Morning kitty update.

Well, we don't get her back yet. She is still on oxygen. They found her white blood cell count was up a bit, which could indicate an infection - or cancer. Here's hoping it's not the latter, but we will find out when the lab results on the fluid get back, probably Monday. She's refusing to eat for them, but that's not entirely a surprise - she's a finicky cat, she's uncomfortable, she's in a strange environment, and being offered strange food. They're not too too worried about that, I think.

Basta update, and Garden, and miscellany.

Yes, I really am checking on her this much, and I would more if I didn't know I'd drive them AND myself to distraction. I went to visit her - she is definitely doing better. She stood some of the time, sat much of it, lay down only when I closed the door on her again. She purred for me, and she ate a bit of the canned food I had (with their permission) brought over - I left some there with them, since she can be finicky. They'd gotten her to eat some of what they had but I suspected she might eat more if it was something she liked, and she did eat some of it.

She wanted to climb out of the cage and down into my lap (or go exploring, not sure which) though I didn't let her. That's a lot more initiative than she had last night, as you might imagine. Poor kitty, she still looks worn, but I think she is doing better. I hope she is. We'll see what the results are - I'm still hoping for the best there.

I did go to the Gardens this morning, in the end, after I'd called for the morning update on her condition and found out we couldn't bring her home yet. I was hoping they'd bring me a bit of peace. But because of my timing, I arrived about 10 minutes after they opened on a lovely July Sunday, rather than during members' hours as I would usually do in the summer. The parking lot was almost full. Lemme try that again: the parking lot was almost full. They were lovely, but they were crowded, and more than one "oh look, a baby screaming" moment occurred (only two, that I can recall, but still!). I missed the irises this year by not going sooner. There was one left, slightly limp, and several that were drying and going, but basically I missed the irises. On the other hand, I saw a lovely purple flower cluster tucked back by a waterfall in the lowest, farthest corner of the natural garden, where I don't recall ever seeing such a flower before. That was a magical moment even if it was soon followed by continuing on so as not to block the path for the rest of the hordes....

STILL processing photos from our trip to Michigan/Ohio/Wisconsin. I will get them all done and then uploaded. But it may take a bit yet. In the meanwhile, for those who haven't already found it, a really cute photo of our friend's kitten Max, from when we were cat-sitting for her, during the worst of the heat.

Oh, and I ordered a bottle of 13 from BPAL. I hope I don't regret that, but I adore what most of their chocolate scents do on me. And if it hates me, I imagine I can find someone who wants it somewhere.

Did not see Harry Potter. Not sure now when I will - not up for a lengthy movie, especially if it stays true to the book, right now.

Basta. Also, gratuitous icon.

I have gotten a few icons from non_essentials, by raevnn. I used one on this post. It has nothing at all to do with this post.

Basta will be spending the night at the emergency vet again. She is not as dependent on the oxygen but because I cannot monitor her easily (they are not permitted in our bedroom, nor is the bedroom set up to accommodate her, so I'd have to sleep outside it - which would risk my allergies) and because Babe outweighs and out-energies her (and they sometimes spat, which would be bad right now), it is better to leave her there overnight and let them keep an eye on her until we're sure she's doing better. In the morning we will have to pick her up and transfer her to our vet, which I dread, because car rides are rough on her at the best of times. And hopefully tomorrow we will get some more definitive answers about the fluid on her lungs and what next steps might be, and whether we'll be looking at treatment or a much sadder option. I'm still hoping for treatment. She did look better when I saw her around 3-4, but still fragile. She always looks a bit fragile, though, except when she's actively beating the stuffing out of Babe, but I'm betting she's not up for that right now.

I hope it's the right decision, but you never really know, do you? It's the less risky decision, for her, and I...I am not inclined to risk right now. But it's lonelier, for her and for me. I want to go back over there tonight, but it would serve no purpose, wouldn't comfort me much more and might disturb her. At least, that's what I think, and I hope I'm not making decisions too far from reality.