Author: kazbah33pics

So that’s what it’s all about Sooz and Kaz … and why Kaz is now looking to buy a stethoscope – probably from her favourite online retailer- Amazon.  But back to the beginning … regular readers of my blog will remember that the vet Kaz took me to for the regular attention to my claws put a very cold stethoscope on my chest and tummy and said she had found a “heart murmur”.  Blood tests came back “normal” … (normal? anything about me normal?) and the decision was taken not to give me a grand (the cost) ultrasound test.  Then when Kaz puts something on FB, Aunty Ma (no, not that Aunty M – this Aunty Ma is a vet) suggests that if we are concerned about the possibility of me having a heart murmur which could cause us all trouble down the road, she suggested that there is a low-cost way of monitoring it … and no, it’s not a cat scan (heh heh).  It’s listening to my heart while I’m sleeping.  Kaz tried to do that but she didn’t quite get it right.  She tried hard though. She stood next to me as I was trying to sleep in the penthouse (sweet)  – and she put her ear to my chest and of course I purred and she had to wait until I fell asleep and stopped purring … but then she couldn’t hear my heartbeat and because she couldn’t hear it (at all?) she couldn’t count it. This could be a problem if she is going to monitor it on an ongoing basis.
More of a problem though is that Kaz does not seem to be able to read properly. What Aunty Ma actually said was that they should monitor my sleeping respiration rate. That will be a bit easier on them – they can just look at me and count for that … so no stethoscope needed … and let’s hope Kaz hasn’t invested in one yet … although if it is already on order, it could be fun … although, after a quick look at the interweb, that would seem to be a big no.

Why does Kaz keep sneaking up on me while I’m trying to sleep?  Does she not know how annoying it is?  Or how creepy? You would think she would have gotten the message after she almost gave Sooz a heart attack the other day … she (Sooz) was have an afternoon nananap (pronounced: nana nap) when Kaz laid down next to her – being as quiet as she could – and when Sooz rolled over she (Sooz) got the fright of her life.  She really does have a wonderful “startle” reflex too … arms and legs flailing everywhere.  It would be funny if it wasn’t so serious … and bless her little cotton socks, Kaz was almost able to not do that embarrassed laughter!  She would have really found herself in hot water had she not been able to contain herself.  But that doesn’t explain why she has started creeping up on me … and it’s not that she’s trying to give me a cuddle or anything … she’s trying to put her head on my chest!  And, let me tell you, her head is almost as big as her quite generously-sized bottom (no Kaz, I haven’t forgotten!)!  Hopefully it will all become clear in time.  I am thinking she will discuss it with Sooz at some point, and that I will be in earshot … and there better be a reason for it … and not that she’s just messing with me.

Sooz has been wonderful.  She keeps leaving the electric blanket on during the day for me … and we need it because it has turned quite chilly.  I sometimes use it in the evenings as well, while they’re watching MasterChef!

The rain has stopped, so that is a good thing, because it meant that Kaz deigned to let me go outside for a little while yesterday morning.  I will have to remind them that even my Archnemesis (Mimi) gets to go outside for literally hours at a time and that if they love me as much as Aunty M loves Mimi, then the least they can do is let me go out for that long too. 

I don’t know whether Mimi gets a place set for her at the dining table but Sooz and Kaz have started doing that for me now … even though they are a bit slack with the place setting.  Cutlery people … cutlery! 

It’s been an anxious wait for Kaz and Sooz – but not for me because I knew there was absolutely nothing wrong with me no matter what Caroline the vet would have them believe – how could they even think about listening to someone who doesn’t even pretend to warm up the stethoscope before they hold it on to a cat’s tummy?
So, the results of my blood tests are back – and they’re all perfectly normal … yes of course I would prefer “exceptional” but I’ll take it; except the cardiac enzyme one – I’m on the higher side of normal for that one.
So, really the vet is none the wiser. And what’s next? An ultrasound or “wait and see”? Which did they choose do you think?  Because they didn’t even ask me what I want – and it is actually all about me this time. They chose … wait for it … yes, “wait and see”. I didn’t realise it before but they do have experience with this type of thing – Homer (of the box on the sideboard) had a heart murmur – and no, that isn’t what used up the last of his lives – that would be the leukemia. So I guess it’s okay they’ve decided to spend the $1000 for the ultrasound on toys for me instead … but only if they listen to me if I ever tell them down the track that I’ve got a dickey heart. Hmmm. There may be some mileage to be made out of this. I’ll think about it.

In the meantime, I am trying to keep my shaved neck patch warm as best I can. Just my luck that the temperatures have been right down at the moment. I have been hanging out in the cat tower hidey-hole, or under Tibet (with stringey-thing), or on the couch (next to my caravan which, and I don’t know why she did – Kaz has popped up there as well).

Kaz, why is this still in here?  That would be my cat cage. She could have put it back where it belongs in the garage so I don’t have to look at it and be reminded of the vet … or Aunty Rosemary’s!

No .. no … I don’t want to go to Aunty Rosemary’s.  You can’t make me get in that cage Kaz! Heh heh, Kaz has to catch me first.  Fast walking.  Fast walking. DAMN IT … KAZ HAS CLOSED ALL THE ESCAPE ROUTES.  There’s nowhere to run … nowhere to hide.  And yes Kaz I do have 27 arms and legs as you try to stuff me into the cat cage.  What’s that?  We’re not going to Aunty Rosemary’s?  Why don’t I believe you?  Liar liar … you know it’s not your nose that gets bigger when you fib … it’s your bottom.  Do the words “the size of a small African nation” mean anything to you Kaz? Because they really should.  And no, having my blanket in the cage with me does not make it better. 
And why aren’t you listening to me … you know I can keep this up for as long as it takes for you to get me out of this cage. 
SOOZ … SOOZ … COME SAVE ME!

Some time later.
I’m finally out of the cage and Kaz was right, we are not at Aunty Rosemary’s … it is so much worse than that.  SHE HAS BROUGHT ME TO THE VET! And the Vet isn’t even trying to warm up that stethoscope before she shoves it on my tummy … and holds it there … and keeps holding it … and then holds it some more … and only takes it away when she says something about a heart murmur.  And that she would like to do some blood tests and check for a special cardiac enzyme to see if she can tell what’s happening.  Hmmm.  I bet you’re really pleased now Mummies that you took out that health care plan for me. 
So the Vet shaved part of under my neck and put in a needle that was huge… I can’t say exactly how huge because I had my eyes closed but it did feel at one stage like is was coming out of my bottom … although that might have been the thermometer! 

The good news (yes, there is some) is that they clipped my toenails so I will be able to sneak up on the Mummies again … those toenails had gotten so long they were clicking on the ground as I walked … and they would sometimes get caught in whatever I happened to be playing with – stringey-thing (and yes Sooz that IS how I spell it), masking tape,  electric power cords, earplug cables, glasses cleaning cloths …

The other good news is that true to her word (and no, Kaz, that doesn’t mean that bottom is getting any smaller) she did bring me straight home afterwards.  We will hear back from the Vet on Friday if I need to go in for more tests … and if I do, Kaz better hope and pray that the Vet does home visits because … I AM NOT GETTING BACK IN THAT CAGE AGAIN!