Friday, December 26, 2008

Be careful what you say...

Remember the post I did the other day of Bubbie watching television?

Remember me talking about him being at the vet and that he was just then really getting back to his normal self?
Then remember me saying that I didn't want to leave him out there again unless it was a desperate situation?

That desperate situation came the very next day. It was a warm day, especially if compared to the days that had just passed. I had been refusing to leave and leave a cat outside for fear we would end up getting detained and it was miserable cold. I just didn't want them left out in the cold with no way of getting inside. But Tuesday morn arrived and it was not to bad. We had to run and pick up a few last minute items at the grocery. Bubbie wanted out and I thought he would be okay. We were only going here in town, about a mile away.

We came home, got the groceries in and in a few minutes Roger went to let Puss Puss out, only to discover she was staring at the door because Bubbie was on the other side wanting in. He came in with one of his back legs useless. So to the vet we went. Our vet thought he had a broken leg, but no other trauma. No blood, no temperature. Nothing. And we could not see any other mark on him.

So he wanted to keep him and x-ray him later and would call us. Well, we (Roger, Rachel and I) talked that night, and basically decided not to invest too much money in him. When the vet called, it was with the news that it was a bad break. But he could fix it with a pin...the price of this operation he figured would be about $775. Roger looked at me and Rachel, and I shrugged my shoulders. If it had been $500 even I would have said do it. Oh, and there was other things I would have said do it.

So Roger told him we didn't want to do it for that kind of money...to put him down and not let him suffer. Well, doc says he wants to watch him over night and see how he does. With him being a young cat and cats being so resilient. He said he would call us before he did anything. I cannot tell you the thoughts that went through my head. If I was working, I would not have hesitated. Just a bunch of ifs...

I couldn't be at peace with that decision though...I kept thinking how if it was this or that pet that I have had that I would give anything I own to be able to have them again. And I thought I would regret the decision we had made. So we tried to call him the next day--the day before Christmas and no one was out there. Did not hear anything from the Dr. Christmas day, either. Didn't hear anything this morn, so we called--by now I was convinced that he had been put down and the Dr. just didn't want to tell us till we were past Christmas.

When we called this morn and he is still alive...and the 'nurse' said doing okay. Doc was going to call us back, and has since I started this. It is not too late to have him fixed right, and that is what we are doing. He thinks he will come through it fine. He will call us this weekend and let us know how he is doing.

I know some will think that is crazy to put that much money in a cat, and some will wonder why we ever hesitated. I actually wonder the latter part...I know me. My mom always said I was foolish about animals and she was right. Personally, I feel like my cats are worth their weight in gold.