Hi, Everyone
As most of you know, my Sergey died very suddenly on Tuesday, 5th July after a trip to the vet the previous Friday yeilded very bad X-ray results...which led to putting him on Beta Blockers...which sent him into a coma and killed him within 48 hours.

About four days ago, his brother, Lancey, was running around the house like a maniac. He went running down the hallway at break-neck speed, and when he reappeared, he was having difficulty moving. We figured he'd pulled a muscle (he's done this before) and he slowly got better. Yet today, he's in pain again when he's moving, and so...

We're taking him to the vet tomorrow, and I am totally freaking out (so much so that I've been throwing up) because this is the scenario we JUST WENT THROUGH ten days ago with Serge. We took him to the vet because he had a little cough...four days later, he was dead.

Is this going to happen to Lancey? I CAN'T GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN SO SOON! What if it IS just a pulled muscle or a bit of arthritus...and they give him drugs and the drugs send him into a coma, too?

I know that as a responsible 'mum', I have to take him. My boyfriend and ex-husband are both here with me now and saying that it's nothing to worry about....but they both said that about Serge last week.

All I am asking is to please pray for Lancey tomorrow. I know you are all suffering through your own losses, and so I know it's a bit selfish of me to ask you to pray for a cat who is (hopefully) going to be okay.

Please forgive me.....I am just totally freaking out. I CAN'T GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN ONE WEEK AFTER SERGE.

THANK YOU for listening -
Amanda ***

Amanda,

My stomach did belly-flops as I read your post about Lancey. Please know that animals are very sensitive and pick up on their caregiver's emotions. When my Neko was so sick last month and I was being referred from vet to vet to vet with none of them agreeing with each other's diagnosis, my 5-year-old cat, Lena, started running around acting weird and jumping in and out of the litter box. I was so preoccuppied with Neko and I couldn't believe Lena was also getting sick. As it turned out, Lena "only" had a urinary tract infection and it was quickly taken care of with antibiotics. I felt then and feel now that Lena, a very sensitive cat in her own right, was not only upset with how I was acting because of what I was going through with Neko, but that she was also picking up on Neko's deteriorating condition.

You and Lancey have been through a lot in a very short span of time and neither of you have probably had time to integrate it all. Going to the vet for animals is akin to going to the doctor for us humans -- nothing to look forward to under the best of cir%%stances and, in your situation, a fresh wound because of what happened to Serge.

Please, for Lancey's sake, try to keep an open mind (perhaps go to a different vet?) and take deep breaths to help calm down. I will be thinking of you and Lancey during this time and pray that the problem is a minor one.

With much love,
Patti

Take some deep breaths Amanda they cant give Lancey any drugs without your persmission.

Try and keep him rested and warm, talk it over with the vet if he decides on any drugs and tell him youd prefer not what is the alternatives.

Let us know how you get on

Love Sue

Sue, thank you SO MUCH. I shall do just as you advise. When we took Serge in, we got the younger vet in the practise, who told us NOTHING about possible side effects or dangers. We've learnt our lesson now. I'm not sure which vet we're going to see (if it'll be the young vet or the wonderful Dr Gachet, who owns the practise) but if it's the former, I am going to insist that we get Dr Gachet's opinion before we make the decision on whether or not to give Lancey medication of ANY sort. And of course...any alternatives will be first (maybe homeopathic alternatives.)
My big fear is that they're going to do an X-ray and come back with shocking and awful news. But I'm REALLY trying not to focus on 'worse case scenarios': I guess it's just so SO soon after Serge, and the whole 'going to the vet' scenario now has such terrible, dreadful conotations for me.
Of course I shall let you know what happens....and in the meantime, THANK YOU SO MUCH, Sue.
Take care,
Amanda ***

Patti, thank you SO MUCH for your response. I am so sorry that you have been through such a dreadful time yourself with Neko. Just as I read your post, it did suddenly occur to me that there might be a connection between Lancey hurting himself (or getting sick) to everything he has been through over the past ten days. He is a VERY emotional cat (he's half Abyssinian, and is really 'tuned in' with what 'the grown-ups' are feeling/doing) and at the height of our grief over Serge, he was totally 'on duty': running from one 'grown-up' to the other in need of reassurance, tearing around the house like a nut-case, meowing when he couldn't locate one of us....
I think there might definitely be some sort of emotional connection between whatever is ailing him and the dreadful events of the past ten days.
Your post really opened up a new avenue of thought for me which I'll address with the vet tomorrow.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for your response, Patti.
Take care,
Amanda ***

Dear Amanda,

I think your response to Lancey being sick is totally reasonable. You just lost Serge so unexpectedly, and now Lancey is sick. I think it's human nature...at least I know it's my human nature...to immediately think the worst. Hopefully, Lancey just has a little pulled muscle and will be fine. I'll keep you both in my thoughts and prayers.

Hugs,
Kathleen

Amanda,

Something else I forgot to mention that would be worth trying are the Bach Flower Essences which are readily available in any health food store or even online. I was recommended that I take Rescue Remedy a couple of times a day when it got really bad.

Rescue Remedy (also called Five Flower Formula), helps us feel stabilized when emotionally traumatized or overwhelmed. It's an excellent remedy to keep nearby in your pocket or purse during the most intense time of your grieving. Taking a few drops at those moments of panic, when we wonder how or if we will make it through, is very soothing and calming.

Blessings,
Patti

My prayers are with you.. please let us know what the vet says.

Hi, Jenn
Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.

This is the story:
I can't get an appointment with the vet until after the holidays (I live in France, and it's the Bastille Day holiday.) I've made an appointment when the surgery re-opens on Monday. The only other option is the Emergency Vet...but it was the Emergency Vet service who gave Sergey the 'all-clear' when they saw him on the Sunday and actually wrote: 'Etat: Bon' (General State: GOOD) on the form we took to OUR vets with Serge the following day. Our vet was APPALLED that the Emergency Vet had given Sergey the 'all-clear', when in fact the poor little boy was slipping into a coma!
ANYWAY, because Lancey is only suffering when he tries certain maneouvers (and is absolutely fine when he's sitting still: purring, eating as much as usual (and Lancey eats LOADS...and would eat even MORE if I let him!)demanding cuddles, etc, I'd rather wait until I can take him to our proper vet on Monday.
He does seem to be a little bit better since yesterday....but I would still love to ask for your prayers on this one (even though I feel selfish asking, as I know that so many of you are going through the nightmare grief of losing your beloved pets.)
I shall of course let you all know what happens.
Until then...
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
From Amanda (and Pierre, my ex-husband, Lancey's 'biological father', Benji (my partner, Lancey's 'step-father'...and Lancey himself, of course.) ***x

From what you wrote about Lancey, it sounds like he's feeling somewhat better...which is a very good sign...especially since he's still eating, purring, etc. Not getting him into the vet until Monday will probably be just fine. I certainly don't blame you for not wanting to take him in to see the emergency vet.

I'll keep little Lancey in my thoughts and prayers.
Kathleen

No need to feel selfish asking for prayers, that is what this site is designed for. Wish I could write more but I have tendinitis in my wrists and typing hurts... but I am praying!!!

Hi, Jenn and Kathleen
Thank you so much for your ongoing support: it is so appreciated. Lancey seems to be doing a bit better today (thanks to all the prayers and kind thoughts from all of you wonderful people on this website!). He's still making an 'ouch' sort of sound when he jumps up on the bed, but he's walking fine now (albeit a little less crazily than usual: Lancey usually tears around the place like a hooligan!) and I'm sensing he's on the mend (fingers crossed and God willing.) He's eating very well and purring, so I'm feeling a bit less stressed about him today.
Jenn, I'm so sorry to hear about your tendinitis: that can be REALLY painful and aggravating. I hope it's feeling a bit better today.
Anyway, I'll keep you all in the look RE: Lancey, and THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH for all your thoughts and prayers.
Amanda ***

Patti, I am heading out right now to hopefully locate the 'Rescue Remedy'.
Thank you SO MUCH for the tip.
Amanda ***