A Fitting Sign...

The sign refers to boating at Lake Seminole - the two cormorants are pretty self-explanatory.  The symbolism... In two hours we will have our little Rocket-man home!  And no doubt, Phoebe will take one whiff of him and respond much like the cormorant on the left, complete with hissing.

Last night we were both prepared to lose him.  At 10 we got a call from the hospital saying that they were getting ready to sedate him and go in to remove fluid from around his lungs and heart - he had been having an increasingly difficult time breathing in the evening.  At 11:30, the phone rang again and we both feared the worst - but it was the vet who did the procedure saying that he had come through it fine and was resting comfortably sleeping off the sedation.

This morning at 8 the phone rang again - and again, we both feared the worst.  But this time it was the specialist, Dr. Weaver, saying that he was doing well and asking if we would be comfortable having him come home tonight (assuming he did okay today) - her concern is that he is so stressed there and is still refusing food.  Apparently they have the heart failure under control so she feels there is a better chance for recovery at home.  We will have to administer antibiotics and heart meds several times a day and I guess we'll find out what else we will need to do when we pick him up.  I don't care - I just can't wait to hold him. I have already set up an inflatable mattress in his recovery room at home and I plan to sleep in there with him tonight.  We don't want to take any chances that he starts having breathing trouble again.  

So, I thought about waiting until we got him home and blipping him, but I know he is going to look awful and that is not what I want to remember about this day.  So, because I was too restless to stay home, I took the camera over to Lake Seminole in a drizzly rain and snapped a bunch of shots of this and that.  This one, while it is not technically particularly good, is the photo that sums up the day for me.  And, if you'd like to see a roseate spoonbill and a few other birds, click HERE - five shots in total.  

I cannot thank you enough for the prayers, good thoughts, and mostly the incredibly kind words of support and empathy.  Rocket has a special place in my heart - I got him as a tiny kitten right after I'd decided to bail on the corporate world, nearly 13 years ago.  He's always been a "difficult" child, but hubs and I love him even more because of it.  When it is his time to go (hopefully not now) he will leave a hole in our lives that will be impossible to fill.  

Thank you...

Debbi