What a week.  Seriously. 

Almost overnight our little Alex went from a happy, engaging kitty to one who was lethargic.  I knew something was terribly wrong when he refused his midnight treat.  It was highlighted when he didn’t fight me as I tried to get him into the carrier the following morning.

The vet determined his potassium level was so low it was undetectable, so his entire metabolic system had been thrown into chaos.  His body temperature had dropped, and his kidneys were failing.  That afternoon he was admitted to the Emergency Veterinary Hospital.  All we could do was wait.  And hope.

We got home that evening, and I stared at a bunch of bananas and thought about Alex.  (The limited amount of Geek-girl in me remembered that bananas are a good source of potassium.)  It seemed like so short a time had passed since I first brought him home.  Wasn’t it just yesterday that I’d sacrificed an old college economics textbook by placing it in front of his litter box because he was too small to climb inside?

Time passes so quickly.  Too quickly sometimes.  It doesn’t seem right.  At least, not to me.  Yet I realized that experiencing the joy with Alex also meant experiencing the pain of letting him go when the time came.  But until then, every moment of every day with him was important, no matter where he was. 

Two days in the emergency hospital, and we were able to bring him home.  Potassium supplements, kidney-friendly food, and an antacid seem to have worked wonders on him.  So far.

Alex was back at the vet this morning. . . for a back adjustment.  That’s right.  Chiropractic care.  For a cat.  Seriously.

And because he’s still with us, I’m so happy I can roll my eyes about it!

Here’s hoping for a saner week in the Alexander household.  🙂

-Melia