Camille and Cyclone
Member Since 2009
This week Salem was diagnosed with highly probable intermediate stage lymphoma of the intestines. I scheduled an appointment with an oncologist to discuss chemo, but meanwhile Salem continued to lose ground slowly. He showed no interest in food, continued to lose weight despite tube feeding, in the last days became detached and uninterested in his surroundings, and starting Thursday night seemed uncomfortable and restless, meatloafing all the time and not sleeping in a natural position. I gave Tramadol which had little effect. The Prednisolone and antibiotics seem to have helped him very little if at all. Yesterday his eyes became sunken and he seemed unable to see much again. He'd purr when I petted and tube-fed him but otherwise just lay there with his head down except to go to the water bowl or the litterbox.
I pretty much lost hope that chemo would restore him to any reasonable quality of life, and my vet said in his condition he'd probably not tolerate it as well as most cats. It was a very hard and painful decision, but this morning I decided to let him go. It was quiet and peaceful. I emailed Kim and she called me a few minutes later, and we both cried a good deal. Then I had the sad task of putting away the feeding syringes, fluids kits, medications, diabetic testing supplies, etc. I lost it when I picked up the magnifying headset I had gotten to help with measuring micro doses of insulin.
Salem was a wonderful, bold, strong, fearless, friendly kitty, full to overflowing with personality. He was 16 years young, and happy and vigorous until this illness began three weeks ago. He had Kim and me, two parents who loved him very much. I'll miss him.
I pretty much lost hope that chemo would restore him to any reasonable quality of life, and my vet said in his condition he'd probably not tolerate it as well as most cats. It was a very hard and painful decision, but this morning I decided to let him go. It was quiet and peaceful. I emailed Kim and she called me a few minutes later, and we both cried a good deal. Then I had the sad task of putting away the feeding syringes, fluids kits, medications, diabetic testing supplies, etc. I lost it when I picked up the magnifying headset I had gotten to help with measuring micro doses of insulin.
Salem was a wonderful, bold, strong, fearless, friendly kitty, full to overflowing with personality. He was 16 years young, and happy and vigorous until this illness began three weeks ago. He had Kim and me, two parents who loved him very much. I'll miss him.
