my starched white cap is about to be retired

The Kat is improving by leaps and bounds. Her googly eye is nearly normal -- there's a small bit of third lid still showing, but the swelling has gone down dramatically. There seems to be no tenderness left. She's started to rub the outside of her face on scratchy objects, right at the surgery site. She's lovey and full of purrs and is once again leading a happy life.

I realized that I've internalized her values around vanity and cleanliness. It used to be very important to her to be beautiful at all times. Now that she can perform very few grooming duties (because she's so arthritic), I've taken them on. I brush her a lot. If I spill medicine on her, I wash it off immediately. I'm vigilant about removing knots as gently as I can. And part of me was relieved that she didn't have to die looking like a shipwreck. (I'm somehow reminded of my friend who was recently wheeled into -- and out of -- surgery with lipstick perfectly intact.) I think I've cleaned up almost all the crud on her face from the surgery, and I feel better about that. Her coat once again shines and feels lush.

Today, Dr. Randy got to see her and was very pleased. He did admit that a lot of cats wouldn't have made it through what she's managed. She got acupuncture today, and we won't go back for another week. We'll cut back on the eye goo and the hydration, keep the meds the same, and she's off her kidney diet for now, until we have the biopsy results. Instead, she's eating something called "Coat Care." I first heard it as "Code Care" which made me think that it was for kitties who had come close to what in humans would be called coding. But it's a high-protein (bad for kidneys), super tasty, highly digestible food that kitties, even Juliet, can't resist. It should help her with her recovery, and perhaps it'll fatten her up a little too.

When the biopsy results come in, we'll have more of a sense of how long she'll last. If it looks like the cancer will take her swiftly, it won't matter if her kidneys take longer to kill her. If it looks like things will go more slowly, I would think about providing more of a balance between kidney food and tasty Coat Care. We'll see.

So the week is turning out well. I'm looking forward to sleeping well tonight and enjoying more kitty happiness tomorrow.