Geoffrey Small Cell Lymphoma

[maggie101]

I wonder if he has episodes of inflammation and needs the cerinia? So sometimes he acts like his usual self other times not

 

[artiemom]

I do not know. I really do not feel the Cerenia is doing anything for him. I have not noticed any difference when I have given it to him.
He has not vomited for over a month. I know the IMVet will not be concerned with this once in a while vomit. He told me. If it becomes more often, then I will contact him. Or if his appetite decreases.

He ate a good breakfast. We 'chased' a tiny bit. G 'helped' me change my sheets. He got all his morning med, including chemo. I will take some food over to him soon, his lunch portion. Not eating as much as he usually does, so I watch... I did decrease the Mirtaz dose last night; so half a dose.

Geoffrey just jumped on top of the printer, and head butted me!! Sweet boy!

 

[neely]

Geoffrey really knows my nighttime routine. He knows what time I should be going to bed, and bugs me if I miss it!! He yells!! and Yells... When I am getting into bed, before I shut the bedroom light off, he is already on top of the bed, waiting for me.. my love bug. He is thanking me.

Sorry for the recent setback but I was so happy to read the above post. I suppose there will be good days and bad. Regardless you're doing an excellent job of knowing how the food and meds affect Geoffrey. He's one lucky guy to have landed in your lap.

 

[artiemom]

I have to realize that not all days are going to be good days.. not at all. Not even for us humans, without issues.
Geoffrey has a lot of issues; so I am trying to remain calm.

Thanks for the compliments.. I am just doing what I can do.. what I am able to do, and doing my research,. Perhaps working in medicine, taking care of both my parents-- who, both had multiple medical issues, my quest for learning about things, My; (what some people feel is noisiness has taught me a lot. And in my major career-- not trusting a lot of outside doctors.. learning how to interpret and find the answers... has all helped.

From my earliest ultrasound days; I was taught to read charts, read lab work, read histories.. Take the outside scans reports, with a grain of salt-- look at the images and decide on your own. Do not allow them to cloud my judgement. Do your own scan and interpret from there.

I worked in a teaching hospital for most of my career. At my first job, I was told to question the residents, fellows, attending---- to learn.. They were there for me to teach them ultrasound and for me to learn from them. I was told to pick their brains. That is what I was raised on. To Question, and learn. Conferences, case reports, journals, were all required for my career and to keep my credentials.

Sometimes I think that type of mindset has gotten me in trouble with people--especially my family and my last job--it was a weird one.
They think I am tooo Noisey!! That is what I have been told. I am an outcast because of it. It hurts, but I take it as their loss, because they never, ever got to know the real me, and what I could add to their lives..

Anyway, this is about Geoffrey.. I love him. I think Dr B finally realizes that I have a good handle on things; about What is good or bad for Geoffrey. I think Dr B finally trusts me, a bit. It took a while, but I think he realizes.

Yes, I ramble on updates.. but that is me! I am an owner and will not be treated like a non educated one; neither will I be treated as a med student.. I know a little, but still need help..

I just hope I am able to help Geoffrey.

Today, I was not home for a while. He did not eat much. Stools ok.. no vomit. He is hiding under bedspread tent. I know, he misses me when I am not here. I can tell. I feel it.. We are intertwined.
That is why I was so frantic in the beginning and predict I will be in the future.

Tomorrow is a chemo day. I have a doctors appointment. I need groceries very badly. I need to replace car key.. dam..
Busy week... and PCP appointment Wednesday. Geoffrey will not be seeing much of me... my love..

 

[artiemom]

A quick Geoffrey Update: Last night, I could not fall asleep, so I was up at 11:30pm, watching tv.

Geoffrey had to use his litter box to pee. Out of the Blue, he got the Zoomies!! All from pee, no poop!
It was after midnight at that point, running all over!! racing all over, jumping from sofa, to floor, to cat tree, to my bedroom, etc...
Then, He decided to 'find' his tail.. as if he had never seen it before! Chasing it around and around, while he was on the top level of his tree, almost toppling it over!! Would not stop!! Until----- He was chasing it so hard, he fell almost fell off the top level.. but he was able to hang on and return to that level.. Of course, the chasing of the tail stopped..

He has become so mouthy.. now he is crying, and I do not know why? I am thinking it is the mirtz. I have been trying to reduce the amount. Tonight is another night of 1/4 dose.

Geoffrey is so attached to me.. too bonded. He wants to constantly cuddle. Now, he is not only on my lap each night, but since I have been on the recliner, stretched out, he is dying next to my legs.

A new behavior for him: One his "Uncle Artie" must have told him about. He is peeking around corners!! Yup, been catching him doing this for a week now!! This is in addition to his head "bops" when he is on top of my printer.

I cannot believer he is beginning his 17th week on chemo... wow... all summer...

At this moment, I cannot tell what is going on with him. He is on his cat tree. He has been using it much more in the past couple weeks. Geoffrey was wailing before he jumped on it.. and wailed a couple times while on it, curled up--kind of meatloaf shape.. I wish he could communicate with me..

Now, he is back to nibbling.. Time for his evening dose of Zofran and the reduced dose of Mirtz.

 

[FeebysOwner]

All good, it sounds!

I don't know, but maybe with G being on Pred he doesn't need the Mirt? I only have what the first oncologist told me and that was I might be able to stop Mirataz once Feeby is put on Pred. She said the Pred can have a similar effect on appetite. Maybe run it by your vet. The 'mouthiness' could be from the mirt. Perhaps, it could be used on an as needed basis?

 

[strider rose]

for you and G artiemom

 

[iPappy]

Oh gosh, I'm picturing him looking quizzically at his tail with that little round face of his and then chasing it/zooming, and I'm cracking up! He must feel SO good!

 

[artiemom]

All good, it sounds!

I don't know, but maybe with G being on Pred he doesn't need the Mirt? I only have what the first oncologist told me and that was I might be able to stop Mirataz once Feeby is put on Pred. She said the Pred can have a similar effect on appetite. Maybe run it by your vet. The 'mouthiness' could be from the mirt. Perhaps, it could be used on an as needed basis?

The IMVet wants me to reduce, eventually eliminating the mirtz and the Zofran. I agree with the mirtz. I am very slowly decreasing it., but it has made a world of difference with bringing out Geoffrey's loving personality! I hate to get rid of it, but I have to. I want something on hand, just in case, for a poor appetite. I have a new tube to keep as a spare.

The Zofran, I am not feeling good about reducing. I may get it down to one dose, every other day, when he has chemo. But I am only changing one drug at a time. Per Order IMVet. That is his philosophy.

Geoffrey is on Budesonide, instead of Prednisone. The Pred did not seem to agree with him. He is doing much better not he Budesonide.

The only thing; his fur... His patchy fur loss is spreading.. sigh. I told him that if this keeps up, I may have to get him a sweater to wear, by the end of the winter... I think it is from the chemo.

 

[artiemom]

I thought I would give a day early, weekly update; if anyone is interested... Sometimes I feel as if I am just writing a journal for me... but....let me know if I am writing too much or going on too long..

Geoffrey is Geoffrey... He is doing---- shush---- doing good!!!
At the current moment, I am on the recliner, stretched out. Geoffrey is on the recliner with me... hugging my right lower leg..
He is such a sweet boy..


Yes, the white area is his fur loss.. I am assuming it is from the chemo, and/or Budesonide.

I think we finally found the correct combination for him. The Prednisolone did not agree with him.. and the Cerenia did not do anything for him. I felt as if I was wasting my money getting the script. The Zofran is much much better for him.
The Budesonide is agreeing with him. A better option..

It took a lot, to get IMVet on board with my thoughts.. lots of tears, aggravation... but things have worked out...

I am in the process of very slowly weaning him off some of his meds; per order IMVet.
Geoffrey is now down to just a 'dab' of mirtazapine, nightly. Last night was his last dose. I am taking things very slowly with him. Abrupt changes on meds do not seem to agree with him. I am especially careful. I think IMVet is now trusting my judgement. He told me, it is up to me to wean G off some of the meds-- What ever way I feel is best.. That is really weird. He either trusts me, or he is sick of hearing from me.. I do not know. I hope it is the former.

Geoffrey is eating pretty good. The only thing that is happening to him, is that he is getting constipated! (Shades of Artie)..
Yes, that is my fear... now a motility problem (megacolon). I am giving him twice or thrice daily miralax.. Sometime laxatone, also. The laxatone seems to help him.

Geoffrey is such a sweet cat. Such a good boy. I really cannot believe he is so good with me. Yes, he is needy. So needy. He needs attention, love.. I really think he should have had a playmate. I think it would have been good for him. sigh....
I am definitely his Mama.

Honestly, All in all-- Geoffrey has almost become the cat that I knew.. He is not playing, but loves me so much. He is always calling me. He wants love-- he wants attention. All the attention. Geoffrey is very loving. I really think he understands so much more than anyone would give a cat, credit for. I swear he has realized all I have done for him. Geoffrey had finally realized all of it, and is showing his appreciation, and love. Perhaps I am wrong, but this is what I have been sensing for a couple of months. He automatically comes to Mama, when he needs something: scoop litter box, food, attention, love.. and he is reciprocating his love... Geoffrey really misses me, when I am gone for a several hours. He is so funny. He is getting Artie's habit of peeking around corners.

In 2 weeks, it will be our 4th GOTCHA DAY!! OMG.. we have been through so much. Most of the 4 years have been concerned with him. Not me, but him. I / We worked so hard to get to this point.

The night I brought him home, he was ok.. but crying all night long. The beginning of a long torment. Geoffrey somehow became afraid of my apartment, of me.. He would spend all day under my bed, or bedroom furniture. Once I went to sleep,
he was up all night long--- crying so loud. I could not get any sleep at all. He was under my bed, crying.
I spent months, sitting on the bedroom floor, talking to him, reading my email to him.. just lying on top of my bed, reading, or listening to music. He was so frightened-- of what I do not know.. Perhaps he still smelt Artie, and was afraid of him.. I do not know..
He ended up with diarrhea from the stress. I was feeding him under my bed. He did come out for the litter box; running under the bed. He even came down with acne, from stress... I had to block off any access to the area under my bed. I hated to, because it was his safe space; but he had other furniture to hide under. He still found a way to get under the bed.. so smart.

I took him to the Vet numerous times. We ended up giving him Prozac, for anxiety. Finally, before I moved, he started to come out from under furniture, and jumped on the bed with me. It took 3 months for this to happen. It was decided, from his actions to being touched, and such, that he may have been abused at some point in his early life. Yup, I believed that. I still kind of do.

When I had the opportunity to move into Senior Housing, I worried about him. Geoffrey did a turn around.. He felt so comfortable in this apartment. I could not believe the difference. I wonder if it was either the huge apartment, or Artie's scent which was still in there/

Since we Moved, Geoffrey has become my love bug....
and then Small Cell Lymphoma hit...He always vomited, with worsening episodes. I kept taking him to the Vets.. al said he was so sensitive. I switched him to Rabbit food--suspecting IBD, due to Artie (I was right)... and now SCL...

Geoffrey is definitely my little boy.. I and efintily his Mama.. WE love each other...
Picture from the first time he jumped on my bed, in the old apartment:


So, we have come a long way, in 4 years...
I love my baby..

 

[daftcat75]

Post all you want even if no one reads it anymore. You can definitely use your thread as a journal. I have gone on for 200 pages of Krista and 100 pages of Betty now. But also know that there are those of us still very much interested in Geoffrey updates.

When Krista became chronically ill in her senior years, I got rid of my adjustable bed foundation and just about every other "under" that Krista could get under. If she was going to feel awful, I wanted to see it. Cats hide their discomfort and I didn't want to think things were rosier than they were. I didn't want her to simply default to under the bed. I left the bookcase so she could have one "under". But I also put a camera down there so those post-meal struggles she would have under the bookcase wouldn't go unnoticed. But another reason why it was important for me to limit her "under"s was so that I could easily retrieve her when it was time for a vet visit. It's much easier to grab and drag a Krista from under a bookcase than from under a bed. Betty doesn't yet understand that the bookcase isn't quite as safe as she thinks it is. But she's gotta hide somewhere when she thinks we might be going to the vet. Anytime I deviate from routine, I can usually count on Betty hiding under the bookcase now.

Yes, I do believe Geoffrey understands and appreciates what you are doing for him. It took you both awhile. But he must know that all those visits, meds, tests, and interventions are the reason why he feels better now than he did before. Krista was always a love bug. But she got more so as we went through her senior struggles together. She was often content to simply spoon against me or drape her front paws over me in what I would call a half-Sphinx. But as we struggled and conquered pancreatitis and managed IBD and dental issues together, she would spend more and more of her lovey time climbing onto my belly and chest in what I called, "wearing the cat bib." She wasn't nearly as face-to-face as Betty. But she would occasionally come nose to nose and give me a kiss. She was a spicy one at the vets and would swear like a sailor. I could hear her from the exam room. But back before the pandemic, the vet office would let me back there when she was hospitalized for 10 days. And when she was far too spicy for any of the techs to handle, they asked me to come back and collect her. And in all but one scenario (not enough pain meds after a dental procedure--my fault, not the vet's), whenever I came around, she would calm right down and trill her love song once more.

So all that to say, I believe Geoffrey does understand and appreciate all the fight and care you have done for him and on his behalf. Keep up the good work the both of you!

 

[maggie101]

Beautiful boy! He is so lucky to have you take care of him. Thanks for the update!

 

[iPappy]

I am definitely still reading. Every good update just makes me smile, especially the photos of him because he is one adorable and beautiful little cat.
I don't think the vet is "sick" of you. I think they know you and Geoffrey well enough by now to understand that you know his habits, and you know all those little tiny signs (and they don't) that point to whether or not he's feeling himself or if he's feeling off. A vet that recognizes this, IMO, is a huge plus, and an even bigger blessing in situations like this.
I think they know when we're trying, and are appreciative. I think they sense our stress and when we worry over them, and after some time they put it together that when they're feeling bad, our stress increases and when they feel better, our stress decreases. One of my friends commented that Tag was a "little sponge, and such an empath." Anymore, I think they all are in their own way. The human/animal bond is an amazing, wonderful thing.
Oh! And I don't care if it's 2 weeks away, why not start celebrating now?? Happy EARLY Gotcha Day Geoffrey!!! (And MANY more!)

 

[fionasmom]

I enjoyed reading about how you and Geoffrey found each other and how he realized that you were his forever home.

According to the forum list, 19K people have looked at this thread since June, so someone is definitely reading and sending their good thoughts to both of you.

It is very good to hear that things are looking up.

 

[artiemom]

Well, I kind of hate to post these good updates, because It kind of 'jinxes' us...
Geoffrey has been off his food since Sunday!
Stopped the mirtazapine Friday night. Poor appetite, crying, pacing, etc. I was slow on weaning him off of it--but... Perhaps it is withdrawal?? Who knows..

His stools have been hard and small... not much food going into him.. but... Yesterday, a small amount of soft stool. No miralax or laxatone for him. I cannot tell what is going on with him.

He kept me up all Sunday into Monday night. I was up at 3 AM, because he was a Pain...
Sometime, during last night, he vomited a lot!! No fur seen. It was near his litter box.

He refused food this morning.. only eating a few nibbles of the dry during the night.
I got him to eat 1/3 of a 5 oz can this morning, by taking it over to him, while he was hiding under my bedspread.
Then he ran to hide under the bed. I cannot get him.. I cannot kneel... dam
He has not hid under the bed, for several weeks... He does not want me to bother him. poor thing.

Today is a Chemo day, also... dam.. held off on that until this afternoon, so he could have some food in his system.

This cat is going to drive me crazy with worry...

 

[FeebysOwner]

I kind of wonder why the IMvet is recommending weaning G off some of his meds - what others besides Mirt? As I understand from what I have read Budesonide doesn't have the same appetite increase effect that is seen with Prednisolone. That being the case, maybe G needs the Mirt? Are you still giving him the Zofran on a regular basis? If not as much, or at all, that too could be negatively impacting his appetite.

 

[nanniecat]

I pack Betty’s meds in a size five (smallest) gelatin capsule, twist it in Hills A/D and drop the food-coated pill on the carpet. Betty knows the drill by now and scoops and swallows any A/D coated capsules I drop on the carpet for her. She doesn’t get her meal until she takes her meds. It took us many weeks of lick and flicks. But she learned.

i learned from a vet tech abt the #4 capsule! i put whatever i have to give her in one, coat it with a small piece of pill pocket. works every time! i now put it on a lick pad with a few kibble. i buy the clear capsules fr my vet it is a great trick!

 

[daftcat75]

i learned from a vet tech abt the #4 capsule! i put whatever i have to give her in one, coat it with a small piece of pill pocket. works every time! i now put it on a lick pad with a few kibble. i buy the clear capsules fr my vet it is a great trick!

When I run out of my clear size fours, I am going to order them in white like my size fives. Betty had a habit of licking and flicking (lick the A/D off the capsule and flick the capsule itself away.) She knows better now. She's such a pro at the scoop and swallow. But every now and then, she does leave a capsule behind. And it's far easier for me to see that when it's a white capsule than a clear one.

I also use size fours for s. boulardii. The Jarrow brand comes in giant size zero capsules that even I would have trouble with. She doesn't like the taste of the s. boulardii. It's not going into her food. But she'll take a couple of size four's of the stuff each night and I've seen an improvement in her appetite. Hopefully our next gut microbiome test will show an improvement in the clostridium and e. coli strains that flourished after an antibiotics course in July.

 

[artiemom]

In really do not know what is going on in ImVet's head. I know he is for the minimum meds for any animal. But... I honestly think Geoffrey needs the Zofran. I have not decreased the dose at all.

I am also thinking he needs a bit of mirtazapine. Especially with the chemo. I am almost ready to go back to it.

Right now, he is not pooping! Not much at all, despite the miralax.. and occasional laxatone.
I cannot put my finger on the cause. He is not eating much--only 1/3 of a 5 oz can per day.. and a few dry.. He does not act sick.. but, cats hide things.

The vomiting did upset me. He had 3 episodes of vomit this month. He had not vomited since he started steroids.
I am hoping the SCL is not attacking his colon, or spreading.

The IMVet is back on Thursday. Questions are going to him. Geoffrey has an appointment scheduled at the end of the month.
I really do wonder how much knowledge the IMVet has about SCL. I know there are Oncologists at the hospital, whom he can ask for advice. But, at this point, I am not wanting a confrontation with him about it.. and I do not know how to even put it to him.. I have a good rapport with him and his secretary.

So confusing.. not a good time for me to have more issues with Geoffrey's health... dam

 

[nanniecat]

When I run out of my clear size fours, I am going to order them in white like my size fives. Betty had a habit of licking and flicking (lick the A/D off the capsule and flick the capsule itself away.) She knows better now. She's such a pro at the scoop and swallow. But every now and then, she does leave a capsule behind. And it's far easier for me to see that when it's a white capsule than a clear one.

I also use size fours for s. boulardii. The Jarrow brand comes in giant size zero capsules that even I would have trouble with. She doesn't like the taste of the s. boulardii. It's not going into her food. But she'll take a couple of size four's of the stuff each night and I've seen an improvement in her appetite. Hopefully our next gut microbiome test will show an improvement in the clostridium and e. coli strains that flourished after an antibiotics course in July.

wow! thank u for those hints! placide has not been eating her food that i mix her Visbiomevet in. so her diarrhea is back! i brought her to vet tech tdy to get the poop off her wonky leg and she suggested i break the big capsule into 2? #4s. i had never thought of that! u r so clever! i will do it tmr wish me luck! i dont think i need white because i have to coat them w/tiny piece of pill pocket and a dab of forti flora sometimes. #ittakesavillage i luv this site. i have learned so many of the little things that make life easier for her and me!