Post #140 - My Late Cat, Tilly.

We had my 18 year-old cat, Tilly, put to sleep at the Vet this morning.  It was very sad indeed and I burst into tears when her bright green eyes clouded over and she'd passed on. 

I am editing this post a few days on and it's odd being in the house without her as she as such a comforting presence (although her natural 'Tortietude' was rather loud at times and her breath, awful.)  We'd owned her since we moved into this house and she was a Cats' Protection rescue moggie, who'd been left in an empty house in a nearby suburb alongside her brother/litter mate, when her former owners had moved without taking their pets with them (nice people, huh?).  She was about three years old then and the Vet was able to guesstimate her age (from her teeth) at approximately three years of age.  We were advised to take her as a lone cat because her and her sibling didn't really get on (I can totally agree with this myself from bitter experience ...)

I recall her resisting, twisting and generally ranting when we attempted to brush her teeth; the fact that she required £30 more's worth of anesthetic as a result of her struggling during a tooth operation a few years ago was pretty standard.  She coped with Ted's birth and the distruption to the household from 2007 onwards and was a great mouser.  When I had my regular bouts of insomnia, she was downstairs, asleep, but meowed a little 'hello' to me if she was woken by me putting the light on. 

She'll be missed. 

Post #18 - Workplace Assessment, ICU, But At Least The Cat's Back

Today was my workplace assessment for autism via NAS.  The person doing the report was great, but like everything, it's often difficult to re-live some of your past life and career.  I provided a copy of both my NHS and private autism assessments, my CV which details all of my various job moves(!) plus a list of competencies, a detailed answer to the questions posed in the proforma and many other things.  Phew!  It was exhausting to say the least.  She spoke to me, my line manager and a colleague.  The report's due out in the next few weeks and I'll have to discuss the contents with my line manager whilst sitting down (well, she didn't overtly state sitting down, but you know what I mean - maybe a hot beverage?)

My BIL's been moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) because of his breathing.  He's in safe hands though and there isn't a great deal we can do.  My hubby's visiting him tomorrow.

Yay, my cat returned last night at approximately 20:08.  Hubby was collecting my son from Cubs and heard a pitiful meowing as they passed a neighbour's drive and lo and behold - there was a hungry black and white cat there.  I was very pleased to see her. 

Post #17 - Hospitalised Relatives and A Missing Cat

I won't got into great detail about the background of my family situation, but in a nutshell, my husband has a 90-year-old mother with Vascular Dementia who is now in a residential home and a mentally and physically disabled brother who is in sheltered accommodation.  I explain much more in another of my blogs, Caring For The Carers: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=744390122599049054#overview/src=dashboard

On Monday afternoon my husband received a call from one of the carers in my brother-in-law's (BIL)'s sheltered accommodation stating that the latter had experienced difficulty breathing and had been taken to A&E at a north London hospital.  He was later admitted; hubby went to see him on Tuesday and my BIL was hooked up to masks, tubes and all sorts - he seemed quite sick.  The Doctor stated that he had fluid in his lungs and his scolosis was making it difficult for his lungs to operate effectively. 

This morning my MIL's care home rang hubby to state that she wasn't well, was refusing to leave her room and becoming more aggressive and at other times, tearful.  We agreed to write a detailed account of her medical history to date, like we did with my BIL.

To top it all, my youngish black and white cat Sophie's gone missing.  I've long wondered whether she was getting her Felix elsewhere, but we haven't seen her since we put her out last night.  Apparently the insurance states that you have to contact the Vet within five days of disappearance.  She's chipped and was vaccinated recently.  Pah!

Post #15 - Eurenesis, The School Run and Fat Felines

Last night at about 4am my DH (Darling Husband - it's a Mumsnet contraction I believe) was woken by our DS (Darling Son) who had removed his night nappy and consequently wet the bed. I didn't wake: after a series of sleepless nights I'm dead to the world at the moment, but I will be dealing with the washing and ironing later. We have seen a nurse at the local hospital about this and were given a booklet. I think I'll write about this in greater detail once I've formulated a system  (you've got to have a system - thank you Harry Hill!)

These are my Nike Air Rifts (aka the Cloven hooves) which I like to wear on the school run. They're very comfortable, especially as I replaced the smelly insoles with memory foam ones.

Now, I know that it's a really 80s thing, but this waist bag I purchased from eBay is really useful on the school run. It holds my keys and phone as well as a small purse. Yes, I physically walk DS to school, I wish more parents around here would do the same and there would be fewer cars on the road. I do understand if it's a really long way or you're driving directly to work afterwards, but most return back home and then probably go to the gym. Pffft.

Finally, my youngest moggie has gone to the Vet with DH. It's her annual checkup. She's quite a porky puss and has a dangerous Felix addiction, so it'll probably be the Kitty Slimfast for her.