Fr. Tony Update: Dr. Appt Today

Rescue Run to Ohio and Abbey's abcessed Kitty

Fr. Tony Update: Dr. Appt Today

Thanks to the lovely downpour of snow, we were called in early to see Dr. Craig. Tony's on an "up" day, with the help of his steroids. We've decided that the day he takes the steroid is usually a "proper poorly" day, but the following day is a "good" day. With him taking his steroids every other day, we're happy to at least know that 4 days out of the week will be A-O-K.

So far today's "labs" looked good. During our visit the potential new diagnosis was put out on the table for discussion. It seems clear that the amyloidosis is not something you'd want to wish on your worst enemy, and not as forgiving as Waldenstrom's.

As soon as the biopsy results are in, and if the amyloid is confirmed, then:

• More diagnostic tests will be done
• More aggressive chemo will begin
• Bone Marrow Biopsy will be done again
• Stem Cell Transplant will probably be planned
• and we go on from there.

I suppose the shining ray of light in this dark tunnel is... of the three different amyloids (AL) to have, this one isn't "as bad" as having "primary" amyloidosis. The tricky thing will be finding where the root of the amyloid problem is. Apparently, the possible amyloid flaring up in Tony's orbital tissue is simply a symptom of an underlying problem with amyloid, elsewhere. The goal is to find the "underlying problem", where this nasty protein has set up camp.

Nothing more will be happening till we get the biopsy done. NINE DAYS AND COUNTING.

RESCUE RUN TO OHIO and Abbey's Abscessed Kitty

Below: Megan and her beloved Emma

Megan and Hemmingway

St. Francis must be an ancestor, and we simply don't know it. Our girls have obviously inherited the gift of being caring souls when it comes to 4 legged critters. Well, yesterday Megan IM'd from Thailand to say one of her cats (Emma, living with "X" near Bowling Green, OH) was very ill. She'd been taken to the Vet by the "X", injected with fluids, put on medication, and was being hand fed. Apparently she was very dehydrated, which is never good. Will know more on Friday when I get to her.

Emma's brother, Hemmingway, seems to be humming right along. Because of the increasing difficulty of the cats being in the middle of a broken relationship..... I'm leaving for NW Ohio on Friday to pick them up. Saturday she'll be seen by our local Vet.

Fortunately, Emm and Hemm are getting up their in years, and tend to be very dosile. Tony's always been quite fond of Hemmingway, after the marmalade cat took a shine to the Ernest Hemmingway chair we own. Emma will be nursed back to health, all being well, and will probably spend her days as usual, lying around with her brother. As I don't want the parrots to go completely spare, the cats will be spending their leisure days on the study/bedroom end of the house.

Emma and Hemmingway have been in our lives for 13 years now, after the girls saw them born. None of us could bear the thought of poor Emma suffering. So, rescue run it is.

Above: Abbey and Miss Kitty

Things seem to happen in pairs. Abbey's cat, Miss Kitty... well, today she was taken to the Vet and had an absess lanced on her back side. Poor Abbey is now faced with medicating her (and you cannot imagine how difficult it is to medicate this small cat!), flushing out the post-lanced wound, and keeping a close eye on her for a couple of weeks. I'd help, honest I would... were I only closer. :(

Miss Kitty showed up on our doorstep as we were packing to leave Arizona for Arkansas (back in '97ish). She was so small, and no one would take her in. Miss Kitty is a Japanese Bobtail.