The Afflicted

Did I mention that I’m fed up with being sick? Well, it’s true, I am. Yesterday morning I ate an entire 9ct package of Halls cough drops–the extra disgusting ones in the blue wrapper–and still couldn’t stop coughing. Not only was there no residual benefit, but they didn’t even stop me from coughing while I was sucking on them. Damn! Today, I can finally breathe for short periods of time without coughing. Or, I would be able to, if I could to breathe at all. And then there’s the fact that I feel like my head has been stuffed with a wool blanket, then shoved into a fish bowl. I can’t hear a thing, and every time I blow my nose, it gets worse. Living in a hilly area doesn’t help, either, because every time I drive up or down a hill, the pressure in my ears increases. Ow!

In convalescing cat news, Rory is doing swell. He woke me up in the middle of the night (or, he would’ve, if I hadn’t felt too crappy to sleep), digging furiously in his litter box. I got up to check on him, and found a nice little present waiting for me. Yay! He’s eating and drinking on his own, now, too, so I’m quite pleased with his progress.

I’ve had a difficult time, feeling like I have to justify to others why I would be “foolish” enough to spend a big chunk of money and lots of time and effort to save a feral (former) barn cat. When I called in to work one day last week to say that I wouldn’t be in because I had to take Rory in for surgery, the coworker who answered the phone told me “You need to put him to sleep.” Um, no, I need to do no such thing. It’s not like I was asking for sympathy or advice or any sort of input whatsoever. At no time have I invited her, or anyone else, to comment on whether or not I was making the right decision in pursuing treatment instead of putting him down. Hrmph. I wish some folks would learn to mind their own business. So, if any of y’all have ever felt the urge to say something similar, please do everyone a favor and reconsider. You likely have no idea what factors are involved, or how complex the issue is. Everything from the bond felt by the owner, to the chances for a good outcome, to the pre- and post-procedure quality of life, to monetary resources, are part of the equation. What seems like an obvious conclusion to one person may not be acceptable to another. My coworker felt that I was packing money down the proverbial rat hole. Monetary concerns are apparently at the top of her list of things to consider, which is perfectly valid. Cost was at the bottom of my list, though, so my “obvious conclusion” was the opposite of her “obvious conclusion.”

And, for what it’s worth, it’s not like I hadn’t considered all the options and weighed them carefully. I did. After talking to the vet, I decided that Rory’s chances of having an acceptable quality and length of life were reasonably good. Another thing I considered was Rory’s temperament. He’s been withdrawn and freaked out at the vet’s office, but at home, he’s been in good spirits. He’s always been relaxed and gregarious with me and the other animals, and that hasn’t changed with his illness. Even now, he clearly enjoys the life he has, and it’s important, I think, that he be able to enjoy more of it.