Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Emotional Roller Coaster with Enya

Well, I'm sad to report Enya's moment of "improvement" was
short-lived. She is progressively getting worse, leading me to believe
she does not have CH after all, but something more severe. She becomes
more paralyzed every day, and it's heartbreaking to watch.

She is going back to the vet today for "daycare" so she will still get
her frequent feedings. She still eats, but everything else is worse.
Her legs are stiff and straight. We bend them and massage them every
day, but they are not working for her. She can't move, only her head.
Wherever we lay her is where she lays. Even meowing is harder for her,
she does this kind of moan.

The worst part is, when I pick her up to
feed or potty, she sounds like she is in pain and throws her head back
in a stiff manor, to me suggesting pain. I can live with the extra
work, but if she is in pain, we might have to consider putting her
down, as hard as that would be. Michael and I have been struggling
with that thought. We've poured so much love and hope and money into
getting her well. Michael built the neatest "feeding station" for her.
Now she can't even use it. I have to hold her head so she can drink a
soup of AD rescue food and water. She wasn't able to support her legs
at all when I took her to the cat box lastnight.

Friday she and her brother Thomas have their 12 week vet appointment
to get the rest of their vaccinations and a checkup. I will discuss it
all with the vet and see what he thinks. But it's not looking good. We
were so excited to help her adapt to CH - but this is something very
different and not expected.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Enya seems to be improving!

I think her "daycare" each day at the vet's office this week to keep up with her feedings every 2 hours has been working! She had so much energy lastnight. She tried walking again, leaning up against the wall and moving herself along. I could see the LIFE in her eyes come back a little! Very encouraging. We will keep up with the frequent feedings of her special AD Rescue Food the vet gave us. (When I say gave, I mean at $1.50 a can! lol) But no matter the cost, it's worth it to see her coming back to life. I don't know if this was the cure for whatever was wrong with her, but for now it seems to be working and I am relieved. Tired, but relieved! Thank you to all her friends for their prayers and notes of support. This little angel has a lot of people rooting for her!

Thomas is a plump little giant about 3 times the size of his sister now! He bounds around the house up and down the curtains, chairs, over and under and round and round! He is a beige ball of energy!!! Hysterical to watch. Adorable when he finally wears out and cuddles up for a nap. More photos and video to come soon!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Enya is hanging in there...

Our little angel Enya is hanging in there. Saturday she went to the vet, because she had taken a turn for the worse. I thought Friday night I might lose her. She was weak, listless, no energy at all. Her eyes had that sunken glossy look. A look I've seen when I lost a runt once, and when we lost the little black kitten Michael found outside a jobsite months ago. I knew something hadn't been right with her, but chalked it up to bad days battling her CH. This is different.

The vet suggested we feed her every 1-2 hours now until she gains some strength, but I know its different from malnurishment. She does this new "turtle" move with her head - stretching her neck out and slamming her head to the ground over and over. Breaks my heart. I see her whole body stiffen - possibly a seizure. She does not want to play. She just lays there either doing that move or nothing at all. She does eat - and she still goes potty in the box with my assistance. No accidents, little angel.

I don't know if her vaccinations were too much for her, or if she was hurt when I wasn't home. Or if the CH is progressive. Her original foster mom brought the kitten she kept to the vet, and her vet thinks they don't have CH - they may have a different cerebral condition that CAN get worse in time.

Regardless, we are doing as the vet suggested. Today she is at the vet again for "daycare" while I work so they can feed her every 2 hours. I did see some improvement today - she seemed more herself. She was a little more energetic, attentive to what's going on in the room, and she looks fluffier and a little more plump. So it could be she just needed the extra nutrition. We will see!

We will just keep doing our best for her and say some prayers. She slept by my side all night so it was easier for me to get up for her feedings. Angel keeps purring.