Goodbye to My Sweet, Sweet Heidi....

Yesterday was a really sad day for us. Sunday we started to notice that our Heidi was having trouble breathing. At first, we thought it was a hairball. However, though out the day, we started to notice her personality change a bit. She didn't want to hang out with  us, she didn't want to go outside, she would just lay in the middle of the living room floor. We finally decided that we'd take her to the vet on Monday morning. 

Monday I dropped her off, hoping it was either a really bad hairball or maybe she had eaten a frog or something. Something easy to fix. However, the doctor called and said there were a few possibilities: heart worms (which is more common in cats than most people think and is so not the same thing as heart worms in dogs, and is not usually treatable in cats), asthma (again, very common, very treatable), or pesticide poison (sometimes treatable, very expensive and a lot of surgeries). Naturally, I was hoping it was asthma. They decided to give her an IV, steroid shot, a diuretic, put her in an oxygen cage and a shot to help stabilize her lungs. She was basically in respiratory distress. They were trying to get her calm enough to get an X-Ray. 

Finally, they were able to get an X-Ray and they realized that her lungs were COMPLETELY full of fluid. They are pretty certain that it was caused by heart worms. The only thing we could do is drive her to Dallas to see a specialist and have a $2100 surgery that the doctor said 99% chance she wouldn't survive anyway. I spoke with my husband, and after much coercing by the vet, we decided the most humane thing do is to put her down. She was severely suffering.

So, immediately, I left work and headed over. The vet didn't think she'd make the day and wanted us to come down there as soon as possible. I really felt awful and guilty about our decision. The vet said she'd keep her alive until I could get there to sign the papers and say goodbye. When I saw her, I knew I didn't have another choice but to put her down. I called the doctor in and they took Heidi back to put the IV back in and she passed. They didn't even put her down. 

It's really sad because she had a really horrible death. We adopted Heidi back in February from an organization called H.O.P.E. She really was the best cat. She was so sweet and affectionate. Apparently heart worms are very different in cats than they are in dogs. It takes anywhere from 6 months to a year for heart worms to mature in a cat. The disease is very acute in cats and basically you find out one morning they are sick, and they next evening they usually pass. It's really painful for them. Their lungs fill with fluids and they get something similar to pneumonia and drown.

As sad as I am to see her go, I am glad that she didn't have to suffer any longer than necessary. So, we are now down to a family of six, me, the hubs, the pup, and three fish. 

 

XOXO,

LFO

Do you girls remember LFO? They sang that song Summer Girls...that horrible, horrible song. Well, I haven't heard since I was probably a freshman in college (due to some crazy girlfriends of mine who thought they were going to make that song famous again), but on Wednesday morning, I most definitely woke up to it. Then, this morning on my way to work, I heard it AGAIN! 

How do songs like this get big? Actually, I can answer that: girls like me in high school, that's how. But, seriously, maybe I should take up songwriting, if I follow their suit, I can just come up with a bunch of phrases that rhyme (they don't even have to make sense). Then, maybe I could be a one-hit-wonder and appear on Dancing With The Stars! 

I've posted the lyrics below for your reminiscing pleasure.

"Summer Girls"

Yeah...I like it when the girls stop by.. In the summer

Do you remember, Do you remember?

...when we met..That summer??

[Chorus:]

New Kids On The block,had a bunch of hits

Chinese food makes me sick.

And I think it's fly when girls stop by for the summer,for the summer

I like girls that wear Abercrombie and Fitch,

I'd take her if I had one wish,

But she's been gone since that summer..

Since that summer

[Verse 1:]

Hip Hop Marmalade spic And span,

Met you one summer and it all began

You're the best girl that I ever did see,

The great Larry Bird Jersey 33

When you take a sip you buzz like a hornet

Billy Shakespeare wrote a whole bunch of sonnets

Call me Willy Whistle cause I can't speak baby

Something in your eyes went and drove me crazy

Now I can't forget you and it makes me mad,

Left one day and never came back

Stayed all summer then went back home,

Macauly Culkin wasn't Home Alone

Fell deep in love,but now we ain't speaking

Michael J Fox was Alex P Keaton

When I met you I said my name was Rich

You look like a girl from Abercrombie and Fitch

[Chorus:]

New Kids On The block,had a bunch of hits

Chinese food makes me sick.

And I think it's fly when girls stop by for the summer,for the summer

I like girls that wear Abercrombie and Fitch,

I'd take her if I had one wish,

But she's been gone since that summer..

Since that summer

[Verse 2:]

Cherry Pez,cold crush,rock star boogie

Used to hate school so I had to play hookie,

Always been hip to the B-boY Style

Known to act wild and make girls smile,

Love New Edition and the Candy Girl

Remind me of you because you rock my world

You come from Georgia where the peaches grow

They drink lemonade and speak real slow

You love hip hop and rock n roll

Dad took off when you were 4 years old

There was a good man named Paul Revere

I feel much better baby when you're near

You love fun dip and cherry Coke,

I like the way you laugh when I tell a joke

When I met you I said my name was Rich

You look like a girl from Abercrombie and Fitch

[Repeat Chorus]

[Bridge:]

In the summertime girls got it going on,

Shake and wiggle to a hip hop song

Summertime girls are the kind I like,

I'll steal your honey like I stole your bike

[Verse 3]

Bugaloo shrimp and pogo sticks

My mind takes me back there oh so quick

Let you off the hook like my man Mr. Limpet

Think about that summer and I bug,cause I miss it

Like the color purple,macaroni and cheese,

Ruby red slippers and a bunch of trees

Call you up but whats the use

I like Kevin Bacon,but I hate Footloose

Came in the door I said it before,I think I'm over you

but I'm really not sure

When I met you I said my name was Rich

You look like a girl from Abercrombie and Fitch

[Repeat Chorus]

[Bridge:]

In the summer girls come and summer girls go

Some are worth while and some are so so,

Summer girls come and summer girls go

Some are worth while and some are so so,

Summertime girls got it going on

Shake and wiggle to a hip hop song

Summertime girls are the kind I like

I'll steal your honey like I stole your bike

XOXO,

Cancer knows no boundary

Yesterday I finished with work a little early and decided to do some playing on Facebook. I had a friend in college that I didn't really keep in touch with other than the occasional Facebook and Myspace messaging and for some reason I thought of him yesterday. He was diagnosed in April 2007 with cancer so I thought I'd just wonder over to his page to see how he was doing and say hello. When I logged on to his page, I saw that he had passed away last Saturday. He was 25 years old. It's really awful, he's one of the most genuine people I've come across. 

If any of you want to read Jake's story, you can visit the blog he and his mom wrote during his treatment.

I also found out a few weeks ago that my old boss, who is also my mom's old boss, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had surgery to remove it and the doctors are saying she's doing really well, better than they expected even. 

So, please keep Jake's family and my former boss, Paula in your prayers.

XOXO,