State of the Artist: UPDATE
Hey Grovers, just wanted to let you know that I’m scheduled to have this old, rotted prostate removed on the 12th of June. Should be in the hospital for 2 days after, coming home that Friday. But not to worry, I’ve produced enough comics and uploaded them for autopublish through Friday, June 21, just in case I can’t sit at the art desk to do them. I’ll be having a robot perform the surgery, so I shouldn’t, according to the doctor, have the same after effects as the old, traditional surgery had on patients. I worked with a guy years ago who had it done the old way and I remember him always having to make sure his inflatable donut had enough air in it for him to sit comfortably. So, fingers crossed, I’ll be up and at ’em and not feeling any pain after the surgery, as my urologist assures me I won’t have any.
On a side (and sad note), our oldest cat Isabel passed some time during the night or early in the morning. She had been sick and refusing to eat, and at nearly 14, we knew her time with us was drawing to an end. I’ve been trying to feed her via syringe for a few weeks, but she really wasn’t having much of that. She attacked me a few times when she saw me approaching her with the syringe, but I kept trying. We had discussed having her put to sleep, but the cost for that has become so outrageously expensive (how DARE you make it so expensive, animal care field?! Not to mention the cost of cremation has gone up, too) and we tried to make her as comfortable as possible in her final days. At least she passed on a soft sleeping bag in the closet (her favorite spot to sleep during her life–well, when she wasn’t cuddled up with my wife in our bed). She may have been a pain in the ass during her life, ruining every new mattress we bought (your litter box is literally 6 feet away in the bathroom!) and getting into trouble, although she would come up to me, curl up in my lap or brush against me to apologize, but I am extremely devastated at her passing…probably because I spent so much effort trying to keep her fed and nourished in her final days. It’s only now that the sobbing has stopped enough for me to function in between tears. Goodbye, Izzy…see you on the other side.
Stumble it!
I am happy to hear you are going in what sounds like a good direction with your health issues. It saddens me a great deal to hear about you fuzzy friend. My boy will be 18 next month and while he is looking good for his age, I find myself looking at him while he is asleep to make sure he is still breathing. So far so good. I will be sending good thoughts your way on the 21st.
18? Wow, that’s amazing! The oldest we’ve had for pets were our first 2 dogs who made it to 17, but I think out of spite. The first to go died in my wife’s arms. I think he waited for us to get home (we had gone to the hardware store to buy the supplies to build his coffin) and when we went to see how he was doing in his bed out in the kitchen, my wife wrapped her arms around him, he looked at me and then looked up at her, let out a soft whine and passed. Writing this brings tears back to my eyes and he’s been gone 10 years now. Our second eldest passed some time during the night a few months after the other did. I escorted him to his bed (he was mostly blind by then), ushered our new pup (yeah, we had gotten a new pup by then, as you do) into her crate to leave old Skipper alone, and wished him good night. The next morning I came out and he was gone. Had the supplies to build his coffin already because he lasted much longer than we thought he would, and buried him next to his pal Buster under the same tree in the back yard.
Thank you for the good thoughts. I’m hoping this will be the last time I have to go to the hospital for a long while. 5 times in one year (with one false alarm because my blood work came back with issues) is more than enough for me, thankyouverymuch.
Best wishes on your procedure and healing. I’ll be looking forward to the next State of the Artist, and hopefully amazing news.
I am sorry for your loss. Isabel sounds like she was a good kitty, and you gave her a good home.
Thank you. I’m not so much worried about the surgery as the having to stay in the hospital for two days (while people pour in and out of the room–I’ve told people I don’t want an entourage, that it would make me even more uncomfortable, but they apparently aren’t going by my wishes and are coming anyway…so are they doing it for me or, as I suspect, for themselves…this is a robotic surgery, so it is less intense & quicker recovery, but I think the c word is scaring them and making them disregard my wishes and overreact).
Best wishes for a good result from the surgery.
My deepest sympathies for the loss of your cat. We lost our cat Squeaky to kidney failure 3 years ago. I still miss her. A new kitten came along a year later. Literally, I found him in the parking lot after work, around midnight. He was crying and running around. A co-worker had had ranch dressing on her lunch salad and put the bowl down. He came over and started licking the bowl and she picked him up and said “Here’s your new kitten!” He was so happy to be inside when I got him home. Every cat makes their own space in your life.
Thank you. My wife and I have said that we wouldn’t bring any new animals into the house until our current herd has left to cross the rainbow bridge…but then again, we said that with cat number 3, 4 & 5. Cat number 4, sadly, left us too soon, after only spending about 5 years with us after we rescued him from the streets. Something tells me my wife isn’t planning on adhering to the no new animal rule as I caught her looking at pictures of shelter cats last night. Heh, gluttons for punishment.
I’m so sorry about your kitty but I’m glad that you can do something to improve your health. Here’s hoping you have an uneventful recovery.
Thank you. In a way, I’m glad that Isabel passed before I went into the hospital. That way, I wouldn’t come home to the surprise as I’m sure my wife wouldn’t have told me while I was trapped in my room for the two days they want me to stay.