~ Not so Good Start! ~

It has been a rough go around our house lately...given the circumstances! But, I had high hopes that things would get better! Much to my surprise, they continue to go downhill! Our family now has a VERY SICK kitty on our hands!

To make a long story short, after my grandma's funeral last Monday, Ava had to go to the vet for her first vaccinations. They told me that they would not spay her until she had her shots! OK, I thought no big deal! Now I am very educated on vaccines for children and have my own thoughts about them, but cats I HAVE NO CLUE or thought much about it! So, I take her and get the shots. Well, that evening she was lazy and acting a little wierd....didn't think much of it! As the week went on, she continued to get a little worse everyday......again tributing it to the shots, thinking she just felt a little sick! I called the vet and they ASSURED me it is VERY RARE for a cat to have a reaction to shots! By the weekend, the poor thing could not eat or drink!

Monday (yesterday) afternoon, I took her to the vet (mind you we had to MISS Garrett's back to school picnic to take her!). After numerous tests, they informed me that they recommend taking her to Pittsburgh for a blood transfusion, that she has had a bad reaction from the shots called Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. It is very rare and caused by toxins getting in the body....well, she was shot full of toxins last Monday and her poor little body was not able to attack them as needed! So after many tears, Kurt convinced me to leave her at the Vet's for a few days to see if they can nurse her back to health with steroids! Time will tell! Ava is the princess at our house....she is the best cat one could ask for! The boys just adore her and are devasted that she is in the hospital! And of course at this point, Garrett thinks that anyone that goes to the hospital is going to die like Rocky, which has made it so hard! She did make it through the night, which is great because they didn't think she would! aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

On another note, Garrett starts kindergarten tomorrow! Say a prayer for him and me! Kurt and I are nervous about sending him on the van.....I can't even imagine if we had to send him on the bus! We are going to follow the van in to the school tomorrow just to make sure he makes it! Watch for pictures tomorrow!