Cat Update

    For any of you that are wondering, here is an update on my O'Malley cat.  Yesterday marked the half way point for his radiation treatments. He is handling them amazingly well, I think Im more tired and traumatized by the whole thing than he is. So the first week we drove to Austin (which traffic depending is 1 to 1.5hrs each way) Wed-Fri for his first three treatments. The first few days we were there about 6-7hrs each day, just as they were getting used to O'Malley and how to set him up, as well as there were other pets in line before him for their radiation. Last week we went Mon-Fri and each day we were thankfully only there for 3-4hrs each. However, for a late to bed late to rise person such as myself, it is hard to wake up at 720am and drive an hour or so, and then drive back. Ive had no trouble falling asleep at night, thats for sure! The whole process is this, everynight at midnight I have to take the cats food away (this is so O'Malley has an empty stomach for his anesthesia every morning). Most nights the cats will wake me some time between 2 and 5am wanting their food, which of course I cant give them. I usually end up "kicking" them out of the room so that I can get some sleep. I wake up at 720, do my bathroom stuff and get dressed. Then I have to "capture" O'Malley and put him in his carrier. The first week or so it was fine, but now he is savvy to the routine and has taken to hiding under my bed or behind the couch. Once Ive got him, he goes in to his carrier willingly enough. Then my mom shows up at my house (theres just been a few times she hasnt accompanied me to the appointments, she insists, which is okay with me as she does the driving twice a week), we load up the cat and his bag of snacks, and our bag of snacks, and make the 1-1.5hr drive. When we arrive at the vets we usually sit in the waiting room for 30min-1hr until a vet tech comes and takes O'Malley back. I havent been back in the radiation room, but from what theyve told me, they use the same equipment as they have at human hospitals. O'Malleys entire radiation treatment only lasts about 5 minutes each day, but the prep to make sure hes under anesthesia (otherwise he wouldnt be able to lie still enough for the radiation to be accurate), make sure hes lined up perfectly (they even have little marks drawn on his skin to help), and then the 30 minutes they need when hes done just to make sure he comes out of anesthesia okay and everything takes about 1.5hrs in all. Then we load up the car with a grumbling O'Malley (as soon as he sees the people in scrubs he starts growling and doesnt stop until we get back in the car haha). I usually feed him a little coconut oil and some freeze dried salmon, which are two of his favorite snacks, and then we make the drive home. By the time we get home hes totally out of his grogginess and is ready to walk around and eat. I usually get home around 1pm, but a few days havent gotten back until 4pm. Its tiring for someone who is not a morning person! 
    Im just really thankful that hes been doing so well. Hes had no side effects from the radiation, other than a little bit of skin dryness in the area, which is normal. Everyone at the clinic remarks on how beautiful and soft he is, and how hes a rock star because hes handling everything so well. It makes me sad to see him upset about having to be put in his little carrier and handled by the vets and vet techs, but Im really grateful at how kind and helpful everyone has been. I couldnt have asked for a better team for my fur baby. Im feeling confident that once this radiation is done, we wont be seeing any more of this cancer. O'Malleys oncologist and surgeon are feeling pretty positive about it as well.
   Other than the radiology, Im trying to help O'Malley and my other two cats lead healthier lives by switching their food to grain free, and feeding them raw poultry every other night. I also have been giving them a supplement in their food that is meant to help boost their immune systems.
   Well that was a bit more than I intended to write, but there you go. An update on what our daily lives are looking like. Ill provide another update when all the radiation is done with.

   Expect the next 2 blogs or so to be about the book "The Happiness Project" and either a makeup review and "look" or juicing.
   
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