Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 4 - The Aftermath

slm6002

I hope the vets went well and was not too costly

crazy_cat_lady

Well... I'm not sure what to think about the vet visit. It wasn't expensive today, but that's because I've refused a couple of things.
She has a couple of small lumps. Again. Bearing in mind that she's had 2 mammary tumours in the past four years that were successfully operated on. I have been aware of these lumps for months and I have presumed that they are scar tissue from last year's operation. They aren't growing at all, and I am very aware of how old she is, and her weight is down again (2.6kg) so she's really tiny, and quite apart from the cost I am concerned about putting her through surgery that may not be necessary when she's a bit frail. Other than that, she's in good form. I got told off for not taking her for her vitamin B12 injection sooner and was told in no uncertain terms that this is a monthly requirement from now on. As she's an old lady the vet wanted to do some blood tests so I agreed but they couldn't get her to sit still long enough for it... so I waited in the car for one hour and twenty minutes and she still has to go back in 4 weeks for more B12. And next time I also have to give her some gabapentin before she goes in so they can do the dreaded blood tests and check her organ function. She had her boosters and her B12 and it cost £61 in total. I had budgeted £100. The remaining £39 will certainly not cover blood tests - that will be a 3 figure sum.
Anyway. It's sorted for 4 weeks at least. I hate having to sit in the car in the car park at the vets - sometimes it's 20 minutes and sometimes it's an hour and 20 minutes. If I'd known that I would have just gone home and gone back for her later.
I lost the mojo whilst sitting waiting in the car, and of course ds wasn't working at all when I got home. He has since done all of his school work but I haven't managed to get him to walk just yet. It's much colder and dull outside today so it'll be harder to get him to do something. He's been back on the Xbox.
I made fried egg and mushroom sarnies for lunch and have prepped my lessons for tomorrow. Just need to record the voiceovers and upload before I go to bed tonight. Still need to walk at some point and do a tiny bit of shopping - maybe could double that up into one journey (we have literally no bread and I don't think we will survive another day without). The mood is not great today and I'm not sure why...

foxgloves

You're right about blood tests being expensive at the vet. CCL. You always know it is going to be a big bill when you hear those suggested. I do agree that while we don't want ancient pets to suffer untreated, we have to think of exactly how much invasive treatment we are prepared to put them through & kind of find a middle way. It is stressful for them AND us. Hope they don't find anything awful. She is one expensive fluffkin. Good job you love her!
F x

crazy_cat_lady

Oh dear. The hormone fairy has caught up with me this morning. I feel very emotional indeed. I psyched myself up to call the doctor and try and get an appointment. I've been monitoring my moods and feelings for over a year now and the problem is definitely hormone related, but the last time I spoke to the doctor I was 1. Fat shamed and 2. Accused of being depressed. That was last October. So I rang the doctor - and was told that there are no appointments this morning, could I call this afternoon? (No actually - it's taken me 4 months to ring) And was then told that the two doctors dealing with appointments this afternoon are 1. The one that fat shamed me and 2. The one that just seems to want to offer me a sicknote every time I speak to him. I'm devastated, and cried for a good 10 minutes. That is not normal behaviour by any stretch of the imagination but it does support my theory that I need some help with this stuff. Alas I think the chances of me ringing back this afternoon are slim to non existent and then chances are I'll feel ok tomorrow and think that there's no point in wasting their time by ringing. Suppose I've managed for a year now, I'll just keep on keeping on. 
Not going to lie - it's kind of sapped my motivation to get anything useful done today. I'm just sitting here in a bad mood. I had a long list of stuff I needed to do and I don't want to do any of it. I have work to do, sorting out tomorrow's lessons and getting them online, and I have to get ds into school for his first lateral flow test. And I never bothered going out yesterday to get any bread. Gosh I sound awfully lazy.
In better news, NT1 is tootling around this morning like nothing is a bother - and she didn't wake me up during the night for food either, so that's good. She's just enjoying lying under the radiator this morning.
Ugh - I am the complete mood hoover today. I'm off to give myself a kick up the backside and get on with getting something done.

slm6002

You should be proud of yourself for getting up the courage to ring them.  Ring them later, as you say you have been monitoring it for a year and you know what the reason for it is.  If they try to fat shame you again you have the evidence to say no its not that it is hormone related and i need help.  But be proud  that you have made that first step (insert a gold star for you)

f0xh0les

Get back on the phone this afternoon CCL.  Go on. Put your scientist brain on, and tell them the hormone fluctuation needs to be sorted before the weight loss is going to be effective or long term.  Worst case scenario - they try and fob you off and you are in the same position you were in this morning .  Best case scenario, they do something.

peb

Well done for calling the doctor.  Don't let it lapse,  remember that you are a scientist and you have gathered in the evidence.  

I'm disgusted at the fat shaming, I've never had it at my biggest although I did lose a lot a couple of years ago I appear to have come to a stop at the moment.  No exercise. If the Dr does try to fat shame again set out the walking you are doing and the changes you have made to your diet.

And great re NT. Cats love radiators

Baileys_Babe

Since the first lockdown, our surgery has been doing e-consult, where you fill in a questionnaire on their website and then a medical professional assess it and gets back to you. OH and everyone else I know who has used the system says it has worked very well. They are all hoping it continues in the long run.
Does your surgery offer anything similar?

dawnybabes

I love our econsult service, you can type everything in and the doctor reviews it and either sees you, rings you, refers you or  prescribes you.  I hope it doesn’t go ‘afterwards’ 

Onebrokelady

Just delurking to say that if you are being fat shamed by your doctor you should make a written complaint to the practice manager. It's fine that we all know carrying excess weight can be harmful to our health and offering proactive ways to manage it can be a good thing but not if it's being done in a way to make you feel ashamed of yourself. They need to consider that if you do have a hormone problem that won't be helping and that if they fix that it might make it easier to lose weight in the first place
If you think you might be reaching the peri menopause stage and you are on FB try the group called The Menopause support Network,if you are not on FB but want good info google Dianne Danzebrink and Dr Jane Newson who both specialise in the menopause and have lots of good info on dealing with it and also how to approach and deal with an unhelpful Gp