((Crying as I write, so forgive the grammar or bad spelling))

On the 28th of August, my cat first began to show signs that he was sick. He hadnt been able to poop for 24 hours, and I asked my mom if we should take him to a vet. She said to wait, so we didnt take him until on the night of the 30th, his urine had signs of blood in it and he still hadnt processed any bowel movements. We took him to the E-Vet around midnight and he was found to have a UTI (urinary track infection) along with blockage. They gave him meds to help with the inflammation cus we could barely pay for the exam and at that point we couldnt pay for a catheter. When he seemed to get worse, we took him back the following night around the same time and they said the blood urine was normal for UTI.

On Monday (Labor Day), we took him in to see the vet cus his condition hadnt gotten better and he'd puked and started crying in pain. The blockage was worse and they had to keep him over night with a catheter in him to drain out his bladder. When I went back later to drop off his meds, the vet called me back and told me he had acute kidney failure. They'd have to put him on potassium and fluids as well as the catheter and hope the condition would clear. By the grace of God, it did the following afternoon. We visited him and the whole time he's been in hospitalization I've checked up on him twice a day and the vets have kept me updated on his condition. Then Friday we received a call telling us a more dire condition had arisen. His back legs can no longer pick him up so he cant walk, atop of the fact he has bladder stones that are causing the painful blockage. We had to immediately move him to the 24 hour hospital in Albuquerque; we left the vets around 7:30 and with only the clothes on our backs, we drove the 3 hours to the clinic up there, arriving around 10. They said he appears to have saddle thrombus (blood clotting) in his back legs and that is what is preventing him from walking, and they said I should expect the worst. We stayed overnight with my mom's friend and they've kept us up to date on his condition. While at first it was only one leg that was swollen, now both are on top of the bladder issue. He's still on a catheter and with a surgery his bladder problem can be resolved, so that's not the prominent issue. It's the fact he cant walk, and while they're doing everything they can and have given him aspirin to prevent more clots, right now they cant do anything to try and cure them.

A bit about my cat: his name is Chink, and he's almost 6 years old (October 27th), and until now he has been a very healthy cat. He is by far, not an ordinary cat, for he is a pet that has touched deeply every life he has come into contact with. He's sweet, lovable, empathetic, passive by nature, very smart and so strong. I saw him right after he was born, and he's fallen asleep to my heartbeat since even before he could see. He's been my rock, my irreplaceable gift from God, my precious angel...and since he first got sick, all of us have cried constantly, prayed ceaselessly, and gotten very little sleep. While he may just be a pet, or an animal, to the point of view of most, to me he is so much more than that. He is my best friend, my companion, my baby...and truthfully I dont know how I will go on if he cannot be here with me. There have been times when I had no one but God and Chink to hold me together, and I really dont want to give up hope that he will come home.

We naturally had financial difficulties before, but taking care of this precious cat is putting us very close to the poor house. Already we've spent over $700 on him, and the surgery for his bladder alone will cost approx. $1500 on top of the cost for all the other treatment. And that's just his bladder, but the main problem is his legs...he needs to be able to walk again and be returned to a healthy state of living. We've all grown so weary but we refuse to give up hope and keep praying. But I ask that everyone would please ask God for help with him. As irrational as it sounds, I've suffered enough myself, I'm tired of being strong and if he goes, I dont want to be here anymore either. Not only do we want him to get better, but we also need the Lord's help to pay for his care. He's always provided for our family even when things stretched to a hair's thread, he's never not answered our prayers. Right now, all we can do is pray for God's help with Chink, and the more people who pray for him the better. Please help me reach out to God and help my beloved cat to be well again. We want Chink to come home to us, and not as a funeral procession.

God Bless You All For Your Prayers.

Keeping the faith,
Nagi-kun

UPDATE: ((Bawling again))
Around 7:30am today (9/6/08), the doctor called and informed me that the neurological symptoms in his legs have progressed, and Chink isnt able to move them nearly as much. The catheter fell out and the doctor noticed some slight tearing from all the catheters Chink has been given; which over time they will heal up, but they leave scars that make the possibility for another incident like this increase. They did some x-rays on his bladder and his urethra is extended farther towards the front than it should be, and there appears to be a large mass blocking the entrance. If it is indeed a tumor as the doctor believes, then that means all of this is connected and a removal of the tumor would cure him. However, they cannot even do the ultrasound to find out if it's a tumor, until Monday. In his professional opinion, the doctor said he's seen a cat with symptoms much like Chink and that he doesnt think it's clotting in his legs (aka, saddle thrombus); which is usually a resultant problem caused by heart disease, and though Chink does seem to have an arithmia in his heart (irregular heartbeat), the doctor still doesnt think that's quite it. But again, they cant even do an ultrasound on his heart until Monday. The situation is really fragile, and they put Chink on steroids to help with the inflammation and relieve some tension in his legs, so hopefully later on today we will have some improvements.

Chink is still fighting this, he's clinging to hope, even the doctor said it's in his eyes even though he also looks so tired and uncomfortable. He hasnt given up yet, and I refuse to give up either. We're going to work on getting some financial things in order and then try and go back up there again today, cus Chink thrives on love and support, and I've seen him at least once every day since he got sick. It's like a mother who's baby is in the hospital, you just cant sit still, and you want to hold them and comfort them. I look worse for wear myself, like a mother fraught with worry over her baby. So please just keep praying for him that he keeps going until Monday, when they can find out what's wrong and work on curing him. As humans we have every facility available to us, but regrettably animals too often dont. Chink needs every support he can get so he can reach Monday when he can get the serious help he needs to get better and come home. Pray Jesus, dont let go of my baby!