Thursday, March 8, 2018

Thankful Thursday

Hi everyone!  It's the Mom here.

You might remember from Carmine's post on Monday that we have some wonderful news to share about Lita, and I know you have all been waiting to hear it, so here it is!

Lita went in for another Convenia injection last Thursday.  It had been nearly 3 weeks since her last injection.  If I had any doubt in my mind (which I didn't) that the Convenia is helping, that went right out the window.  Lita was coughing a ton before her injection.  Though she wasn't as bad as she was when we started this whole journey, it wasn't good to see her coughing so much.

After the vet was done examining Carmine, I asked him about Lita's constipation to see if he had any additional ideas that haven't been given yet.  He offered to feel her for any kind of blockage, so we got her out of her carrier.  He said he didn't feel any blockage and gave us some ideas on how to manage her constipation.  It seems to be helping, too!




Anyway, the poor vet had never seen Lita before (we have been seeing the other vet who works in the clinic with Lita).  He was a little alarmed by how noisily she was breathing.  I guess those of us who see her a lot are kind of used to it, though I certainly worry about it a lot.  

So, we ended up having a discussion about putting her back on Prednisolone, which she'd been off of for about two months.  

We decided to go ahead and try it because, "breathing is important."  He told me to give Lita 10mg a day for a week and then go back down to 5mg a day (what she was taking before).  

Within hours of her first dose, Lita's breathing significantly improved.  The Convenia stopped her coughing in its tracks.  She's no longer breathing noisily.  

Lita is eating like a cow!  If Carmine doesn't finish his food and tries to leave it for later, Lita usually gobbles it up, and I have to get Carmine more.  Lita is getting off the bed and wandering around the apartment, and she hadn't done that since October!!!  She is back to bossing me and D around, demanding food, poking us for our chicken at dinnertime, and getting annoyed with Carmine if he wants to lay by her and she's not in the mood to have him around.  

I never thought I'd see Lita's wonderful personality back like this.  I never thought she'd be back to her old self like this.....it just blows my mind.  It's nothing short of a miracle, and I have so many of you to thank for your support during this whole thing.

D has started calling Lita, "the Lazarus cat."  I think our property manager just about fell over when she saw Lita yesterday during apartment inspections!  Nobody expected Lita to make it past the New Year, let alone be doing this well.

We are tightening her Convenia schedule to every 10 days - every 14 seemed to be too long, and she'd be coughing a lot by the time she got another injection.  She'll have her next injection on Monday.

Tomorrow, she goes down to 5mg Pred a day, and I'm nervous about it.

All of this is quite pricey.  It's $55 per Convenia injection, and she will be having them into May at this point.  If you'd like to help with her treatment costs, you can donate HERE.  Or, if you'd rather donate to the clinic directly, please reach out to me, and I'll give you all the information you need.  

I am most thrilled that it looks more and more like Lita has pneumonia instead of cancer, but I also feel guilty that she managed to cheat death when so many of our beloved kitty friends have gone to the Bridge lately.  My heart is broken for all of the losses of our friends.  

There is so much to be thankful for this week.  We are joining Brian's Thankful Thursday blog hop!


23 comments:

  1. This is such great news, and I'm so happy for you and Lita! Please don't feel guilty - it's just your turn, and Lita's, to have a bit of good fortune coming your way. Also, all your persistence really helped.

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  2. That is wonderful and we're thankful that sweet Lita is breathing better too. Thanks for joining the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!

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  3. We're glad Lita is doing better. The pred is probably helping her appetite. Since going on pred, Ernie has been eating like a horse! We hope Lita continues to do better. Sending purrs.

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  4. This is great news and with the things going on in my neck of the woods and losing an asthmatic kitty two weeks ago, I am very glad to know that Lita is responding to medication and acting like herself again. Sending purrs and prayers - Katie Kat.

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  5. I am so happy for Lita and for you. I will keep praying for her. XO

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  6. I'm glad Lita is feeling better.

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  7. Go, Lita! I'm so glad to hear that she is feeling better. It has to be a huge relief for you. I hope that everything keeps going in this upward trajectory. :)

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  8. This is wonderful news! I hope Lita continues to do well on the new medications. I am so happy for you.

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  9. We're so glad to hear wonderful news about Lita! We've been purring and praying really hard for her.

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  10. This is such wonderful news. From the pictures you've been posting on Facebook she looks SO much happier!

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  11. so happy Lita is doing so much better, that is great news. Cody used to be on Pred A LOT when we thought he had allergies, (same dosage as Lita) and he was always fine......Pred DOES increase the appetite so I am sure that is what is making her eat more. Hoping this upswing continues. catchatwithcarenandcody

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  12. That's absolutely WONDERFUL news! She's breathing well and not coughin' so much? And eatin' properly, too? Wonderful, wonderful, WONDERFUL news, for sure. PURRS

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  13. WOO HOO Lady Sierra an Milita this iss pawtastick newss!!! Wee doin a *happy dance* here fur youss'!!!
    An Carmine isn't it grate yur Sisfur iss eatin yur food all so??? Mew mew mew....
    Lady Sierra wee posted a card inn thee mail to you an rote you a PM on FB....
    ~~~head rubsss~~~ Siddhartha Henry~~~

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  14. Kisses and a big "moo" to you Lita girl, you keep up that appetite. No coughing or labored breathing makes me and Dexter very happy for you.

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  15. We're all so glad Lita is doing so well! What great news.

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  16. This is such wonderful news! I haven't been able to visit blogs very much this week and only just saw your post.
    You mustn't feel guilty that she is making such good progress when others have gone to the Bridge. Be grateful for the wonderful turnaround. Everyone is happy for her and for you.

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  17. We are so glad to hear that Lita is doing better!
    Have a wonderful weekend...

    Noodle and crew

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