Dear Romeo Fans,
When we visited him today he was much more alert and his breathing had stabilized. We showed up just in time for him to be feed so they let us do the honors (he was very interested in this!). Yesterday when my mother and I saw him he was really out of it, and would not take the tuna water I offered him (his favorite treat). He had just woken up from being under anesthesia for cleaning and rewrapping of his hind leg (so he was a little confused). So we were extra happy to see him eat today.
In the pictures attached you will see him wrapped up! His hind leg which is wrapped is the one with the fractures, the patch on the middle delivers some strong painkillers and his front paw is wrapped up for the IV.
Again today the nursing staff commented on what a nice cat he was and how they are really getting attached to him.
Monday he goes in for surgery. I'll try and let everyone knows how it goes on Monday night. Thanks to everyone for their encouraging words and prayers. So far I think all of our prayers have been answered.
Love,
Andrea
Dear Friends,
We just got home from visiting Romeo. He was able to keep his hind leg and it is now in a cast that will stay on him for the next month. His whole rear is shaved due to the hip surgery and he doesn't have a very good sense of humor about the whole thing (yet!). We can bring him home on Wednesday.
Meanwhile I talked to the officer that took him to the vet that night and he said the citizen that found him did most of the work. She offered to drive him to Animal Control after finding him on the side of the road. I hope to contact her to thank her. She is our guardian angel!
Sorry about the super big photos last night. Hope they didn't bog down your machines.
To our hotmail friends-yours did not go through for some reason, but we sent some recovery pics.
Andrea
Romeo on Wednesday, October 9, 2002
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| First night home after surgery. |
October 9, 2002
I picked him up today from the vet and they all said he was eager to leave. He is back to ol' restless self (although right now he is finally sleeping) and he has even started grooming again. I tried to put him in his new bed we got for him, but he squirmed out of it. He is pulling himself across the floor with his front legs and tries to stand up, but the cast is too cumbersome for him to do this. He has not yet eaten tonight so I hope to entice him with food later. The vet said there is still a chance that we would need to amputate the leg if he doesn't heal well with it.
In the meantime his guardian angel called tonight. Her name is Brenda and she came upon him right after the accident. Another couple had pulled over to check on him after they saw the truck hit him. They put him in Brenda's red sports car, made many phone calls and then she drove him to Animal Control talking to him the whole time. She said when she said his name he looked at her and tried to scoot closer to her. She said she then knew he came from a good home. Brenda lives in Sharpsburg, right outside of Shepherdstown where Ryan and I went to college. Apparently she has saved many animals on her long commute through the country.
Love, Andrea
October 30, 2002
The "Romeo Diaries" continue... (Thanks Debbi for idea for the title)
Romeo had his cast removed today and now has a nice hunter green bandage on the leg for the next 3-4 weeks. It still takes up his whole leg but I suspect it is lighter. He was just getting used to navigating with the cast and now that they put something new on him he will have to adjust to it. There are two wires sticking out of his hock about 3mm in length which will probably require one more surgery to fix (but they are covered by the bandages). Otherwise he is doing well and will still probably keep the leg.
In the meantime he has been bugging me to go outside again. I keep opening the door to show him all the cold rain we have been getting. I don't think his short-term memory is very good, because he'll bug me about 3 minutes later to go out!
All is well!
Andrea
November 21, 2002
Dear Friends,
Seven weeks from the day that Romeo was hit he has had his cast taken off. He is cleaning his leg as I type! It looks strange (skinny and weak) but he'll regain movement in it soon. One more minor surgery in 3 weeks to cut the exposed wires. As long as he adapts to it we are in the clear. He even has feeling in one of his toes that he wasn't able to feel at the last visit.
In the meantime I need to prepare him for our annual Christmas card. What to do, what to do....
Andrea
December 11, 2002
We have a new ornament to put on the tree this year. A vile of Romeo's pins and wires from his leg. Dr. King thought we might like to keep them in remembrance of all we have been through these past few months. The surgery today was a success and relatively easy. No metal was left in him-he feels like a natural kitty.
Love, Andrea
February 27, 2003 sent on February 28, 2003
Autobiography as a Haiku
October 3rd. People arrive home and turn on the TV to watch the sniper news unfold. I arrive home to do the same, but instead listen to two messages on my machine saying, Romeo, our cat has been hit. He is still alive. My husband and I spend the next week transporting him to and from the vet’s office and the overnight hospital. I visit him everyday. In the lobby at the vet’s office I pick up the paper, which I haven’t had time to read all week. I think, “What is this world coming too?” Then I remember the compassion of three good Samaritans that stopped to aid my cat. My faith is restored.
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