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| Sex / Breed: |
Female/Calico |
| Type Of Cancer: |
GI Lymphoma |
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| Other Health Problems: |
Severe hypercalcemia (14.7 mg/dL), Fatty Liver Disease, Heart murmur, Probable kidney issues caused by Lymphoma, Polyps/Chronic yeast overgrowth in left ear |
Xiao Mao's Story
by Linnea
Xiao Mao is my beautiful treasure though it has only been six months since she came into my life. I found my lovely girl sitting under a tree by a Safeway in June of 2011 and immediately stopped to pet her and admire the way her gorgeous calico coat gleamed in the sun. It was obvious that she was in horrible shape. Her fur was coarse, she was infested with fleas and mites, she was incredibly malnourished and dehydrated, and her eyes and ears were bloody and inflamed. Despite the suffering she had endured, she immediately jumped into my lap as I sat beside her and began purring like a lawn mower. As a college student with virtually no income, I was hardly equipped to adopt a cat. Still, though I am not a religious person, I had never felt more clearly that the universe was screaming my name and demanding that I help her. I knew that we were destined for each other. I scooped her up into my arms and carried her home and she never resisted. The following day, I took her to the vet and, upon finding out that she was around thirteen-years-old, I knew that it was my responsibility to care for her even if it could not be for long.
After many costly vet visits, Xiao's condition improved dramatically. She gained over 20% of her initial weight, developed a monstrous appetite, and slept on my head contentedly every night. Then on December 21st of 2011, I moved into a new apartment. The same day I noticed that Xiao-y was not eating well and peeing outside of her litterbox. I was concerned but unsure if she was just acting up because of the move or actually ailing. I had already booked a plane ticket to go see my family in Texas for the holidays and paid a friend to take care of Xiao for two weeks. However, on the 22nd, the night before I left, I had a feeling that something was horribly wrong. I called a friend at two in the morning crying hysterically, afraid that my cat was dying. A mother always knows when her baby is unwell. My friend told me that I was being dramatic and unreasonable but I went to the vet first thing the next morning, right before my flight. She felt my kitty's abdomen and told me that her bladder was maybe swollen or she had a stool blockage. She recommended that I give her medication for a UTI and see her in two weeks upon my return. While I was in Texas, I called my friend every day for updates on Xiao's condition, preparing to return early if anything was awry. He reassured me that everything was completely fine. It was not until the 6th of January that I learned how wrong he was.
That day, I called another friend and asked him to make sure Xiao was actually doing okay. He took one look at her and saw that she was weak, had lost massive amounts of weight, and that her skin was horribly tented. I booked a return flight and asked him to take her to the vet immediately. Several hours later, he called to tell me in a cracking voice that my beautiful, brave baby girl had lymphoma. The vet gave her SubQ fluids and an injection of Medrol but said that she was still unsure if my kitty would pull through for 24 hours before I returned. That flight was agony as I wished desperately for cell phone reception, knowing that my darling could be dying without me to cradle her. I prayed to a God I’m not sure I believe in with all my heart, promising to do something wonderful if I could just tell my Xiao-y goodbye. Thankfully, my prayers were answered and I returned to find Xiao lethargic and thin but still alert and fully mobile. Within a few hours of me returning, I was able to feed Xiao large hunks of chicken breast, and lunch meat. Then she began eating cat food again. Normal amounts! Today (1/11/2012) she weighed in at five pounds, a whole half pound more than she was five days ago. Unfortunately, after taking her to an oncologist I have been forced to realize that Xiao’s cancer is high grade and the chemo that was recommended to me is prohibitively expensive. I couldn’t even afford the ultrasounds or biopsies to find out exactly what is happening to my baby. Though her appetite is good, her weight has increased, and she is still engaged and affectionate, I know that I will be lucky to have a couple of weeks with her. Her increased thirst and urination and her incredibly high calcium levels (14.7 mg/dL) make it obvious that her kidneys are beginning to fail. The hypercalcemia is my main concern right now. Despite seeming generally healthier in the past two days, I noticed a wobble this morning that might be related to this condition. I can’t give her Prednisone as she was already injected with another steroid and the interaction would be dangerous. I’ve been giving her 100 ml of Lactated Ringers each night and trying to decide when is the time to euthanize. Tomorrow, I’m switching to a Saline solution for her Sub-Q fluids in the hopes that it will help regulate her Calcium levels. I’m also going to inquire about bisphosphonates. It’s just so hard to let go of my babygirl when she is still bustling over to purr for me when I open a bag of ham, or stroking my hand with her paw as I groom her. I don’t want her to suffer but I can’t bear to lose her.
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Xiao Mao
[ click photos to enlarge ]
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