(health, cats)

I am sure today could be worse, but don't want to try and see.

3:20 am woke to the sound of Luigi scrambling. He'd lost the use of his back legs, and i quickly realized he probably had a saddle thrombus -- a clot that was cutting off blood to his legs. I'd read about it when his heart disease was diagnosed.  I carried him to the water bowl in th e bathroom, took care of my business, then picked him up and he took care of his business right there. And i am glad that he wasn't lying in it and it was over a tile floor. Meanwhile i was strangely out of breath but, distress?

Cleaning up, getting him settled (towels, puppy pads). Christine was able to fall back to sleep but i failed. I checked on  the medical pages for the saddle thrombus, checked on the vet who does appointments at home for euthanasia (Sunday), and wrote the following:

I am so grateful for Luigi and our time with him. He's been such a warm and companionable cat, joining Christine and I on the couch in the evening as well as being such a pal for Edward. He was part of the orange cat gang in Willow Park in Mountain View that included Marty, with his cinnamon bun swirl, and  Frankie, a long haired orange cat (Franklin at home). Edward (surely known as Eddie at the corner) and Luigi would play with each other around the pool. Our neighbor Melanie adopted Luigi, and Christine ended up responding to Luigi's meow-yowls to be let in to her apartment during the day. When Melanie had to move, we took Luigi and for a brief while had four cats, until Mr M died. The boy-os Edward and Luigi essentially retired to North Carolina with us when we moved.

At 7 i could wake Christine, and we called our regular vet and left a message. They had us come up early. Right before we left i noticed petechiae.

The vet looked at Luigi, confirmed my diagnosis, confirmed our belief that it was time to say good bye. So we did at 9 am. Such a sweet cat.

We stopped for a blood draw on the way home. My phlebotomist hugged me and comforted me. She's lovely. I'd written a note to my hematologist saying i had petechiae and asking if going to the UNC hospital in the county was OK (and avoiding the OMG crazy at the main UNC Hospital). At 10:50 i got a call saying the platelets were 2k (low bound of normal is 150k) and go to ER at Chatham. So i did.

Apparently i freaked them the hell out (pardon my language) because if i start bleeding they have no platelets to give me. It seems that there was miscommunication somewhere, and i really need to be at UNC in Chapel Hill. They've given me steroids and liquid tylenol (because the thought of a pill tearing my throat worried them).

I'm now waiting for transport. I know Christine could drive me fine just fine, but the level of worry was high -- and the official hand off between ERs wouldn't be normal. When transport was arranged by 3:30, i figured i should send Christine home and just wait.

I didn't mention Christine  was supposed to be giving her sister D-- respite today and stay with her BIL B-- in the Duke ICU. B-- was given a very difficult prognosis. They are holding out hope with another consult. They had begun hospice care discussions. There is so much to carry there.

And you know, democracy giving way to fascist state. https://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2025/Senate/Maps/Apr18.html#item-1 seems to be hopeful that the Institutions are beginning to Resist. I have no faith in the Supreme Court, personally, so hanging my hopes on Harvard and "white-shoe law firms" is.... well.

...

And i have finished my first ambulance ride since circa 1976, so that was fun. Now in triage (again).