Owieee, Owieee!!!
"but I think falling is a human condition and can't be avoided throughout one's lifetime".
Here's my story:
Lovey Dovey, my beloved 8 year old cat went missing night of January 26th. I had gone outside to retrieve the Bengal cat we've had since July. That booger will dash out between your legs before you know it. Lovey has never been outside a day in her life, but I assumed she had run out when I left the door open as I could not find her in the house. Spent every day going outside and calling her but no sign of her. Checked every closet and looked under every bed in the house. Checked the attic all the way down to the basement. No sight or sound of her. I was just grieving so much for her and our weather was deteriorating to freezing and I worried she would freeze to death. Seven days pass and on Wednesday last my housekeeper, Judith, came to me and said she heard a cat crying and the sound came from the attic. I took a flashlight up and started calling her and I heard her crying. The sound came from over by a front eve. There was about a 2' x 2' opening I never knew was there. I shined the flashlight down that hole and there she was about ten feet down and looked very frightened. My housekeeper ran next door to a house being built and brought back two workers. They had brought a piece of lumber and I told them she was declawed so could not climb that board. After they left I looked down the hole again and she was no where to be seen. We left the attic and went back to the second floor and called but no sound of her. A little later Judith came back to me and said she heard her crying on the first floor. I opened a foyer closet and called her and her voice sounded strong. Ran to phone and called SPCA for a rescue unit and told me they did not have one, so called my daughter, Ricki, and told her I had found Lovey and she was inside the wall of the house. I got a hammer and proceeded to knock a hole in the wall to be sure I knew where she was. She and her SO came over and he started enlarging the a hole in the closet. Shined a flashlight down in the hole and there she was sitting about 2-1/2 feet down. I could also see leaves and dirt, so I ran to the utility closet down a front hall as we have a entrance to below the house. I quickly opened the closet to get to it and hit my head on a shelf which you have to duck or that happens.<gg> Knocked me down on my tail bone and pain went up to my brain. After Glenn got a larger hole made I entered the hole and grabbed Lovey by the neck but did not get a good hold on her neck so set her back down and went for more of her skin and lifted her up to a ledge on the left side then got myself out and then her. Pulled a muscle in my right arm as she is quite heavy. She shook herself out and then Libby attacked her and she ran up the stairway to hide. I sat down and cried as I was just so happy to find her. She had slid or fallen from the attic to the second floor and then on down to the first floor. I went up to check her for any injuries and she seemed just fine. My tail bone and right arm have given me much pain since then. I can deal with the sore tail bone and muscle as the results were wonderful to get her back where she belongs and our weather has been just horrible so home bound has been a necessity. Been resting a lot and using BIO FREEZE for the pain and it has really helped. Muscle pain has subsided, but not the tail bone. Hurts to sit upright, but like every thing else will heal in time. I feel a real need for exercise so hoping I will be able to bowl again next week. If I can't will mean I am trying to rush recovery.
2011 has begun worse than 2010. Lost a high school lunch friend Jan. 2nd and seems all down hill since with so much bad news. Told my husband I might do a Rip Van Winkle and avoid any further trama. Already had my share of bad luck for the full year.
I should have realized her habits hadn't changed and she had to be somewhere in our home as she has never ever tried to leave the interior. But, my thoughts were crazy and I had such fear of her being out in elements she was not used to. Raccoons are prevelant in our neighborhood also. I am thankful Lovey is back to her normal behavior and spending lots of time on my lap. Libby will go to the Vet for neutering and a chip in him and move to my daughter's home which is completely surrounded by wrought iron fencing and he can be an outside cat. Lovey's comfort level will return to a peaceful one without his presence. I have never enjoyed raising an animal of male gender. Females just have sweeter personalities, I think. Lovey has been a blessing and wonderful companion to me and I pray she has a very long life with me. Having a Contractor come over next week and cover that hole. Had a new lock put on attic door so this can't happen again.
During this time my sister also had emergency surgery on Friday night for a blocked colon. She survived the surgery and is still in ICU because of her age and refusing to eat. I can't travel up to Austin where she was residing in a nursing home and having to depend on my niece for information. She has not been in a healthy frame of mind since she woke up and appears she has just given up on life. I just can't stand that thought. Her right leg is still paralyzed so is confined to a wheel chair. Would appreciate prayers for her as I know they do work. Her family is very frightened about her well being. If she passes I will be the last of our original family.
Time to return to bed for awhile and turn on TV. At least today it has been in the 60's here, but read it is still snowing in Dallas for the Super Bowl. They do have a covered stadium there. Kinda anxious to see how full the stadium is. Oops just looked at the time and the game has started. Off to watch it. |
