Remote control guard

If you are looking for the remote control it is probably under me. There's a slight chance I may try to bite you if you try to take it, because I take my job of guarding the remotes seriously. 

Backyard patrol

Hey, Huggy Bear here. Josie left me with some responsibilities before she passed. Josie was a very responsible sister. She took her job of patrolling downstairs and especially the back yard very seriously. She used to walk along the back of the couch and look at the squirrels on the deck. She'd get so aggravated that she would huff at them. With her gone Maggie and I are going to share this duty. It doesn't hurt to have a little help when it comes to keeping an eye on those squirrels. 

I'll also take over as the voice of the blog. Poor Josie never even got a chance to update the sidebar before her cancer diagnosis. We have a nice badge that was made for her that I need to put up too. I just needed a break before tackling the blog again. Josie and I were litter mates. It feels weird without get here, even though she spent most of her time downstairs and me upstairs. 

Josie's cremains will come home tomorrow. Dad can pick them up on his way home from work. Mom and Dad are doing ok, but they still get sad. They worry about us too. Mom and Dad went to the beach last weekend and they kept turning on the security cameras to check on us. I think it made them feel better though. 

I'll update again tomorrow.

Goodbye ...

My time came up sooner than I expected. The bone cancer in my jaw was progressing very quickly and I was getting very uncomfortable and uneasy. I was also starting to have some blood in my drool (and I was drooling a lot because of the tumor). So Mom and Dad made the difficult decision to help me across the Bridge a day sooner than expected. At least I get to be with Jasper and meet Fluffy (Mom's first cat) and Mom's Mom, who will give me so much love. 

I made it one month short of 14 years, which is more than most get. 

I was lucky because I was able to spend a bonus week with Mom and Dad. That's something Jasper didn't get to do. I got to say bye to Huggy Bear and Maggie. Yesterday I napped on Dad's chest on the couch (one of my favorite things) and slept at Mom's feet all night. The closure was nice.

I even spent some time patrolling the back yard (no squirrels today). Even to the end I stayed vigilant. I guess Huggy Bear will have to take over this job. He does like to sit on the back of the couch. 

I'm not sure who will be assisting Dad in putting his shoes on in the morning either. That was kind of our thing. He'd put his shoes on and I'd rest my head on his shoe so he couldn't leave for work. Or I'd get his shoe strings. This never kept him from going to work but it did get me some extra love. 

Mom and Dad said I was the best little tuxie girl they could have ever asked for. I never caused any trouble, didn't ever try to eat their food, and was always so social when we had company (especially to the men). 

Huggy Bear will also be taking over blogging duties after a brief break.

Thanks for all the purrs and prayers and well wishes. You guys have been the best friends for the past 14 years! 

(Also cancer sucks. And I'll be perfectly fine being the last one to cross the Bridge in 2018 -- it's been a tough year with way too much loss. Purrs to you all, and give your people some extra love tonight.)

Hanging out

Mom and Dad have been making sure I'm with them at all times. I usually hang out downstairs so I can patrol things (especially watching out for squirrels on the back deck) but they said I could take a break from my duties. So they brought me up and put me in bed with them. This is one of my favorite blankets to snuggle up on. 

I spent a little time in the sunny warm window, too. 

This is a neat picture because you can see all three of us. 

Getting lots of love

Mom has been taking great care of me since my diagnosis. She's making sure I get as much love as I can tolerate. I was her cat before I started loving on Dad. When I was little I would sleep next to Mom, usually under the covers and pressed up against her until I got too hot. 

I have been getting some wet food to go with my pain meds. And I got a new nip stick of dynamite because my old nip cigar was pretty ratty. I sat in the window and watched the birds for about a half hour today. My appetite is still good. The meds made my walking a little goofy tonight but it has settled down and now I'm resting in the bed curled up on Dad's feet. 

Thanks for all the kind words and well-wishes. It really means a lot. 

Not the news I wanted

Well I went to the vet today. Dad took me early this morning and dropped me off. I talked to Dad the whole drive over.bPeople at the vet's office were very nice and very complimentary of me. And that's about it for the good news. 

It appears that I have a very aggressive cancer and my jaw is eaten up with it. They took an x-ray and my jaw is completely eaten up. This type of cancer metastasizes very quickly. I've lost many of my teeth on the left side of my mouth (but not in the front so Mom and Dad couldn't tell). And it causes me to drool too. Also my tongue is pushing to the right, which is probably why I won't close my mouth all the way  The vet gave me some meds to help with some discomfort and the drooling.

I'm still eating and pretty much showing no discomfort, but Mom and Dad know I'm not ok. We cats can be pretty stoic and I'm hiding it from Mom and Dad. 

So the short of it is my days are numbered. I'll go back to the vet next Tuesday to be helped to the Bridge. Mom and Dad are having a tough time with this, but they know it's the right thing. When it was Jasper's time he was so weak and sick. They don't want me to suffer like that. So I'm going to get all the love I can stand for the next week, and treats, and chicken, and whatever I want. And then I'll go hang out with my big orange brother. 

Thanks for the purrs and love and support. You'll get more updates this week but I wanted to let you guys know because you are family. Love on your people today because you just never know what tomorrow brings. 

Mouth breather

Dad is dropping me off at the vet near his office on his way in to work in the morning. They didn't have any available appointments but they said Mom and Dad could drop me off and they'll work me in. It's not our favorite way to do it but it's our only choice. 

I'm eating, purring, acting mostly normal. I just don't want to close my mouth and I'm swollen under my left jawline. I'll keep you posted. 

Vet visit coming up

Well it looks like I'll be heading to the vet. I've been keeping my mouth open slightly, and keep drooling (I usually drool when I get happy on Dad's lap and purr, but this is different), and I have what feels like a swollen lymph node on the left side of my neck under my chin. I may have an abscessed tooth, maybe just fighting an infection. Hopefully it is not a big deal. Hopefully I can get in quickly. Their online reservation system didn't have anything for a week but I'm sure Mom will work it out once she can talk to someone. I'm not showing any distress and I'm eating, so that's good. But better safe than sorry (even if that means riding in the car). 

The high spot

Mom and Dad do a head count before they leave. This afternoon Maggie was in one of Jasper's old favorite spots, the landing looking over the stairs. But she fits through the spindles. (Jasper not so much...) It really is a great spot because you can survey most of what comes and goes.