Yesterday morning I took Buddy (one of my cats) to the Kentwood Cat Clinic to get a radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism.
He's eleven, full of spunk and of the longhair variety. I got him through Kalamazoo Animal Rescue and his foster mom told me, "he's like holding a bunch of velvet, his fur is so smooth." And she was right.
This time of year, when it's warm out, Buddy likes to sleep with his stomach exposed, facing up - a cat's way of being air-conditioned. He's a bright, wide-eyed cat, small for a male but big on heart.
The actual medical treatment that Buddy received was quick and about as non-invasive as you can get. It's the after-care that's the challenge. Five days (until Friday) in a room insulated with lead because of the radiation, and then another week in the same place as the radiation gradually leaves his body. The actual level of the dose isn't high, but sufficient to kill off the tumor cells that were activating his thyroid, keeping it switched on all the time.
Of the two cats that I have (Abbott is the other), Buddy is the one who likes to cuddle and is on the sensitive side. Needless to say I'm looking forward to having him back with us!
Sometimes I hear folks describing their pets with feeling, and then apologizing by saying, "but they're just a pet." I always tell them, "you don't have to apologize to me. I know exactly how you feel. Pets are friends and they're important family members." They may not be human, but God gave them personalities and the ability to relate to us, including the ability to give unconditional love.
Isn't it amazing how God's creation always includes a bit of God's personality in it?
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