OT: Report from Ella (& Gus, with a pic); NEW: survived surgery!!

Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)

Ella & Rusty & Stu(GA)

Member Since 2010
Hi Everyone,
First of all, Happy Belated Thanksgiving! We had a great time at a big family gathering: 18 adults, 1 infant, 4 dogs, 2 cats (not Gus, however--he stayed in NYC, where we were spending the week).

Now, for the report: I finally got an accurate diagnosis on my pneumonia (which has been with me since the summer): aspiration pneumonia caused by a condition in my throat that allows bits of food, etc. to go into the lungs instead of the digestive tract. The only cure is surgery (probably and hopefully orthroscopic), which is now scheduled for Tuesday, 3 December. Good thoughts and vines will be welcome!!!:)

Gus is getting back his long coat after his shaving in August for bad mats (he lost almost a pound of hair!). Here's a pic taken a few days ago in NYC, where he was bored. We got home on Friday and he immediately ran outside over the crusty snow to climb a tree. What a cat!


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Glad you had a nice Thanksgiving!
Prayers and vines for smooth surgery and quick recovery! I’m glad someone finally figured out what was going on.
Gus is a handsome boy, with or without his long hair! Sounds like he was very happy to get home to his trees!
 
Good luck with the surgery and don't get too worried about it. Seven days after I turned 50 a doctor calmly showed me, while he was eating a sandwich, "Look, there's your brain aneurysm. It's a big one too!" I wondered where the grief councilor was and why my wife hadn't been called. I had coil and stent surgery done with a scope and was walking around the hospital grounds that night because I was so bored. As promised I was home the next morning feeding nine cats and a dog like it never happened.
I think our Daniel and Gus may have been separated at birth.
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Oh man, I'm OCD and I fidget. NOT the ideal patient. I've been scoped for other things and I'm always the first one up and out the door.
We won't discuss hospital food, I thought they wanted patients to get better. :banghead:
 
Sending good surgery vines, Ella! Wishing you a quick recovery and and here’s to you finally putting all of this behind you now that you have a proper diagnosis.

I have been enjoying my “Facebook memories” over the last few days (Facebook sends you memories of older posts on anniversary dates) of the Rusty transport. I still have very fond memories of that day.

Gus is very handsome, indeed. I can’t remember where I last left off updating you on news here. I’m not sure if I mentioned in the summer that I adopted a young cat named Finn. Sadly he and James did not get along and I returned him shortly afterwards to the shelter. Not long after that James became very ill with vestibular ataxia. He has been receiving many treatments, but is permanently disabled now with difficulty with walking and balance. Additionally he has just come down with some respiratory problems and will be seeing his vet (two vets actually, as he also sees his neurologist next week) to look into that. It has been a stressful few months.

Again, I’m sending all the best for your surgery and quick recovery. My love to Edward and Gus.

Linda
 
Linda and Bear Man said:
Sending good surgery vines, Ella! Wishing you a quick recovery and and here’s to you finally putting all of this behind you now that you have a proper diagnosis.

I have been enjoying my “Facebook memories” over the last few days (Facebook sends you memories of older posts on anniversary dates) of the Rusty transport. I still have very fond memories of that day.

Gus is very handsome, indeed. I can’t remember where I last left off updating you on news here. I’m not sure if I mentioned in the summer that I adopted a young cat named Finn. Sadly he and James did not get along and I returned him shortly afterwards to the shelter. Not long after that James became very ill with vestibular ataxia. He has been receiving many treatments, but is permanently disabled now with difficulty with walking and balance. Additionally he has just come down with some respiratory problems and will be seeing his vet (two vets actually, as he also sees his neurologist next week) to look into that. It has been a stressful few months.

Again, I’m sending all the best for your surgery and quick recovery. My love to Edward and Gus.

Linda
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I've been meaning for months to e mail you, but . . . So sorry to hear that James is having serious problems. I'll write to you soon. Thanks for the good surgery wishes!
 
Thank goodness for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan! Sending tons of good surgery vines for you. :bighug: I know you’ll ace it. My 97 year old mother just had surgery with a general two days ago, and was up eating dinner hours later when I saw her. Scary, but medicine has come a long way.

I love Gus’s face, and energy! Racing over the snow to get to trees. :cat: Amazing, hope he finds his way down OK.
 
Tons of surgery vines to you Ella -- I am so glad you are finally going to be properly cared for. This surgery is going to fix you up, finally!! I feel bad for how long you've been feeling so weak and down.:bighug::bighug:
Gus is so huggy squeezable, a precious boy. He should be happy you are going to the repair shop, as long as you get right back home to him:)
 
Best of luck to you on your upcoming surgery! Just keep in mind, it's probably not the first time they've done that type of surgery. You'll be in and out in no time and feeling better soon after. I just had surgery this last September...after a couple of weeks getting over the anesthesia and eating extra comfort foods I'm feeling like myself again!

Love the pic of Gus - he looks like he's definitely in charge at your house. :)
 
Ella, wishing you the best result with your surgery on the 3rd. Please keep us updated when you can. In the interim, be kind with yourself during the healing and convalescing.

Your TG sounds wonderful! And glad Gus was so happy to see you on your return and show off his wilderness skills!
 
Hi again, everyone.
Thank you all for the good thoughts and vines. My surgery went well and tomorrow it will have been a week since I had it. I've been on an all-liquid diet since the surgery and am starving for "real" food. Tomorrow's the day (but I have to be careful what and how I eat). Gus was a big help, watching over me, as was my DH (Edward). I have an appointment in early January with the surgeon to evaluate my condition, and in mid January an appointment with the pulmonologist.

Edward and I have been doing our usual walking every day (to the post office and stores, about 3 miles RT), and I've been working out in the basement on my rowing machine and on the bike I have up on a stationary wind trainer. So I haven't missed much exercise. We had beautiful snow (about 8 inches) until this morning, when rain took it out. The temperature rose from -2 degrees Fahrenheit to +40. Just when we wanted to go snowshoeing.

Thanks again to everyone for your support and friendship. I see that the Full Cold Moon will be on December 12th. Gus's coat is growing back nicely and he'll be looking forward to the party.

:bighug::bighug::bighug:s to all and scritches to your kitties,

Ella
 
Susan&Felix said:
We're so glad that's over now, Auntie Ella, so you can get all better! I'm going to send Gus my secret recipe for mouseroni-n-cheeze so he can make it for you.
XOXO,
Felixoxo
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mmm! Mouseroni-n-cheese! Thanks, Chef Felix! Maybe you'll make some for the Full Cold Moon party tomorrow. Sounds like something all the kitties would love. Gus can bring some home for me.
 
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