First off, let me say that any penny ante thing that I had to deal with yesterday pales in comparison with how great it feels to see my sweetheart turning back into his sweet, handsome self. No one wants to hear those words…”You’ve had a stroke.” It takes the starch right out of you. It’s not only a physical blow, but a psychological one, as well. His hand is getting better every day. It’s no longer tingly…just a little numb. Improvement is wonderful. We’ll take that any day of the week! Thank you, Jesus!

That being said, I got up yesterday and went out to open the building so the kitty could go play and I knew right away something was wrong. She wouldn’t come out of her “kitty condo”…that warm bed I made for her when she arrived. I couldn’t even tempt her with her favorite treats. When I finally got her out, I ran my hands over her to find out if she had a sore place and she cried when I touched her left hind quarters. 

I immediately put her in her carrier and went to get my purse. I told Mr. FixIt I was taking her to the vet. It was the first time I have left him since the stroke. He’s a grown man, I feel he’s out of immediate danger, and life goes on. I can’t be hyper-vigilant forever. The vet shaved the area where the kitty was hurting and revealed a horrifying sight. She had a hole the size of a golf ball in her side!

It scared me to pieces, but the vet said cats get abscesses easily and while this was a big one, it could be easily fixed. She did have to sedate her because she was not going to just lay there and let them stitch her up. About an hour later, I received a stoned cat with pupils the size of teacups and a “cone of shame” around her head. By the time we got home, Houdini-cat had managed to escape the cone.

We did get it back on her. Then we set up the really big wire dog crate so she was contained but still had room to move around. I hated leaving that cone on her because it inhibited her ability to eat and drink because she’s so little. One of my besties…Diane…is a big cat person. She suggested getting a child-sized t-shirt and jury rigging a kind of body suit so she could still move around but it wouldn’t inhibit her movements so much.

I went to the dollar store and they didn’t have a very good selection of little kid’s clothes. So, I bought a pair of women’s leggings and used one of the legs to fashion a sort of body sleeve that covered the affected area without restricting her movements in any way. I made holes for all four legs and that keeps it pulled down over the stitches and it works great! I also used a kitten collar threaded through small slits (like button holes) that kept the front part in place. And, since there are two legs in a pair of leggings, I can make another body sleeve when this one gets soiled.

So, that was the sucky part of my day. When I got home with the groceries, I made a wonderful meal…probably one of the better meals I’ve made in quite some time. Baked Salmon with Tzatziki, Quinoa with Mushrooms, Fresh Steamed Asparagus. And for dessert…Sugar Free Banana Pudding with Light & Fit Whipped Topping. Yes….we are back in the saddle with our diets working to be our best, most healthy selves.

We topped off the day with The Voice. Now, that’s how you turn a bad day around, I’d say.

❤️

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

James 1:2-8 NIV

James 1:2-8 NIV