I had to poke a cat with a stick

[st_aurafina]

Big medical appt next week, and following that will be tests, results, waiting and stress. lilacsigil is unwell, in pain and unhappy. We're both unhappy. STRESS. STRESS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Helpfully, Baggins got really sick again two weeks ago, barfing and dehydration and misery. We took him to the vets, who picked up that he had a couple of bad teeth. They have a specialist dental vet now, which is great, but she works out of the Warrnambool clinic, which is not so great because that's 45 minutes in the car with a super stressed cat. We discussed options while they did preliminary bloods to make sure he was okay for surgery. Later that afternoon they called to say that his kidneys weren't in good shape and he needed to be in hospital getting fluids asap. I had to lie on the floor with a broomstick to poke him out from under the bed into lilacsigil's hands, it was awful. He was scared and I was crying and it was all really, really awful.

Overnight stays have generally never been a success for Baggins, because he winds himself around and around his cage and pulls out his IV, but this time they gave him gabapentin to calm him down. (At this stage, I kind of needed some gabapentin tbh.) It worked really well, and they transported him over to the Warrnambool vet hospital for three days, by which time his kidney function had improved enough for surgery. They had to take all his teeth, poor baby.

He spent the next few days blissed out on buprenorphine, which was sad? But also hilarious, though we might have just been hysterical with relief. He's doing a lot better now, though he's lost half a kilo and he feels like a bony rabbit. I don't like being able to feel his hip bones when I hold him like a baby. He's on an all chicken diet right now while his gums heal up, but he's going to be on a kidney supporting type diet after that. We've done that before when Aeon had renal disease, but it's probably all different and new now? IDK. He's getting a couple of ml of Yakult a day thanks to the tummy upset from the long acting antibiotic they give post-op, so if we have to pill him, it should be easier to sneak it in.

He got very excited this morning and bit lilacsigil on the wrist at breakfast. It was ridiculous and adorable, all gummy ferocity. I'm glad he's got a little bit of pep back. I hope it continues. And next time, we can hopefully slip him the gabapentin with his Yakult, and he will be sleepy all the way to and from the vets. (And I won't have to cry and poke him with a stick.)


EVERYTHING. IS. SO. FUCKING. STRESSFUL.


I have an appointment with a prospective GP on Monday, but I couldn't handle last week's stress unsupported, so I got my half a box of Pristiq out from when I weaned off, and restarted it. I know pharmacologically it shouldn't be doing much after only seven days, but I swear it's helping. At least I'm not breaking down three or four times a day. I do not have time for that shit right now.



Actually, I seem to recall that Pristiq gives me a bit of rage. Maybe that's where all the all-caps anger is coming from. I am not normally an all-caps person.

Thursday recs:
Yeah, it's Friday here. Come fight me! I'm on drugs now. *puts up fists*

- Excerpts from A.Z. Fell and Co.’s Yelp Page by itsclydebitches (Good Omens, Rated Teen, Aziraphale/Crowley)
Just what it says on the label: Yelp reviews. Very funny and sweet. (Also archived in plain text at AO3)

- sing for the angel a psalm of shadows by raven (Good Omens, not rated, Aziraphale/Crowley)
Five times Aziraphale attempted to tempt a human being and failed, utterly and completely, in service of God’s plan.

I'm always glad when I share a fandom with raven because they write so beautifully - this is lyrical and full of history and a little bit dreamy, with lots of non-binary angel love, and it makes me really happy to have read it.

- Turn by kass (Rated Explicit, Good Omens, Aziraphale/Crowley)
Crowley broke the kiss again. "Angel," he said flatly, "where is your cock."

More non-binary angel love, which is exquisitely explained on a scholarly level, because kass is very clever like that. It's a lovely story, easy-going and beautiful and funny.

(I'm starting to see a pattern with me and Good Omens fandom: I don't want to create fanworks, but I sure as hell want to celebrate, especially all the old friends popping up. Also, genderqueer angels are my jam.)

- Things in Bloom by sunlitstone (Rated General, Person of Interest, John/Harold)

Just a really nice first kiss fic from this year's Not Primetime Exchange. Gentle slice of life stuff, as John lets Harold into his life a little bit.

(Yeah, I'm obviously craving fic that is soft and gentle. Like shredded chicken when you're a cat with no teeth.)

Comments

[sholio]

Sending good thoughts and hugs to both you and lilacsigil! ♥

[st_aurafina]

Thank you! <3

[torachan]

*hugs*

[st_aurafina]

*hugs back*

[smallhobbit]

Sending good wishes to both of you and to Baggins.

[st_aurafina]

Thank you! Baggins at least is doing pretty well now. <3

[lurkingcat]

I remember battlehamster having to crawl under the spare bed to push Shadow out into my waiting hands because Shadow really, really did not want to go to the vet and had dug his claws in about it. So stressful!

Sending good thoughts and internet hugs to both of you and to gummy Baggins.

[st_aurafina]

It was the worst. I felt like a monster.

Thank you! Gummy bear is doing pretty well right now.

[kass]

Oh, poor Baggins and poor you! Sending all good thoughts to y'all.

Also, thank you for the rec! Genderqueer angels turn out to be my jam, too. Go figure. :-D

[st_aurafina]

You're welcome - the fic brought some greatly needed joy to my day.

[hibernate]

I used to do martial arts and I still have an old bokken (wooden sword) gathering dust -- it's very useful for (gently) nudging cats out from under the bed when they're being stubborn. :)

I'm so sorry to hear about the health issues, for you both and Baggins. It sounds very stressful. Thinking of you and sending good vibes and long-distance hugs your way. <3

[st_aurafina]

The bokken story made me smile - I'm glad not to be alone in cat-poking. It's a sad but necessary part of having kitties.

Thank you - good vibes appreciated.

[worlds_of_smoke]

Wow. that's a TON of stress. I hope it eases up soon. <3

[st_aurafina]

Tons of stress, yes. And thank you.

[oracne]

I hope all the appointments go well.

[st_aurafina]

Thank you so much. <3

[senmut]

I am so sorry. Many good vibes your way!

[st_aurafina]

Thank you so much <3

[umadoshi]

So many hugs to all of you. That's a horrendous pile of stress.

[st_aurafina]

Thank you - hugs are very welcome.

Kitty is doing better, which is a good thing.

[pauraque]

I hope all three of you feel better soon!

[st_aurafina]

Thank you! <3

[applenym]

So sorry to hear about all the medical stress! I hope everyone gets the best of care and you can all relax and heal...

[st_aurafina]

Thank you! Everyone has been pretty great so far. <3

[muccamukk]

Awww. I hope your angry bitey cat continues to get better, and that your wife gets better but is neither angry nor bitey.

*hugs*

[st_aurafina]

Thank you! I wouldn't mind if lilacsigil was bitey, as along as she was well, to be honest.

[kore]

OMG, poor you guys! Poor Baggins! That is a SHIT TON of stress. I hope everything gets better soon. //HUGS

[st_aurafina]

*hugs hugs hugs* thank you. You too! <3

[fred_mouse]

*hugs* Here's to improvement, and lots of it.

[st_aurafina]

Thank you! I think we're on the way. <3

[vass]

Poor toothless Baggins. And poor you and LS!

I've been there with the broomstick. There sucks. :(

[st_aurafina]

Toothless is actually pretty happy now, to be honest. Getting much less bony each day, and we caught him hoovering up renal kibble like he has a full set of teeth.

<3

[eglantiere]

your poor cat! and poor you! god, it really sounds so stressful and awful for everybody involved. i'm glad he's doing better, and hope you'll get to rest some ♥

[st_aurafina]

Thank you! Kitty is doing much better - he's perky and gummy and putting on weight.

[gwyn]

Oh geez, your little mans sounds so much like mine. I'd never had to leave him overnight before, I can't imagine doing that multiple times, arg, I was such a wreck. Blues has his dental that I've had to put off for almost two years now coming up on Monday and I'm so worried he'll lose most of the rest of his teeth--I suppose if Baggins's biting is an indication, maybe that won't be so bad, since Blues is a biter.

But that stress is...yeah. And when you're already in perilous shape, it's so easy to send you over the edge. I hope things will slow down and improve for you both from here on out.

[st_aurafina]

He's doing a lot lot better now!! Eating like a fiend and putting on weight and being perky. It was definitely the right thing to do, poor baby.

[maplemood]

Oh, gosh, I hope you all feel better soon! We had to give my cat medicine twice a day for about a week a while back and it was ridiculously stressful--we've got two cats and when one started yowling the other would start sympathy yowling, and no one was happy.

[st_aurafina]

Thank you!

Oh, the sympathy yowling. I know it well...

[copracat]

Hope you get a break soon. xox

[st_aurafina]

Thank you! Me too.

(I think I found a GP, at least.)

[mergatrude]

Hugs for you, lilacsigil and Baggins. Lots of them.

[st_aurafina]

Thank you so much! <3

[heartonsnow]

So this Good Omens non binary fic is a thing now! Two mentions on one reading page!!

PS
NANO stuff is no-go at the moment as I am doing DBT sheets in my writing time.

[st_aurafina]

Pretty sure the non-binary angel concept was always a thing? But it's really great to see an influx of new fic.

[china_shop]

*hugshugshugshugshugs*

[st_aurafina]

*hugs back* Thank you. <3

[talkingtothesky]

*hugsssssssss* You and yours are amazing for getting through all this RL nonsense.

Thank you for the fic recs! I think we have similar tastes in GO fanworks.

[st_aurafina]

Thank you!! We keep on keeping on, as they say.

You're welcome - so much good fic spilling out of that fandom, it's wonderful.

[ruuger]

Hugs to both you and lilacsigil

[st_aurafina]

Thank you so much. <3