Zzzzzzz…I’m sleepy. A nap would be so nice.

Lily gave us a scare this past week. I came home one night to find her lying by the front door and a pile of poop by the back door. I assumed she was doing the guilty dog thing until I called her to go potty and she could barely walk. She got a few feet into the backyard, pooped again, then lay in the grass. She stayed in the same spot for at least an hour during which I fed Peanut his dinner, called the vet, and got a referral to an emergency vet. (A real emergency place that actually takes care of the animals, opposed to the place we tried a few years back when one of the cats had an abscess and was told all they could do was observe him all night for an exorbitant amount.)

I checked on her every 5-10 minutes to see if she was still breathing (I was afraid she might be dying) and if she would come back inside. When Peanut finished his dinner, we went to the neighbors to see if they could help me carry Lily, but nobody was home. She finally decided to come inside and I guided her into the garage and somehow managed to hoist all 55 lbs of her into the back of the CR-V. Not easy. Peanut wanted to stay in the garage and play, so I explained Lily had boo-boos and needed to go to the doggie doctor. I think he understood and got into the car with minor fussing.

We met a nice tween-age boy in the waiting room and talked about our dogs and how old Peanut is. Hubby arrived shortly after. Lily had a low temp from lying outside so long and the vet tried to warm her with heated towels. Her liver enzymes and wbc were up, but no blockages were visible on the X-ray. Peanut and I left while Hubby waited for the rest of the tests. The vet recommended keeping Lily overnight, but the cost was insane, so we ended up with antibiotics and a Reglan shot to settle Lily’s tummy. She was still cold when she got back home, so we covered her with a blanket and left her to sleep on the couch.

By the next morning she was a little perkier, but still off. She seems back to normal now and has been pooping without any problem, so we’ve ruled out a blockage. She’ll see her regular vet this weekend for a follow up. Poor thing.

Mom and I checked out an assisted living facility this weekend. It’s a gorgeous old hotel and only 10 minutes from my workplace. They’re willing to work with her financially, but she’ll be left with only $54 a month for doctor’s bills, prescriptions, and personal expenses. She talked to her mobile home park manager yesterday and he’s going to try to sell her place through connections. He seems to think it’ll go fast and we hope so. The ALF has only one shared room available (they only offer financial assistance on shared rooms). Soon will come the fun part of getting rid of stuff, having a yard sale, and moving mom. We’re not sure what will happen with her cat. The ALF does allow pets, but it all depends on whether or not her roommate will agree to a cat. There is no way we can take her. We have enough behavior problems with pooping and spraying and don’t need another neurotic cat in the mix. I hope we’re making the right choice and she’ll be happy. She needs some other living arrangement besides her current situation and I hope this is it.