I'd planned to do some blog updates yesterday following a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. (Hope all you mamas had one as well!) However, I woke up in the morning feeling like someone had beaten the crap out of me and pushed razor blades down my throat, so this was an initial deterrent. (Side note - I almost never got sick before giving birth, but since then I've come down with a bug three times. Boo to that!)
And then the biggie. S had begun having some coughing spells about a week back, and they worsened over the weekend (mostly at night) so I called the doctor and got her an appointment for yesterday afternoon. Chris took her in so I could crawl back into bed for another hour (yay to working from home), and he came back with some sobering news. According to the doctor, it's very likely that S has asthma. :( Along with this hypothesis came a prescription for two inhalers: a blue one which clears out her bronchial tubes (for short term relief) and a brown one which reduces the inflammation in her tubes (which should reduce and HOPEFULLY eliminate the condition into the longer term.) He said he wants to rule out asthma; if the inhalers don't work, then she is dealing with something else like a respiratory infection. But if they *do* work, it's virtually guaranteed to be asthma. He also prescribed an AeroChamber, a device which attaches to the inhaler enabling it to be used for a baby.
Apparently the pharmacist saw the look on Chris' face when he began to fill the prescription, as he reassured him that this is a common and very treatable condition. However, our research has indicated that it's not common in infants and toddlers (usually it shows up when a child is 4 or 5 years old). And no one ever wants to receive the news that their baby is suffering from a significant health condition - no matter how common or uncommon it is.
We began her on the inhalers last night and we did notice a reduction in her coughing spells overnight. Poor girl hates the process of giving her the inhaler, though Chris pointed out that the bigger of a "production" is made out of it, the more she fusses. (He gave her a shot of the blue inhaler first thing this morning and it wasn't too bad, however when we tag-teamed a bit later on the brown one she really squirmed and cried out.)
So aside from the inhalers, we also need to be really diligent about keeping things clean and allergin-free around here. This means frequently cleaning/vaccuming the floors and laundering all bedding and soft toys in hot water to get rid of dust mites (a notorious culrpit) and, unfortunately, finding a new home for Lucy. :( We discussed doing this earlier when we suspected S was developing an allergy, but now that she's been virtually diagnosed with a serious breathing condition, this is a step we have to take. Wish us luck here; it's not easy to find devoted caretakers for an older cat, even one as loving and awesome as Lucy.
Another concerning thing is that it is possible that swimming in indoor, chlorinated pools can trigger or worsen asthma due to trichloramine, which can be released when chlorinated water reacts with urine and other organic material. This concern was raised in Germany this past January and we've found it in other sources as well. Due to this, we'll need to make a decision regarding her swimming lessons as well.
So this was some unfortunate news, but we're of course going to do whatever we can to promote our daughter's health and wellbeing. We started last night with about 4 loads of bedding & toy laundry, and we plan to steam clean the carpets very soon as a next step. (With her out of the house, of course. Perhaps a Grandma and Grandpa day is in order!)
Finally, as if all of the above weren't enough for one day, I experienced a first last night: an inability to nurse S at bedtime. My milk just WOULDN'T let down! Luckily we had some pumped milk in the freezer, which she gulped down with gusto. And thankfully I was able to nurse her effectively again during our two overnight feedings. A bit disconcerting, though I think we can chock this one up to my illness, stress over the day's events or a combination of the two.
So that's that. We have a follow-up doctor's appointment for S in 10 days to check in. Crossing fingers and toes that with some super diligent cleaning, help from the inhalers and lots of fresh air, she'll be in tip-top shape in no time!
Showing posts with label Lucy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lucy. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
A week away for our eldest "daughter"
The firstborn in our household is Lucy the Tuxedo Cat. She was actually my parents' cat waaay back in the day (she's 12 now), but then I inherited her several years later when my parents split up and my dad sold his house. When Chris and I started dating almost 5 years ago and he found out I had a cat, he thought that might be a dealbreaker as he is quite allergic, however for some reason Lucy didn't bother him. She very quickly won over his heart with her lap snuggles, "bread making", love of cardboard boxes and willingness to be the butt of jokes. We've given her many appropriate as well as random nicknames (such as Socks and Rosemary), created songs about her ("Black cat in a little suit....black cat, nine lives!) and endured several hefty vet bills. She ticks us off at times (for example, when we find her lapping at one of our cereal bowls when we've left the room for 30 seconds) and she's basically our "dead-beat roommate" (as Chris lovingly refers to her), but she's our eldest "daughter" and she's a member of the family!
We wondered how things would change once our first real daughter came into our lives. How would Lucy adapt to having a needy, often loud little person around all the time? Would she want to be around S, or would she begin to retreat into the background? What would S think of Lucy? Would she inherit our allergies? (Indeed, something we are concerned with now.) We had lots of questions about the two of them together, however not so many about our own attitudes toward Lucy. It turns out that this may be the biggest change of all, at least for me. She has gone from being my baby to being "just a cat". That's not to say I don't love her anymore, however her prominence and the amount of time I actively spend with her has certainly diminished. I don't hold her as much, I'm quicker to lose my patience with her and I don't notice her endearing and quirky little qualities and actions as much asI used to. I feel kind of bad about this when I think about it, however my guess is that this sort of transition is extremely common if not inevitable when a woman becomes a mommy. I was chatting with a friend about this and she said she went through the same thing with their family dog when they had their little girl. (Perhaps this is how the expression "Man's Best Friend" originated...?)
We recently found out that Lucy has hyperthyroidism, which is quite common in older cats. We've been managing the condition daily with medication, however recently we learned about a procedure called radioactive iodine therapy which is safe, effective and relatively affordable, and results in a permanent cure. The one downside of the therapy is that the cat becomes radioactive for a period of time, so must be quarantined until radiation levels are accepable, which is usually about one week. Chris and I discussed the pros and cons and decided to go for the treatment, which is offered at the Thames Valley Veterinary Services in London. We're taking her there this morning.
I haven't really worried too much about it. Sure, it won't be the kitty equivalent of a 4-star hotel she's residing in, however they'll take care of her, we'll get email updates and she'll have her special food and a couple familiar objects from home. Plus, the TVVS employee I've been speaking with says that most cats go back home physically and emotionally just fine. I even went so far as suggesting that things would be "easier" during the week Lucy's away, as she won't get into S' gym and other gear that we have spread out on the main floor. Chris, however, has felt a lot more anxiety and sadness over the whole thing. He admitted yesterday that he might be depressed today after we drop her off, and he's worried that the experience might "break" her. Again, the difference in our attitudes is likely reflective of the change that S brought on, as in the past I may have felt more similar to Chris.
Right now, S and Chris are still sleeping and Lucy's lying on the couch with me as I write this, purring away. It's moments like these when I feel the closest to her and I feel a bit wistful for the days when she was our baby and she got all the love and attention. I do feel that she's a resilient cat, however the upcoming experience will certainly be trying. Good Luck little TuxCatSox, and may you dream of butt pats and big bowls of Cheerios while you're away!
We wondered how things would change once our first real daughter came into our lives. How would Lucy adapt to having a needy, often loud little person around all the time? Would she want to be around S, or would she begin to retreat into the background? What would S think of Lucy? Would she inherit our allergies? (Indeed, something we are concerned with now.) We had lots of questions about the two of them together, however not so many about our own attitudes toward Lucy. It turns out that this may be the biggest change of all, at least for me. She has gone from being my baby to being "just a cat". That's not to say I don't love her anymore, however her prominence and the amount of time I actively spend with her has certainly diminished. I don't hold her as much, I'm quicker to lose my patience with her and I don't notice her endearing and quirky little qualities and actions as much asI used to. I feel kind of bad about this when I think about it, however my guess is that this sort of transition is extremely common if not inevitable when a woman becomes a mommy. I was chatting with a friend about this and she said she went through the same thing with their family dog when they had their little girl. (Perhaps this is how the expression "Man's Best Friend" originated...?)
We recently found out that Lucy has hyperthyroidism, which is quite common in older cats. We've been managing the condition daily with medication, however recently we learned about a procedure called radioactive iodine therapy which is safe, effective and relatively affordable, and results in a permanent cure. The one downside of the therapy is that the cat becomes radioactive for a period of time, so must be quarantined until radiation levels are accepable, which is usually about one week. Chris and I discussed the pros and cons and decided to go for the treatment, which is offered at the Thames Valley Veterinary Services in London. We're taking her there this morning.
I haven't really worried too much about it. Sure, it won't be the kitty equivalent of a 4-star hotel she's residing in, however they'll take care of her, we'll get email updates and she'll have her special food and a couple familiar objects from home. Plus, the TVVS employee I've been speaking with says that most cats go back home physically and emotionally just fine. I even went so far as suggesting that things would be "easier" during the week Lucy's away, as she won't get into S' gym and other gear that we have spread out on the main floor. Chris, however, has felt a lot more anxiety and sadness over the whole thing. He admitted yesterday that he might be depressed today after we drop her off, and he's worried that the experience might "break" her. Again, the difference in our attitudes is likely reflective of the change that S brought on, as in the past I may have felt more similar to Chris.
Right now, S and Chris are still sleeping and Lucy's lying on the couch with me as I write this, purring away. It's moments like these when I feel the closest to her and I feel a bit wistful for the days when she was our baby and she got all the love and attention. I do feel that she's a resilient cat, however the upcoming experience will certainly be trying. Good Luck little TuxCatSox, and may you dream of butt pats and big bowls of Cheerios while you're away!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Do they make Baby Claritin?
It appears that S may have an allergy. Worse, I suspect it is to our cat. :(
While I was still pregnant, Chris and I wondered if this would happen as we're both mildly to moderately allergic to cats. (Then why do we have one, you ask? Well, I "inherited" Lucy after my parents split up, and Chris "married into" her. Plus she's pretty much the Best Cat. But she'll definitely be the last cat we ever own!) We did some research into allergy inheritance and various sites suggested that if the parents have allergies, it is very likely that the child will as well (especially if both parents have them - chances could be as high as 75-80% in this scenario). However, the child will not necessarily be sensitive to the same allergens that the parents are.
The research also indicated that allergies probably wouldn't emerge until baby is at least a couple months old. Fast forward said couple months. Over the past few weeks, we've noticed S sneezing and rubbing her eyes a lot (though in the latter case, we thought it could have just been sleepiness). We wondered a little bit what this was about, but didn't think too much of it. Then, last night while changing her diaper, I noticed that she was scratching the top of her left leg. A closer looks showed redness and a little bumpy patch - very reminiscent of what I occasionally get on my hands and arms when Lucy's been licking or rubbing against me. Hives, I suspect. :( S had been lying in her Baby Neptune gym in a onesie shortly after Lucy had gotten into it to investigate, so the logic adds up here.
Soooo now what? Well, we'll start with a thorough cleaning and make a more diligent effort to keep the gate at the top of the stairs closed so Lucy can't get into her room. S has her 4 month doctor's appointment in a couple weeks, so we'll mention it then and see if allergy tests are in order to nail this down. And no more kitty bonding, unfortunately, as cute as it is! (At least until we get some answers.) If it turns out that S is, indeed, allergic to cats, we'll need to make a big decision. :( Here's hoping it doesn't come to that!
While I was still pregnant, Chris and I wondered if this would happen as we're both mildly to moderately allergic to cats. (Then why do we have one, you ask? Well, I "inherited" Lucy after my parents split up, and Chris "married into" her. Plus she's pretty much the Best Cat. But she'll definitely be the last cat we ever own!) We did some research into allergy inheritance and various sites suggested that if the parents have allergies, it is very likely that the child will as well (especially if both parents have them - chances could be as high as 75-80% in this scenario). However, the child will not necessarily be sensitive to the same allergens that the parents are.
The research also indicated that allergies probably wouldn't emerge until baby is at least a couple months old. Fast forward said couple months. Over the past few weeks, we've noticed S sneezing and rubbing her eyes a lot (though in the latter case, we thought it could have just been sleepiness). We wondered a little bit what this was about, but didn't think too much of it. Then, last night while changing her diaper, I noticed that she was scratching the top of her left leg. A closer looks showed redness and a little bumpy patch - very reminiscent of what I occasionally get on my hands and arms when Lucy's been licking or rubbing against me. Hives, I suspect. :( S had been lying in her Baby Neptune gym in a onesie shortly after Lucy had gotten into it to investigate, so the logic adds up here.
Soooo now what? Well, we'll start with a thorough cleaning and make a more diligent effort to keep the gate at the top of the stairs closed so Lucy can't get into her room. S has her 4 month doctor's appointment in a couple weeks, so we'll mention it then and see if allergy tests are in order to nail this down. And no more kitty bonding, unfortunately, as cute as it is! (At least until we get some answers.) If it turns out that S is, indeed, allergic to cats, we'll need to make a big decision. :( Here's hoping it doesn't come to that!
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