Copyright 2009-2013 Liz Sweibel

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Persistent Pseudomonas

Glenwood's recheck did not go as smoothly as we wished; the infection is still there and seems stuck deep in her ear.  Dr. Ryan took her off meds and cleanings for a week to let the ear do its own thing, then she'll do a culture.  Since Baytril, the drug Glenwood was on, is a strong, broad-spectrum antibiotic, Dr. Ryan needs to know more about the cause to figure out what's next.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Glenwood wakens at 4.11 am and brings the whole house with her:  jumping on my bookshelf with family pictures (Get down!), on my mother's leaning bamboo bookshelf with a box of wooden spoons from a flea market and a framed Matisse postcard (Get down!), and on another bookshelf I've protectively decorated with wooden plates that she uses as frisbees (Get down!).  There's more, but you get the idea.  I feed her and Timmy to quiet her, then they bathe, then Glenwood has even more energy.  Somehow, I get a little more sleep between it all and wake-up time.

The thick heat has finally lifted though, so it is impossible to be cranky with this gorgeous, gorgeous day.  Thanks for checking in, and I'll post again soon.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Cool Cats

It was so hot and humid today that I worried for Glenwood, as she's been open-mouth panting.  That's not a good sign for cats, but Glenwood's fragility makes her more prone to it.  She's going back to Dr. Ryan Saturday to follow up on the ear infection, which I continue to treat.  I'm getting quite good with the Q-tips and digging out four pounds of goo twice daily.  Because I had my hands all over her for weeks while she was living in the bathroom, she allows me great liberties.

I went to Governor's Island for the first time today for an artist residency info session (wonderful) and left the air conditioner on for the cats.  (I don't use it much for me, but for them ... anything.)  Here they are luxuriating in the coolness, Glenwood on her chair and Timmy by his pillow.


Monday, June 21, 2010

Happy Birthday, Glenwood.

Today is Glenwood's first birthday and she's making old-man noises.  I just gave her some flax seed oil (she hates it) so she's glaring at me.  Since her birthday is somewhat random it's a little weird, and hard to believe.  She's been with me and Timmy since October 1.  Well, she's been with me since then; she didn't join Timmy until the Bathroom Release Fete on December 7.  Amazing.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

She's So onto Me

I'm convinced Glenwood knows when the syringes, Q-tips, and cotton balls are coming out the nanosecond I think "time for meds."  No physical activity on my part is necessary.  She hides behind the DVD player, the tightest spot in the house.  The bird toy usually lures her out, but I can't find it.

I'm likewise convinced that both cats know I'm coming home as soon as I board the subway.

Glenwood continues to trust me to pet her silly while chatting to her, which is a point of nervousness when I'm just as likely to drip stuff in her ears.  But since she obviously has the timing down for the meds, she must know when it's safe to approach.

She is starting to try and take the art off the walls at 5.30 am, which is problematic.  She's also jumping on shelves I thought she'd never jump on, which means a lot of small glass objects have to be put away for awhile.  Timmy continues to lumber around when she's not chasing him, and is very affectionate with me, and I with him.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Deep Goo

Glenwood's re-check yesterday showed the infection is improved but not resolved.  So we've got ten more days of meds to go.  It seems it's settled in the turn of the ear canal, where it meets ... uh-oh.  I'm out of my league.  Whatever the turn meets, it means lots of massaging on my part to coax the meds down there.

There's two ear meds.  One to cleanse and the other to treat, 20 minutes later.  After her ear-cleansing med and rub, it's good if she shakes her head (and not hard to get her to do).  This morning, the shake sent ear goo flying.  Is it gross or what to clean kitten ear goo from a wall?  Anything for my little Glenwood.

The oral med is easy, once I catch her.  She is so onto me.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Limitation and Creativity


When I was in my first year at MassArt, the core courses had pretty strict assignments, which I sometimes wasn't too happy about.  (Art and Fear is the book to read on this one.)  Seventeen years later (can it be?), my studio is in my apartment and not the kind of big raw space I've always had and could beat up.  Between those two things and a zillion others, I've learned that limitation can be freeing.  (Andrea Zittel speaks of this very nicely in her Art:21 segment.)  Most recently, Glenwood occasionally occupies a section of my keyboard, and I wonder if writing without any of those keys might have me produce something really, really brilliant.

She is feeling better, which is great (except at 4 am) since her birthday is approaching and there is going to be a celebration.  It's June 21, I've decided.

See how her fur comes out between her toes?  I love that.  She is due for a mani-pedi, which Sherri kindly provides.  Just the noise the nailclipper makes turns my stomach, which is weird considering how much of her goo I had my hands in for her first several weeks with me.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Better Already

Glenwood is already down to near-zero old-man episodes, and her energy level has returned.  The former is fabulous, the latter not without its perils.  Her new wake-up time (thus, mine) is between 4.00 and 5.00 in the morning, and that has accumulated into enough sleep deprivation for me to be challenged to form sentences in the classroom.  I actually called in sick today at my other job because I was too exhausted to function.  But enough about me.  Here they are in a changing-places routine:  queen then king of the hill.


Sunday, June 6, 2010

Pseudomonas Redux

Glenwood's visit to the vet yesterday revealed a new Pseudomonas infection in her left ear.  This is the same type of nasty infection that she came with.  Dr. Ryan was, as always, fabulous and thorough, and it's just that much more clear that Glenwood will always be delicate, despite all day-to-day evidence to the contrary.  So we've upped her supplements and started ear and oral meds.  It's a much smaller version of Still Life wtih Meds than in October-November, but a little sad to return to.

It was very, very hot and humid in Brooklyn yesterday, so by the time we got home from Hope Vet, Glenwood and I were stressed and gross.  I remember that Riley and Timmy always liked a good ice-cube rub when we lived in the loft, and so Glenwood got her first and loved it.  Here she is all rubbed down and relaxing, then staring in disbelief at the ice cubes floating in her water dish.

On another note, Sherri kept us company yesterday.  While Sherri's company is always welcome, my ulterior motive was to introduce her to Dr. Ryan so she will bring George and Sushi in for check-ups.  I think we got a little closer now that Sherri has first-hand experience with Dr. Ryan.  Here's big fat whiny George being tortured by Sherri, who was supposed to be studying.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

And

Since I wrote earlier. Glenwood has found her tweety bird, has stopped her old-man sounds, and is back in full-attention mode.  (The flax oil seems to help but she hates it, and, worse, me with it.)  The tweeting is nonstop!  Still, I'm having Dr. Ryan take a look.

A Little Worried

Glenwood's old-man syndrome is worse, and I wonder whether the sudden heat and humidity are causing her to have a little trouble breathing.  It sounds sort of asthmatic, and sometimes makes her unable to eat until it passes.  I left a message at Hope Vet to make an appointment for Sunday.  It's unnerving, and a little more so since June 8, 2009, was Riley's diagnosis with congestive heart failure.  Anniversaries are brutal, and seem a bit thematic between this blog and my artist blog.