Conference misery::feline

    Steffi, I am so sorry to hear about Misha.  Isn't it interesting that
    when our "gut" tells us something is wrong with them we get their
    favorite toy - mine was getting Abigail food - HER favorite toy!
    
    I can only imagine what you are going through.  The one consolation
    is that Misha is not in any pain.  My prayers are with you and I
    sincerely hope Misha comes through this as a survivor!
    
    You are lucky you can have Misha at home with you - to love and pay
    special attention to.  He is so lucky to be surrounded by such love
    and devotion.
    
    Sending you my best!
    
    Marilyn
    

    Steffi, my thoughts are with you as well.  Both you Bob have been so
    infinitely supportive and patient with Misha... he couldn't have asked for
    better humans to love and care for him.  He is such a lucky cat, and
    there are probably tens of thousands of cats in this world who would
    trade places with Misha in a second.
    
    I hope you have lots more time left to spend, love, and spoil him
    rotten!
    
    You are in my thoughts and prayers.
    
    Love and hugs,
    Roberta
    

    Steffi and Bob....my thoughts and prayers are with you too.  Misha
    is one lucky kitty to have such wonderful parents as you....please
    give him a gentle hug and kiss from Aunt Sandy from Kitty City!!
    
    Good vibes coming your way...
    
    Sandy

    Steffi,
    
    I would like to send along my prayers.  I sure hope that Misha pulls
    through.  
    
    Please keep us updated..
    
    Joyce
    

    I just called my wife per phone and among other things I told this
    story, too... She said: "oh god." 
    
    Both of us think of you with love and wish all the best.
    
    I know it is mathematically useless to send replies in such cases like
    'me too' and 'we pray for you' instead of giving advice. But if one
    cannot give advice, one feels the need to comfort or try at least to
    comfort the other feliner being in pain. So I *do* send you my prayers.
    
    Nat

    Steffi, how is Misha doing?
    
    I am hoping that "no" news is good news ... we are all wondering how
    he made out at the interns and care about how YOU are doing?
    
    Sending you my best.
    
    Marilyn
    

    Thank you all, for your caring and prayers. Misha has an appointment at
    the vets in about 2 hours, so hopefully I'll have more info after that. 
    He's eating, he has run up the stairs when he follows me up, he
    snuggles in the crook of my arm when we go to bed.  I think the meds
    are making him feel better.  
    
    Bob and I are looking forward to our "Feline" day on Monday and that has 
    raised our spirits a lot.
    
    Steffi

    Well, I'm back from the vets.  Dr. Hamilton is such a kind caring person. 
    Unfortunately, she can't do magic.  Basically, it's just a matter of
    time.  She can't even give a guesstimate.  She wants to try to cut back
    on the lasix, because too much can cause problems.  She said that cats
    don't do well with meds, unlike dogs.  She took another x-ray and what
    a difference from the other x-ray taken before she drained the fluid. 
    In the first x-ray you couldn't see his heart and could just barely see
    his lungs.  Today, his lungs showed up very clearly and so did his
    heart.  
    
    Ironically, our vet just lost her dog due to aorta valve problem.  And
    she said that she feels guilty because she didn't discover it sooner. 
    But her dog had no symptoms and the blood work showed normal.  So even
    a vet can't always detect a problem, and she does regular blood tests
    on her animals.  She said she's going to start doing ultrasounds yearly
    on her pets. 
    
    We are leaving Friday night for NYC, and now of course, we wish we
    didn't have to go, but we have no choice.  We just have to hope that between
    our cat sitter and a neighbor (who is also a very good friend) Misha
    will be well taken care of.  We made an appointment for him on Monday,
    since Dr. H wants to check on him, since we are lowering the lasix
    dosage.  Hopefully, our neighbor will be able to take him.
    
    She also said that we should carry him up the stairs as much as
    possible.  Just like a human heart patient should avoid stairs.  We are
    going to bring a litter box and bowl of food upstairs also, so he won't
    have to go downstairs during the night if nature calls.  Now, if we can
    only explain that to Mish. ;)
    
    Steffi
    

    
    Your remark about the litter box reminds of an incident with one of
    my (now long departed) cats.
    
    Sydney was an outdoor cat, and one afternoon he tangled with a car.
    Luckily he was tagged, and a considerate passerby found him hiding under
    a bush a short distance away from the house and took the time to stop by
    to say it looked as if my cat had been hurt.  I ran off and retrieved him,
    took him to Angell Memorial, and was relieved to learn he only had a
    broken hip, which would mend by itself in time.
    
    To make things easier for Sydney, I set up a litter box in my room
    (which was on the 2nd floor), so he wouldn't have to haul himself up
    and down the stairs to the basement where the communal litter box was
    located (I had five cats at the time).  I didn't think it necessary to
    close the door to my room; after all, he could only use his front legs,
    there was a litter box right there for him, and it would allow his
    catmates to visit him while he recuperated.
    
    Well, Sydney *knew* the "official" litter box was in the basement,
    and broken hip or not, he'd drag himself down the stairs with his
    useless hind legs, do his stuff in the proper box, and drag himself
    back upstairs, where he knew he was supposed to stay to convalesce.
    I got suspicious when the litter box in my room remained pristine for
    more than a day, and then caught him in the act.  It took a little
    convincing that it was OK for him to go somewhere else than in the
    official box, and eventually his hip healed fine.
    
    I'm glad I don't have to tell this story to anyone face to face, as
    remembering Sydney (and his touching desire to "play by the rules")
    still brings tears to my eyes.
    
    So, be forewarned that some cats have remarkably developed senses of
    "responsibility", especially with respect to fastidiousness, and you
    may have to plan accordingly.  Remember Merlin using the kitchen
    sink when he was intimidated into living in the corner of the kitchen
    counter by the arrival of my Three Little Kittens...
    
    len.
      

    Steff.....I'm glad to hear the X-rays looked a little better...and
    with your love and caring I'm sure Misha will stay on this earth
    for a little longer.   Your a special Mom and Dad...and Misha knows
    this!!    
    
    Sandy
    
    

    Steffi,
    
    When Kirby, my Ragdoll cat was afflicted with heart problems three
    years ago, the cardiologist at Tufts told me that Kirby had a condition
    called "Aorta Stenosis", which is a narrowing at the valve.  As a
    result, he also had the fluid in his pleural cavity surrounding the
    lungs.  The stenosis wasn't found on normal xray... it was discovered
    on the ultrasound.  Like Misha, there was nothing they could do for him
    short of the lasix and trying to keep him comfortable.
    
    The right dose of lasix will do wonders for his attitude.  He probably
    feels a whole lot better now that the fluid build-up is being kept to a
    minimum.
    
    I hope that Misha has lots more time with you.  Each cat is different;
    every situation unique.  We all know that Misha is going to have a
    wonderful quality of life left with you and Bob, regardless of the
    quantity.
    
    Hugs to all of you!
    
    -Roe
    
      

    Steffi,
    
    Sorry to hear that your news is not a definite "he'll be fine" but
    I am hoping and praying that he'll be your miracle baby and that he
    has ... eight more lives yet to experience!
    
    Having him home with you will benefit his well-being and I know you
    will feel better knowing that you can hug him and give him all the
    love he deserves.
    
    Keep us posted and I send you lots of hugs!
    
    Marilyn
    

    Steffi,
    I will be thinking of you both.  
    Karen

    Well, I was with Steffi at the hotel yesterday when she got the message
    about how Misha's check up went yesterday, and am happy to announce
    that they did not need to drain his chest again! It was clear. 
    
    Needless to say Steffi and Bob were thrilled with the news, and it made
    the gatheirng that much more enjoyable for them. 
    
    I'm posting this for Steffi, as she won't be back in notes until at
    least Friday.
    
    No more news until she gets home htough! :-( 
    
    Yonee

    Yeah!  The lasix is working!!
    
    This is really great news!
    
    I am glad to hear that Steffi and Bob are having a nice visit!
    
    -Roberta
    

    How's Misha doing???????   Hopefully you had a wonderful weekend
    with him!!!
    
    Sandy

    Hi, it's great to be home with the kids.  Misha perked up since we've
    been home.  He sleeps next to me or in the crook of my arm.  He's come
    downstairs when people come in.  My neighbor who checked on him and put
    the nitrocream in his ear at night while we were gone, said he just stayed 
    on our bed, did not come downstairs.
    
    His xray on Friday showed that there is a little fluid buildup, and Dr
    H. increased his lasix back up to 1/2 pill a day.
    
    With fingers crossed,
    Steffi

    Update on Misha:
    
    Misha went in for his check-up today and the x-ray looked like last
    week's and his weight was the same.  That means the lasix is working and
    keeping the fluid build-up down. 8))  His next appointment is in 3 weeks.
    
    Steffi
    

    Great news, Steffi.  We will cross our fingers that Misha continues to
    stabilize!
    
    Have a good weekend!!
    

    Great news for the Misha.....please keep us posted because he is
    always on our minds and in our hearts.
    
    Sandy
    
    ps...I thought of you and Bob this weekend.  I raked my darn yard
    picking up all those beautiful colorful leaves that are now totally
    dead and turning brown!!!!   I thought...hmmmmm..they went back home 
    just in time!!!!

    We gave Misha a bath last Sunday, which he tolarates very well.  We
    noticed that he did not groom himself at all after the bath. 
    Wednesday, when I came home I found him curled up on the floor in front
    of toilet.  (That is a spot he does like to sleep at).  I also noticed
    a good sized poop nearby.  The litter box is in the other bathroom
    close by.  I gave all the cats some pate supreme and then we wnet out
    for dinner.  When we got back and I checked for Misha, I noticed that
    he had thrown up the little bit of pate that he had eaten.  We were
    pretty worried and Bob called Mish's internist Thursday AM.  She said
    to bring him down to the clinic in Santa Cruz (that's where she spends
    part of the week.)  I went down, expecting the worst.  She took some
    blood, (we'll get the results later today), said he was somewhat
    dehydrated and gave him just little fluid.  She's afraid to give him
    too much because of the lasix and his heart.  She said his heart
    sounded fine, not mushy, no fluid buildup.  In fact he's down almost a
    1/2 pound.  He is just skin and bones.  If he didn't have that
    beautiful fluffy coat, there would be nothing to him.  She said to get
    some fluid into him any way we can.  She suggested milk or melted ice
    cream.  He wasn't interested in the ice cream last night, or food or
    water.
    
    This morning Bob offered Mish some pate and he went right for it and
    took a few mouthfuls.  Bob went downstairs to give other others some
    leftover canned food, and he noticed a birman push Misty away from the
    tuna.  At first he thought it was Lizette, but then saw a white paw
    that proved it was Mish!  He ate some and then drank a lot of water.  I
    feel much happier after that.
    
    Steffi
    

    Hugs to Misha....I think you'll find he'll have good days and bad
    days.     On the east coast we have something called Alpo Milk
    or Ultra Milk which is made for cats and contains alot of vitamins...
    do you have that on the west coast??????
    
    Misha is one lucky kitty to have you and Bob as parents.......keep
    us posted on the blood work.
    
    Sandy

    We had a good weekend with Misha.  He's been eating (a small amount) and
    drinking some water.  We got the Alpo milk, and amazingly, he LIKES it. 
    He comes downstairs when we come home, looking for food.  He spent last
    evening on the sofa with me, rather than in the bedroom alone.  He's
    been giving us head butts again, also.  It's amazing to me, the
    difference a little fluid made to him.  We have also watched Misha
    grooming himself, a bit.   Mish spent all night snuggled against me. 8)
    
    The blood work showed that his kidney values were up.  The vet wasn't
    sure if that was because of the lasix or if his kidneys were failing. 
    Since he seemed much better this weekend, hopefully it was too large a
    dose of lasix.  Bob will be talking to our vet today and letting her
    know all that we've observed.  She relies on our observations a great
    deal.  
    
    Steffi
     
    
    
    
    

    Hi Steffi,
    How is Misha doing?  From what I have read, it sounds like there is
    some wonderful improvements!  I think of you often.
    Karen

    Misha is continuing to eat and drink and is being more social again. 
    He is spending his evenings in the family room with us, the way he used
    to before he got sick.  He's coming downstairs looking for "special"
    (canned) food.  Last night we had shrimps on a salad, and he ate a lot
    of litle pieces of shrimp.  Then he seemed full, so I gave Misty the
    last 2 pieces. She ate one and Misha seemed interested in what she was
    doing and I offered him the last piece and he ate it.  It seems like
    *monkey see, monkey do*.  He'll be going back for a check-up in approx
    10 days.  Dr H. wants to check on fluid build-up.  He's on 1/4 lasix a
    day now instead of the 1/2 he was taking.
    
    Steffi

    Saturday we took the girls to the regular vet, Dr. Bibb for their shots
    and annual check-up.  We decided to take Misha in, to have Dr. Bibb
    check his fluid build-up.  It seemed like he was breathing a little
    harder on Friday.  Well, the x-ray showed fluid build-up and Dr. Bibb
    tapped his chest and took out 210 cc. of fluid!  He also seemed a
    little dehydrated and she gave him 75cc sub-q.  This was quite a fast
    build-up of fluid since Dr. H. saw him on 10/28.   
    
    I'll be meeting Bob and Misha at Dr. Hamilton's at noon today. 
    Needless to say, I'm pretty worried. 
    
    Steffi
    
    

    Steffi,
    I haven't heard anything.  Is everything alright?  I am thinking of
    you.
    Karen

    We took Misha back to Dr. H on Friday the 5th and the fluid build-up was 
    high again.  She took 320cc out.  On Monday, she had called a cardiologist 
    in CO for any possible medication ideas and he suggested another heart 
    drug.  By Friday the 12th, it was obvious that the drugs weren't working 
    and other deteriorations had begun.  However, we were able to get him to 
    eat bay shrimp and drink some water and also Alpo Dairy over the weekend.  
    We spent most of Sunday with him.  He was curled up on the sofa next to
    me.  On Monday afternoon, it was obvious that he was having trouble
    breathing, and we took him for one final visit to Dr. Hamilton, where
    we asked her not to let him suffer anymore.  At about 4:28PM, on
    Monday November 15, 1993, Misha's all too short life came to an end. 
    We loved him so, and will miss him for the rest of our days, but he
    will always be with us in our hearts.  Sleep well, dear Misha.
    
    With Misha we experienced just about everything a cat owner could.  We
    experienced the miracle of birth, (I helped wipe the birth sack off
    him), the joys of kittenhood, the pleasure of watching him grow into a
    beautiful adult Birman with a thick luxurious coat.  He always greeted
    us at the door with head butts and meows, and then flop down so we
    could rub his tummy.  He followed us around like a puppy dog and he and
    his buddy, Marnie always "snoopervised" Bob in the kitchen when he was
    preparing a meal.  Then there was the worry when he got inflammatory
    bowel disease and lost weight and wouldn't eat.  The relief when the
    valium worked and he learned to eat again.  Then the sorrow when we
    learned he had heart disease.  Lastly, the grief we felt (and still
    feel) as we said goodbye to him.  He was a very special cat.
    
    Steffi

    That was a wonderful note, Steffi.  You have some beautiful memories
    to hold on to.  I am sorry you have had such a great loss. We all send
    you paw pats.
    Love,
    Karen

    Steffi, my eyes are filling up.  So sorry... he was well and truly
    loved in that all-too-short life.
    
    Leslie

         So sorry to hear about Misha.  Condolences to you and your family.
    
    					- Andrea

    Hugs hugs hugs and more hugs to you, bob and your other furry
    babies!!  Misha knew he was loved....and that was all he needed in
    his life.   
    
    He is truly at peace now..the suffering is gone and he is being
    greeted by all our furry friends who left before him.  He will wait
    for you near the big litterbox in the sky and you will be handed the
    golden pooper scooper as you pass the gates to meet him!
    
    His new life as just begun...
    
    Sandy

    Steffi,
    
    I am so sorry to learn of Misha's passing.  Your tribute brought tears
    to my eyes.  Misha was a beautiful cat with a wonderful life.  I am
    sure he knew that when he passed on peacefully from this world into the
    next.
    
    Please extend my condonlensces to Bob.  Both of you are two of the most
    compassionate, giving, and infinitely patient people I have ever known. 
    Misha was so lucky to have you, and you him.
    
    Rest in peace, Misha, and say hello to Shelby, Chauncey, Kirby,
    and Murdock when you see them.
    
    Hugs,
    Roberta
    

    
    Oh dear.
    
    He's in the very best of company.
    
    You *do* know the story of how Birmans got their white feet?
    
    We grieve with you.
    
    len.
    

    
    My deepest sympathies to you and Bob. 
    
    Shaw

    Thank you all for your caring and sympathy.  Bob and I really
    appreciate all you wonderful feliners.  We received hand written
    condolence cards from both Misha's vets, which was so nice of them. 
    Misha will always be in our hearts and we have tons of pictures of him
    too.
    
    Steffi