Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Earthquake today.

The week is going from bad to worse. Lovely earthquake this morning but the house was shaking so much from the wind, I failed to feel the earth move. It was only a 4.4 but the tremors were felt throughout several suburbs and went on for almost 15 seconds.

The BOH slept through it. The cat slept through it. They've both had traumatic days. Thanks to Safeway's inept policing of it's dairy cabinets, the BOH has had food poisoning since Saturday night. I'm grateful to him because it could have been me but he hates mango so grabbed the mixed berry protein drink before I did. Of course he would feel better if he would re-hydrate the body but he's a bloke and they know everything.

It didn't help that I had to make the decision to take the cat to the Vet's yesterday. Him driving with the window part down so he wouldn't throw up on the cat, never mind me who was holding his precious.
Just getting into the car was fun. Don't put my foot in the bottle of oil on the floor, find the seat belt somewhere, click in shut somewhere, make room for the cat cage and the cat. As we're doing all that, comes a crunch. A branch from the gum tree overhanging the road has dropped on the car. Not a biggie and not on the black and silver ute. (Ute is selling for ten grand, anyone?)

The Vet is lovely, the cat is laid back, the BOH is shaking. He's about to find out if we have to do the right thing or the 18 year old food processor has a chance. What could I do when he's holding her and she's looking into his eyes while the Vet pushes and pries. It's the only thing in his life that loves him unconditionally. She has a mass of some sort which can only be identified by X-ray and Ultrasound so I sign on the dotted line for Thursday morning and mentally gasp at the estimate of $645, that's estimate. My sister says not to be heroic for something that old. She was not the one standing by her son (38) trying to be heroic about any decision. It makes me snigger later when she's stunned that her cholesterol has only dropped half a point in 12 months and mine is yoinks lower. Yes, family units can be bitchy.

BOH takes the puss home. I sit at the bus stop in the freezing cold because I just missed one by a whisker. Safeway tart (sorry River) takes the bottle, checks the docket and the use by date and says, "Do ya wanna another or just the money?". I took the money and put it towards a packet of Gastrolyte which he has yet to take, being a bloke and knowing everything.
I visit mother who says to take whatever I need from her Trust fund, after all it was her cat.

So the space heater has been going all night because the baby is not eating much and is very cold. I am the dumbo pushing its food through a tea strainer and paying the gas bill. I can't do anything less, every night she climbs up the chair and settles on my knee until I go to bed. But the BOH is going to have to beg, borrow or steal a backbone before Thursday and the big decision.

And we had an earthquake today.

8 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

Aaaargh. I have always said that they wind their paws into your heart strings. But should also add that they wind their paws even tighter into your wallet. Good luck to all of you. Not an easy time. And one that certainly requires a small application of chocolate.

Ann ODyne said...

SNAP! I just posted too. I was emailing Pants and saying the wind is so bad the house is shaking, and then thought 'but it's BRICK?
First thing that happens in a disaster is the phones all go out.
I remember Ash Wednesday 1982 for that. Are you packing a Go Bag for when we are all huddling in a hall somewhere? put a book in it.

iODyne said...

oh poor Kitty - bet she just wants to be left alone under the bed to die quietly without car trips and prodding - like we ALL do.
There is a limit to what BOH can take all at once, and while I do feel sorry for his condition, he must not be selfish prolonging Kittys condition. Ask him how long he could endure food-poisoning, which we all know is the worst vilest feeling. That's what his indecision is doing to the cat.

and if he won't drink to rehydrate, and ends up in casualty, they will merely put him on a DRIP to rehydrate, and laying there for 5 hours is worse than being at home, believe me, I've done it.

JahTeh said...

EC, even when he was living with his girlfriend he would call in here every night to see the cat. As for the chocolate, there's always a way and I found it. Nestle's (vile company) choc bits, just 5 or 6 shakes off the cravings.

Annie O, sorry to mention diabetes again but the book gives you a detailed emergency bag to keep on hand at all times. Joke!

Stacks, she's fine at the moment, curled up in front of the fire but still only eating tiny mouthfuls. He'll run away on Thursday and let me do it.
He's swigging down lemonade now so I suppose that will have to do. July is such a feck of a month.

River said...

The trouble with a lot of dairy and meat products is customers who choose those goods at the beginning of their shopping, then wander the aisles for 2-3 hours, (slight exaggeration. maybe), then decide they don't want it after all and put the now warmed bacteria growing product back on the fridge shelf.
I hope the cat pulls through okay and it doesn't cost as much as the estimate.

BOH > TAKE YOUR GASTROLYTE!!

Anonymous said...

We decided to let nature take its course with one cat we had. He did not seem to be in pain or too uncomfortable, just weak and had lost interest in food and he was quite an age. He went out one night and the next day we found him dead under a bush. He died as critters have for a gazillion years.

JahTeh said...

River, I've seen them do that. I put the vegetables in a chill bag and any meat or dairy in another, ice-cream is last.
But if you find any cans or packets kicked under the shelf, that's me because some of the packers make it difficult to get them out without bringing half a dozen more down. I don't pick them up because I don't want to do anyone out of a job, same reason I don't use self-serve counters.


Andrew, believe me, that would be so much worse. I will speak to the Vet and is the diagnosis is bad I'll tell her not to bring precious out of the anaesthetic.

Middle Child said...

I loved my old doggie Thorn who died in 2008 but now have 2 cats and I do love them so - them amuse the black hearted part of me - Cats are like that... I have read the later posts so know the out come - am so sorry