never, never, ever...

[wordinista]

Ask your hormonal adult daughter, "So, how far are you going to take this?" in relation to her possibly terminally ill cat.

Ever.

Next thing you should never say:  "You can't go into hock over an animal.  I know you love her, and she is a love, but she's just an animal."

Never, ever say that, either.  Trust me on this one.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that the vet called last night with... not-good news. Her hematocrit level was down to 7% (should be around 30-40% in a healthy cat), and that her anemia is the non-regenerative type, which increases the likelihood of FeLV. Her initial test (a basic blood test) came out negative, but he wants to do a bone marrow test to make sure it wasn't a false negative, because all signs seem to be pointing to FeLV.

EDIT the Second: I wrote to a local feline specialist today and got the following reply:

Bronte is going to need a blood transfusion w/ a PCV of 7 % regardless of the cause of the anemia. A bone marrow aspirate after she is stabilized from the transfusion is a logical next step. I am assuming she has been tested for FeLV and FIV. It sounds like she originally was being treated for a red blood cell type parasite called Hemobartonella. It is usually treated w/ doxy and pred for 3 weeks. It also usually shows a regenerative anemia. Immune mediated anemias in cats are rare except in FeLV positive cats.

Dammit.

The doc then went on to recommend two veterinary internists in the area.

Dammit.

Never again. Never, never again -- I am not ever, ever getting a random kitten from an "oops" litter ever again. I'll go to the pound first. I'll buy a purebred cat. But if there's any way I can avoid going through this kind of heartache again, I'm doing it.

Comments

[kitesareevil.livejournal.com]

I...can't say anything. I don't know what I'd do if Lina had FLV. I'd never be able to afford the treatments, I can barely pay my own medical bills. *lifts a glass and a prayer* Heres to you both, you're in my prayers.

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

Believe me, I know where you're coming from. We were already getting to a point where cost-of-living increases were making it necessary for me to find a job (I took time away from teaching for personal reasons, and then started working on my book -- lately, however, I haven't been able to write anything; stress is fun). Luckily, I had a really good interview on Tuesday, and am supposed to hear something back today.

All of that said, we don't really have an overabundance of disposable income (we didn't even before all this), so right now the plan is to take things one step at a time. I realize there may come a point where we have to sit back and look at things and say, "Can we reasonably afford this?" Which sounds so cold and heartless, but we need to pay our other bills too. I can't take Bronte to the vet if we get our car repossessed. I can't take care of her at all if we get evicted. Water, power -- these are necessities that need to be paid for as well. I'm already making as many personal sacrifices as I possibly can -- we've cut as many extras out of the budget as we can. George has even decided to lower the percentage taken out of his paycheck for his 401(k) so we have a little more to work with.

But I have to realize and acknowledge that there may come a time when we just can't anymore.