Megat's Saturday

Cousin R came by to help me with his Inteferon injection. I am not able to jab him all by myself as I am afraid it would go terribly wrong. So usually Cousin R would hold him still while I push the needle in. She is very kind to come all the way from B just for a few minutes that it takes to do this.

I also gave him his usual sang hwang suppository and now he is in his cage so that they can dissolve in one place. However I think the sang hwang takes faster to dissolve than the shark cartilage as this morning I saw some white cartilage in his stool when I cleaned his bin.

Revenge of the kitty

The source of all my pain taking a refreshing rest on my bed :)

Fresh scratches in the am from forelegs..

Fresh gashes in the am from hind legs..after being treated with antiseptic

Dried scratches in the pm...

This morning Megat decided to tell me off in the best and most graphic way he can. Usually he is very good in the morning and I can give him his meds very easily. This morning he decided that he had had enough and struggled in my grasp. I was very surprised and did not think on my feet (it was only 5.15 am). I did not let him go and so he did what all cats would do in that situation - he encouraged me to let him go with multiple scratches!


As I was nursing the screaming pain in my head, Megat simply rushed up my bed for some R&R. The thought of spraying antiseptic on these wounds made my heart faint but well..what can you do about it! I took a very deep breath and sprayed as much antiseptic as my trembling hands can cope with. AWWWWWWWWWWW!!!


Of course after 10 minutes, I could think more clearly and managed to bathe, drink tea and say goodbye to devil cat Megat without wanting to scold him. It was after all my fault for being stupid and hanging on.

When I got home from work, the amigos greeted me at the door and Megat came to welcome me too. I think he had forgiven me and I was glad he did not run off.

However, tonight I had sequested him in his cage after his sub q and he ate his dinner in his cage also. I am now going to go through the sang hwang saga again in 2 minutes but this time I would make sure he goes back into his cage after the hour. then at about 8.30 pm he would be allowed out until bed time.

Poor Kitty Megat

No..I dun want you to clean me all the time san...

Now that we have found a neater way for Megat to have his supplements, we hit on another difficulty. It has to do with his sang hwang suppository. It leaks out and poor Megat goes about sometimes with a trail of sang hwang following him. Of course I would also have to follow him and clean up after my poor kitty...even after the 1 hour of compulsory immobility. I don't think I should subject him to much more cleaning as he needs to rest after his night supplements. But as he and all of us need to be clean, I have to clean his anus several times after and sometimes I need to give him a wash with warm water and shampoo because he smells of poo. And of course the places that he goes to for respite also smells and sometimes has traces of poo. :( Since he cant help these things, I am not upset nor angry. Its just that I wish it could be easier for him.


He is very patient with all of this but I foresee that I might need to change his bedding daily or not allow him to walk about even after the 1 hour confinement. This kind of stress would freak out his immunity I am sure. I have yet to find a resolution for such a thing so will probably just keep him in his cage immediately after the 1 hour time-out so he could use the bin in there. Then I would clean him up and change the bedding. This seems to be the best option.

Aiyah Kitty

Megat's new bib so the supplements does not mess up grandma's towels too much...

Congrats Megat! May you have many calm days like this one...

The answer to the question that has been plaguing me about the sang hwang and Megat was finally revealed last Friday. I had given him the sang hwang, waited for 10 minutes and then given him his sub q. The sub q takes a much longer time than usual as I am using the 21 gauge needle which he tolerates much better. After that, I had waited for about 5 minutes before I let him go. All in all it was about 35 minutes.


Of cos my curiosity was still piqued and as he walked towards the bins I followed him and waited. Then after he had done his toilette, I looked into the bins and of course saw his poo and what looked suspiciously like the remnants of the sang hwang...and indeed it was. Aiyah Kitty!


So yesterday after his sang hwang and the rest of his supplements, I had cradled him for about 1 hour. he tried to protest but after some time, had a nap :) Then when he was released, he went to the bins, Aiyoh! But he just peed and then went into hiding ...just in case.


So I guess it has to be one hour when done at home...just like the nurse said :)

Btw today is 2nd August. So that makes it two months out of four.

2nd Day of sang hwang suppository

Oh dear...when will san make me take the nasty fings?

Megat swaddled in preparation for the supplements...

The sang hwang suppository...

Megat in nifty orange - time to rest and relax after the whole ordeal...
He likes being swaddled and would sometimes fall asleep while taking the supplements!

After 30 minutes Megat got to get out but he decided to hang around in the computer room for a little while longer...

Tonight was not so bad. I got the suppository in one push although he protested rather sharply. Then I held him for a bit so he can relax. after which he got the rest of his supplements and then another session of just cuddling :) I thought he should have a change of towel, something that doesn't smell of ling zhi or pumpkin :). It was not as nerve-wrecking as last night- thats for sure.


Megat was also very much more relaxed and did not run out of the room immediately but opted to hang around the door, grooming. Then he went out to investigate salmon smells but returned to sit for a very short while with me in the computer room. I have yet to check the bins though but since I held him for much longer than yesterday, I am quite assured that no accident would happen. *cross fingers*

PS
I went to the bins and was quite horrified to see fresh poo. Of course like a good and desperate cat person I scrutinized each one closely and did not see the sang hwang. I asked Cousin R if she saw Megat going to the bins but she said Megat had been with her in the living room all this while and not in the bedroom or toilet. So I guess we are safe :)

Success...maybe

Finally my first effort at giving Megat his suppository was successful. I was very anxious and had to try 3 times as the suppository became very slippery with the cooking oil. I bought gloves so it would be more hygienic for Megat and myself. He was not pleased and moved around alot but finally I took a deep breath and pushed it in gently. Then I cradled him with his blanket for about 5 minutes and then gave him the rest of the supplements. After that, Cousin R helped me to clear everything up while I cradled him again quietly. I was afraid he would rush to the toilet to get rid of the suppository. Dr L told me to hold him close for 15 min and the nurse told me I should distract him for an hour. I decided half and hour would do it :) Once I released him from his blanket I allowed him to walk about in the room and he didn't do any 'poo' actions so all is well. I am really relieved.


Of course I had to check the bins to see if Megat had returned the 'gift'...hmmm...what are these things in the bins....I don't see anything resembling the sang hwang but I did see new poo. I hope he was able to absorb the suppository and not wasted it. Actually I don't even know if the poo was Megat's to begin with as I have stopped giving him the papaya and pumpkin for constipation as he is no more constipated and therefore could not identify po anymore :)

Review Update

I am now supposed to eat Silver? What else? In my butt?No way san_jose!!

Our appointment with Dr L went smoothly and neither Megat nor I was very anxious. We had to wait some time for the doc but when he appeared everything went BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!

He had his usual blood tests - his haematology one as well as his prep profile test. His numbers for his liver is higher than normal but other wise everything else went well. Dr L says the sang hwang also helps with the liver. His weight has gone down slightly from 3.77 to 3.74 kg but the doc was pleased with his progress.

Dr L is going to only give him low doses of vincristine 0.1 only and then we are also doing 1/4 tab of Lukeran every two days. He also gave Megat a bottle of colloidal silver, a tcm supplement as well. he has to take 3 ml twice a day. I forgot to give him his morning 3 ml and allowed him out of his cage. No wonder he merrily scooted off and went into immediate hiding. I did not have time to persuade him at all so that was one chance lost already. I gave him his 3 ml of collidal silver with some pumpkin yesterday and he was quite happy to take it.

Dr L also showed me how to give Megat the sang hwang suppository (ouch). It looks like a small bullet of beeswax and I have to lubricate it with some oil/lubricant. Dr L did it with one gentle push and Megat did not even flinch. Dr L kept telling me that Megat was very 'good' and gentle. Aiyoh! I told the doc that Megat was a very good Pretender and he is always amazingly good-natured at the vet's. :) But once he is home and I have to give him something, its like a small skirmish. (But with Bujang, it would be a 3rd World War!). I was then to hold him close for about 15 minutes for the sang hwang to be absorbed by his body and also it was to prevent him from going to the loo to get it out. :) The assistant held him after that and Megat actually went into some kind of slumber. So the doc and the assistants had quite a difficult time believing my seemingly tall tale about His Fiesty Highness :)

I told the doc I would try especially after he told me that the suppository would ensure he would get 100% of the effects and if I give him the ling zhi orally, 60% would be destroyed by stomach acids! So got 4 suppositories (300 mg each) to try. I would get the capsule if I was not suceesful with them next week.

The protocol is much changed. Now we are doing vincristine only; 1/4 Lukeran every two days, colloidal silver twice a day and sang hwang suppository once a day. With this we hope that he would be able to have a healthy immune system. Dr L says that sometimes if we are very aggressive with the chemo, then the cat dies with the chemo. Although there is no cure for lymphoma, we are working towards the cat dying with the cancer- that is old age and not with chemo. I think this is a wise thing to do for 13 year-old Megat.

Dr L gave him a cocktail of vincristine, metomide and vitamin B complex and so he only had one injection although he had to try 3 different veins. But Megat took everything in his stride to the ring of "You're such a good cat. I can't believe it." :)

Update on Sang Hwang

No he doesn't like the liquid version of the ling zhi. I have tried it with papaya or pumpkin or both. However he can be persuaded to eat it first thing in the morning before grandma lets him out of the cage. He has to be swaddled like a baby and be given the sang hwang very firmly. After this bottle, I would have to ask the doc for the powdered form which he tolerates better.

Cousin R bought me a tin of canned pumpkin by Libby's. Its 100% pumpkin and used for making pies. I now use this instead of mashing pumpkin. Megat takes this much better in the syringes with his supplements although he does not like it in his food. For THAT, I have to give him mashed pumpkin!

He has not put on much weight from last week. Instead Cousin R thinks he has lost some and so I have taken to giving him back the health ling zhi as well.

i'm keeping my eye on you san

I know what you're up to. The answer is NO...


No san..I dun want to eat the sang hwang...no..it doesn't taste good...

But Dr L says its for cancer silly. I tasted it. It tastes like nothing. It has no taste.

We cats have more refined taste buds. Take that syringe out of my mouth you silly bean. You can't make it eat it in the morning..

But its good for..

NO!

Btw he had to eat it anyway as I had swaddled him well and good in the morning. Then he had some kibble so he forgot all about it. :)