted shut. I just looked at my husband and he said we could take it home for the night. My husband went out immediately to find cat food and kitty litter. That late we couldn't find any kitten food because only the corner stores were open, but we figured any food was better than none. We put the litter in a foil roasting pan, though we turned out not to need it. The kitten only licked the top of the food in the bowl and wouldn't eat any. I was so upset. I was up with him almost the whole night. He cried and cried and cried. I put a warm washcloth over his eyes and eventually he worked them open a bit, but his third eyelid was extended halfway across each of his eyes. He seemed to have no control over his bowels, so it got pretty messy.
The next morning I didn't go to work and went straight to a vet. The vet was fantastic. The kitten tested negative for all the important stuff and was diagnosed with just an upper respiratory infection, serious conjunctivitis and a bad case of worms. Fortunately he didn't have any fleas or mites. The vet said a few more days and he would have been completely blind, and for a stray kitten (somewhere between 8 and 10 weeks old), his outlook would have been grim. Since pets were not allowed in our apartment, our plan was to just get him healthy and find him a home. On the way home from the vet to show his appreciation, he messed in my lap. This kitten became my serious project. I got up in the middle of the night to comfort him when he cried and give him medicine, I kitten-proofed the entire house because while we were waiting for the worms to clear up he had accidents everywhere, and took him to work with me when my husband and I had to be away for long days. He refused to bathe himself, so I did my best trying to wash him everyday with a washcloth (the vet said not to submerge him because he was sick). Some stuff was just so stuck in there from his early weeks on the streets that I had to cut parts of his fur out. We knew he was getting better when I came home one day to find him cleaner than when I left him. We had to take him back to the vet after we had him less than a week because his sneezing and runny nose was worse and so had to get a different antibiotic. The good news was that he had gained a whole pound in six days! At that vet visit my husband decided that this was our cat and no one else could have him. I was so excited! We explained the situation to our landlord, and he allowed us to keep him. It took another week or so before we named him Mattingly. It was about two weeks before he was completely litter trained and I could remove the old sheets and curtains that blanketed every surface in our house to protect them and about a month before he was off all the antiobiotics, but now he's a big healthy boy.
He's been such a great addition to our lives. He has so much personality. He was the first step in making our marriage into a "family" (since it will still be some time yet before human kids come along). He is currently curled up into a tight little ball on the couch next to the computer with a smile on his face and we are all very content.
I wanted to share photos of his first few weeks with us, but our usual host is down and blogger is not allowing me to upload, so I'll try to do it soon!
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Friday, July 21, 2006
What a Week!
I wanted to blog more this past week and come around and leave comments on everykitty's site, but I haven't been able to. This post was supposed to be about my adventures at the Catolympics, but more important things need to be addressed.
On Sunday after I posted my Dad started to get sick. Then Monday he had to go to the doctor, then Tuesday he had to go to the 'Mergency Room. Usually this is not a big deal because he is a bean doctor (or bean vet as many of you know them) and actually works in the 'Mergency Room. But this time he had to go because he was so sick. When Mom and Dad came home on Tuesday, Dad was "loopy" as he says it because of all the medicayshun he was on. He was very uncomfortable and Mom was trying to take care of him and then we started to lose power. Throughout the day we had less and less and less. First the TV went, then some lights, then our AIR CONDITIONERS!! We need those!!! It was SO HOT! Overnight we lost power completely and when when the sun came up on Wednesday morning, there was no power at all. There were fires near us and big loud trucks on our street. Power was out all over our area and they thought it would be maybe days before it came back! We were all trying to stick it out. Mom and Dad just sat around sweating, but Dad was still sick so this was very uncomfortable for him. They talked about going to a hotel, but couldn't find any in the area that would take kitties. Then Dad found Harlie and I sitting in the bathtub PANTING! Harlie likes the bathtub a lot, but I don't. It was just the coolest place we could find, and it really wasn't that cool. It was literally about 90 degrees in our apartment. That's what Mom said. I don't know what that means, but I know it was way too hot for everyone. So not only were Mom and Dad worrying about Dad, but now they were worried about us because they had no way to cool us off. They decided they had to go to a hotel for Dad's health and the only way they could be sure we were ok was to take us to be boarded someplace! Our normal vet place didn't have any power either since they live so close to where we live, so Mom asked them where a good place to go would be and that's where they took us. I had to go away once before and it was a very bad experience for me. I still haven't blogged about it but I should. It was a little better this time because Harlie was with me. And even though she irritates me sometimes, I do love her a lot and it was very nice not to be alone. Mom made sure that Harlie and I could be in the same kennel and the lady there who took care of us was very nice. She left our carrier in the kennel with us so we could hide and have the towel that smelled like home. Mom was very very sad, but knew that it was better for us because they had an air conditioner. Harlie and I were not happy, but felt much better not to be panting anymore. Fortunately it only got dark one time and then Mom and Dad came back to get us. So yesterday we came back home, Dad had had another Dr appointment and the news was pretty good and we had power! We were all so happy to be home together. Usually after being in my carrier I run away and hide under the bed for awhile, but I stayed out with Mom and Dad and Harlie because we were all so happy to have electricity and be together again.
So that's why I haven't blogged or commented. Even before we lost power, we didn't have internet. And in case any beans are wondering about my Dad, they thought his kidneys might be failing at first, then they thought he had a disease that could eventually lead to kiney failure. But it turns out he has a kidney stone!!! So even though he is sometimes in pain and sometimes has to go be sick in the bathroom, we are all very happy that it is a kidney stone. And yesterday the doctor said there is a 95% chance that he will pass it on his own. That is why we are so happy now. Except Dad doesn't like the fact that he has one and that he is going to turn Three-Oh this year. It makes him feel like he is entering middle age. I actually don't know what any of this means, but Mom said I should write it in case anyone is curious. Hopefully this weekend I can come around and comment!
On Sunday after I posted my Dad started to get sick. Then Monday he had to go to the doctor, then Tuesday he had to go to the 'Mergency Room. Usually this is not a big deal because he is a bean doctor (or bean vet as many of you know them) and actually works in the 'Mergency Room. But this time he had to go because he was so sick. When Mom and Dad came home on Tuesday, Dad was "loopy" as he says it because of all the medicayshun he was on. He was very uncomfortable and Mom was trying to take care of him and then we started to lose power. Throughout the day we had less and less and less. First the TV went, then some lights, then our AIR CONDITIONERS!! We need those!!! It was SO HOT! Overnight we lost power completely and when when the sun came up on Wednesday morning, there was no power at all. There were fires near us and big loud trucks on our street. Power was out all over our area and they thought it would be maybe days before it came back! We were all trying to stick it out. Mom and Dad just sat around sweating, but Dad was still sick so this was very uncomfortable for him. They talked about going to a hotel, but couldn't find any in the area that would take kitties. Then Dad found Harlie and I sitting in the bathtub PANTING! Harlie likes the bathtub a lot, but I don't. It was just the coolest place we could find, and it really wasn't that cool. It was literally about 90 degrees in our apartment. That's what Mom said. I don't know what that means, but I know it was way too hot for everyone. So not only were Mom and Dad worrying about Dad, but now they were worried about us because they had no way to cool us off. They decided they had to go to a hotel for Dad's health and the only way they could be sure we were ok was to take us to be boarded someplace! Our normal vet place didn't have any power either since they live so close to where we live, so Mom asked them where a good place to go would be and that's where they took us. I had to go away once before and it was a very bad experience for me. I still haven't blogged about it but I should. It was a little better this time because Harlie was with me. And even though she irritates me sometimes, I do love her a lot and it was very nice not to be alone. Mom made sure that Harlie and I could be in the same kennel and the lady there who took care of us was very nice. She left our carrier in the kennel with us so we could hide and have the towel that smelled like home. Mom was very very sad, but knew that it was better for us because they had an air conditioner. Harlie and I were not happy, but felt much better not to be panting anymore. Fortunately it only got dark one time and then Mom and Dad came back to get us. So yesterday we came back home, Dad had had another Dr appointment and the news was pretty good and we had power! We were all so happy to be home together. Usually after being in my carrier I run away and hide under the bed for awhile, but I stayed out with Mom and Dad and Harlie because we were all so happy to have electricity and be together again.
So that's why I haven't blogged or commented. Even before we lost power, we didn't have internet. And in case any beans are wondering about my Dad, they thought his kidneys might be failing at first, then they thought he had a disease that could eventually lead to kiney failure. But it turns out he has a kidney stone!!! So even though he is sometimes in pain and sometimes has to go be sick in the bathroom, we are all very happy that it is a kidney stone. And yesterday the doctor said there is a 95% chance that he will pass it on his own. That is why we are so happy now. Except Dad doesn't like the fact that he has one and that he is going to turn Three-Oh this year. It makes him feel like he is entering middle age. I actually don't know what any of this means, but Mom said I should write it in case anyone is curious. Hopefully this weekend I can come around and comment!
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Finally some updates
Hi Everykitty!
Sorry to cause you concern with my absence. As I mentioned in my last post, Mom and Dad have been very busy. Also we have been without our laptop that lets us do things on the internet from our air conditioned living room, and it's been too hot to sit in the office and try to update things. But Mom finally decided it was time and today it's not too hot to sit in the office. So here we are catching you up on lots of things that have been going on! We even updated links and stuff on the sidebar!
First I need to tell about the fun things that happened in June. I won't cover everything in this post, but at least I can get a few things down. The first big event for me in June was Oreo's Party! Since I turned one year old at the end of May, Mom says I am old enough now to visit friends and go to parties if I like. Unfortunately, I made it very late to Oreo's party. When Mom returned from her trip to Japan, her back was hurting her very very bad. That weekend I had to stay around home to give her the love she needed and to help out with Harlie. Finally that Sunday afternoon Mom said it was ok for me to go. I was very nervous because I was meeting everyone for the first time, and because it was my first teleporting experience. But I had a blast! Everyone was so nice and I had so much fun. Thanks Oreo for inviting me and throwing such a great party! Hopefully next party I can stay longer and have more to update about!
The next big thing to happen was of course the Torch Relay for the Catolympics! The first thing I had to do was wait for Meeko and Kiara to get to my house! They brought the torch all the way from Texas! I already blogged about when they got here, but I didn't yet get to show pictures of their visit! First Mom took some (embarassing) photos of me giving the lovely ladies some baths when they got here. They were very tired and deserved to be pampered I thought. I don't want anyone to think I'm not a good host!
Meeko seemed to like her bath!
So did Kiara!
The next day we did a little bit of sight seeing in Mew York City before I left on my leg of the relay to go to Catifornia. The camera was acting funny, so Mom didn't get as many pictures as she would have liked, but she got pictures of us at the site of the World's Fair, and crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. After that the camera gave out so we didn't get any photos at the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State building. But that's ok because we still have the great memories!
It was so nice to spend so much time with Meeko and Kiara. I think it's a good friendship now!
Then I was off to the west coast. When I got there, DK and gang were very generous to allow me to be a guest blogger and together, all the details of that part of the trip were covered. It seems I was very excited about the whole thing. I hope I didn't cause DKM too much trouble! I was so nervous about meeting the fluffies, but it was great and I got to learn to do binkies! They took me on a wonderful tour of San Francisco, which I documented on their blog. And then it was such a wonderful surprise that I got to go along for Sophia's hand-off to Max! I'm embarassed to admit that I was almost star-struck when I met Max (ok I was totally star-struck). I mean this guy is a super blogger, is totally in charge, and has written not one but TWO books! Not to mention he was the one behind Harlie's name! Max also wrote about that day, so I don't think there's much left for me to document.
I just have to say the whole thing was such a great experience! In my next post I'll talk about my experiences at the Catolympics, but after all this work on my blog today, I need to go take a nap!
Sorry to cause you concern with my absence. As I mentioned in my last post, Mom and Dad have been very busy. Also we have been without our laptop that lets us do things on the internet from our air conditioned living room, and it's been too hot to sit in the office and try to update things. But Mom finally decided it was time and today it's not too hot to sit in the office. So here we are catching you up on lots of things that have been going on! We even updated links and stuff on the sidebar!
First I need to tell about the fun things that happened in June. I won't cover everything in this post, but at least I can get a few things down. The first big event for me in June was Oreo's Party! Since I turned one year old at the end of May, Mom says I am old enough now to visit friends and go to parties if I like. Unfortunately, I made it very late to Oreo's party. When Mom returned from her trip to Japan, her back was hurting her very very bad. That weekend I had to stay around home to give her the love she needed and to help out with Harlie. Finally that Sunday afternoon Mom said it was ok for me to go. I was very nervous because I was meeting everyone for the first time, and because it was my first teleporting experience. But I had a blast! Everyone was so nice and I had so much fun. Thanks Oreo for inviting me and throwing such a great party! Hopefully next party I can stay longer and have more to update about!
The next big thing to happen was of course the Torch Relay for the Catolympics! The first thing I had to do was wait for Meeko and Kiara to get to my house! They brought the torch all the way from Texas! I already blogged about when they got here, but I didn't yet get to show pictures of their visit! First Mom took some (embarassing) photos of me giving the lovely ladies some baths when they got here. They were very tired and deserved to be pampered I thought. I don't want anyone to think I'm not a good host!
Meeko seemed to like her bath!
So did Kiara!
The next day we did a little bit of sight seeing in Mew York City before I left on my leg of the relay to go to Catifornia. The camera was acting funny, so Mom didn't get as many pictures as she would have liked, but she got pictures of us at the site of the World's Fair, and crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. After that the camera gave out so we didn't get any photos at the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State building. But that's ok because we still have the great memories!
It was so nice to spend so much time with Meeko and Kiara. I think it's a good friendship now!
Then I was off to the west coast. When I got there, DK and gang were very generous to allow me to be a guest blogger and together, all the details of that part of the trip were covered. It seems I was very excited about the whole thing. I hope I didn't cause DKM too much trouble! I was so nervous about meeting the fluffies, but it was great and I got to learn to do binkies! They took me on a wonderful tour of San Francisco, which I documented on their blog. And then it was such a wonderful surprise that I got to go along for Sophia's hand-off to Max! I'm embarassed to admit that I was almost star-struck when I met Max (ok I was totally star-struck). I mean this guy is a super blogger, is totally in charge, and has written not one but TWO books! Not to mention he was the one behind Harlie's name! Max also wrote about that day, so I don't think there's much left for me to document.
I just have to say the whole thing was such a great experience! In my next post I'll talk about my experiences at the Catolympics, but after all this work on my blog today, I need to go take a nap!
Friday, July 14, 2006
Just a quick one for now
Hi Everybody! I'm OK! We haven't even been on vacation or anything. It's just been really hot and Mom and Dad have been REALLY REALLY busy. I have so much to post about. The torch relay, the olympics, and many things before and since. But I wanted to make sure I got my gift in to the Empress on time. While I am not one of the Tomcat Stable, I do enjoy her blog very much and appreciate her charm, beauty, wit and just all around wonderfulness. We are truly blessed to have her in the blogosphere. We decided on something practical... a gift that perhaps could keep on giving even after clothes have gone out of fashion. Kukka, we hope you enjoy your blogiversary and have lots of fun zooming around the living room in your hot new car!
Mom says I get to post again tomorrow. YAY!
Mom says I get to post again tomorrow. YAY!
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