Update on Byron Lord of Cats

I wanted to give all of you a full update on my beautiful kitty that so many have come together to help.

Lord Byron Stormageddon is home and resting comfortably.

We still don't know what's wrong with him.

The blood transfusion probably saved his life. But he's still very anemic and not producing his own red blood cells. He had a rainbow of fruit flavor/testing yesterday and came back normal and/or negative for everything we tried. His heart is okay, though he has a slight murmur. His guts are okay. He doesn't have leukemia or FIV or heartworm. No lumps or bumps where none should be. It's unlikely to be cancer, since he doesn't have any other indicators. According to our new vet (who I love SO much, I feel like I've been to veterinary school in the last 24 hours, he's so informative and explains the science and also somehow knows the ferry schedule so times things so I can get the right ferry it is some James Herriot shit. I didn't tell you guys because everyone was being so goddamn WONDERFUL, but the ER vets were rude as hell and confusing and I do not like them), what we're left with is some kind of auto-immune disorder, a series of rare infections (pretty much all insect-borne though he's an inside cat) or perhaps he just didn't have enough iron to start making anything and the iron shot he got last evening will do the trick. I'm waiting to hear what our next steps are while the vet consults with a colleague.

But the good news is that iron shot seems to have done a lot for him. He has energy again--he's resisting the hated cone of shame instead of limply letting me do whatever to him, and even occasionally letting Sebastian know THAT IS ENOUGH TODDLER LOVE GET IT TOGETHER, KID. He's now going to eat and use the litter box by himself instead of having to be carried, and no longer screaming if I'm not touching him. It is now acceptable, though not ideal, for him to curl up next to me rather than on top of me. When your cat is a Maine Coon who before he was sick weighed 26 pounds and is T H E L O N G E S T B O Y E, being on top of you is super intense. 

He woke me up at 3 am to get him more food, and I was so happy. Which is not a sentence I write about being awakened at 3 am BY A HUGE PANTHER STANDING ON MY HEAD.

So we wait. We don't know. We're hopeful. Bastian is so happy his kitty is home. Apparently Byron is his now. I tried to explain that at this point he's basically the Internet's Cat, but poor Bastian is so used to being rejected by our dog (Lumen hates him and will never forgive him for stealing any portion of her snuggles even though all he wants to do is love her) and the cat being indifferent that Byron being too sick to set boundaries has been a paradise of pets and snuggles and incredibly sweet and gentle caretaking on the part of the two year old (pictured). He even knows the kitty hates the cone and keeps trying to take it off because "KITTY COZY!"

We all love most those that will let us love them, so Bastian now wakes in the morning howling KITTY WHEEEEEERE? KITTY WHERE GO?

And I just want to say that none of this would be happening if not for everyone who has helped us to be able to afford all these tests and treatments. I am so deeply grateful. Especially since the ER vet was very callous and pessimistic about his chances, we probably would have weighed cost and probabilities and just given up when they repeatedly told us how bad his prognosis was while shrugging their shoulders about the cause. Instead, he's got his rump propped up on my knee while he rests--with a PAINKILLER. Because the ER never even thought "hey this cat is in pain maybe we could take the edge off for him" and my new vet and hero for life, Jeff, immediately prescribed one jeez maybe the ER could use some of the money we paid them to buy a bedside manner.

Thank you so much for helping my cat.  In a time when I know we all need help. He is a special boy and I really just...couldn't take losing him too, after so many family members and so much else in 2020. I can't tell you how much it means to have him next to me right now. I was sure he wasn't coming home. And even if it turns out to be something terrible we can't fix, you bought me more time with him, and that's everything. You are my heroes and I love you for the big black and white lump trying to subtly kick his bandages off by my side. It's so easy to not do anything, and you did the opposite. I owe you all for life.

I have a special piece this month as a thank you--it'll be open to all, because help didn't just come from Patreon. I'll post it on the 30th for Halloween goodness. And also because Lord Byron Stormageddon arrived at my house on October 30th, 2012, in the middle of Hurricane Sandy. My Halloween cat gets another Halloween--thanks to all of you.

Please receive every psychic and therefor covid-free hug imaginable from this little Maine island.