So we opted to give George a chance at surgery, albeit a much less invasive type. We didn’t feel comfortable subjecting him to such a radical procedure, and the vet didn’t really recommend it. So last Thursday he removed the tumor (as much of it as he could see) and sent it off for biopsy. In the mean time, George has had a 6 inch zipper on his back that he’s been scratching at incessantly. At some point early in his recovery he even managed to rip out one of the staples. I came home from work and he was all bloody. The best solution I could manage for keeping him from inflicting more damage was to apply a bandage to the area — every 6 hours. It worked like a charm!
Thursday this week, the vet called with the biopsy results. It wasn’t good news. The cancer is the feared Vaccine Associated Fibrosarcoma, and the vet expects him to live 3 months or so… at best. Obviously, not the news I was looking for, but pretty much what I expected. So at this point we just make sure he’s comfortable and monitor his condition. Right now, he shows no signs of the cancer affecting him, but I suspect that may change soon. I’ve come to terms with what’s going to happen, and we have no regrets about the decisions we’ve made. But it still makes me sad. Needless to say, Georgie and I have been getting in lots of good snuggle time. I know he’s really enjoying the spoiling he’s getting.
Then, today I had to take him in to have his staples removed. As I was trying to get him in the carrier, he launched himself off my chest, and scratched the shit out of me. I’ve got two 4-inch gashes under my collar bone. Very pretty. Then the vet tells me that his staples need more time to heal! So I’ve gotta do this again next Monday! SERIOUSLY?! Then, to add insult to injury, he somehow managed to hurt himself inside the carrier on the way home. He writhed himself into an inescapable pretzel and proceeded to scream and hiss. When I was finally able to free him from the carrier, he limped around and shook his foot in pain. What am I going to do with him? He’s surely not acting like a cat with cancer.
