"Jazz"

When we returned from our big 2010/11 trip to the Caribbean, followed by a North American road trip, we picked up Jazz from the loving home of our good friends, where she had stayed during our absence.

Around August 10, we discovered blood in her urine. Our vet was able to see her the same afternoon and she had to stay at the vet's office for several days to undergo blood tests, urine samples, an ultrasound, and bladder surgery to remove a lump the size of a grape from the wall of her bladder.

The pathologist's report was dire and we were advised that Jazz may only have 2 weeks to 2 months to live. She was sent home with some Metacam (an anti-inflammatory pain killer) to help with her pain and possibly retard the growth of a new tumour. Some of the test results revealed that Jazz had hyperthyroidism, so she was also prescribed a twice-daily dose of Tapazole to treat symptoms associated with hyperthyroid.

A few evenings ago, Jazz had blood in her urine. Fearing the worst, I resolved to take her to the vet the next morning. Aidan came with me. Our vet did a physical exam and determined that there was a mass the size of a walnut in her already-smaller-than-normal bladder. Jazz was already on palliative care, but now it seemed that we had come to our final week(s) with her.

I asked the vet to give Jazz an antibiotic injection, in case she had any bacterial infection. And our vet prescribed a week's dose of twice-daily narcotic pain medication. We were advised that we could expect her to be more tired and we could possibly notice a change in her personality. She has certainly been sleeping more than usual, but her personality seems unchanged. She's still very happy to be with us.

Yesterday, our vet (the other vet who owns the practice and has been our vet for over 18 years) called me to recommend another anti-inflammatory drug which would replace the Metacam. It's called Piroxicam and she said it has proven to noticeably retard the growth of tumours in the bladders of cats. It is secreted through the urine, so this is why (they suspect) it has been particularly effective on bladder cancers. I asked our vet if we might already be too far along, or if the drug could actually reverse some tumour growth. She said it may shrink the tumour. So, we are giving this a try. Jazz needs to take this medicine once every two days and we have a one-month supply.

Other than this tumour in her bladder, Jazz is the picture of health. This makes the idea of losing her, even harder to accept and understand. She is still vibrant, energetic, loving, affectionate, her coat is soft and shiny and she still looks after herself well. She hasn't lost any weight since August and she continues to eat normally. Aidan has noticed, however, that she is drinking less water, which he surmised must be deliberate on her part, to avoid needing to urinate too frequently. According to our vet, other pet owners with cats going through this, have reported the same findings.

Aidan is showering Jazz with love and nurturing kindness. He finds her the minute he's home from school and he sleeps with her every night. He has moved to the bottom bunk (Aaron's bunk) so he can be at a height which is easier for Jazz to navigate. And last night, when Skye insisted that Aaron sleep in the bottom bunk, Aidan set up to sleep on the couch. Jazz curled up at his legs and slept contentedly all night long. I know she knows we love her and I hope we will get some more time with her still.