"To Our Elderly, High Risk Patients"

That's how the email from my doctor started. My first thought was that it was sent by mistake. Even though I take an immunosuppressant medication, I just thought I had a higher risk than healthy people. But elderly??? Really? ELDERLY?!!! Come on now! Just because I'm over 60, they are lumping me in with someone who is 90.

The email went on to say that if we have an upcoming routine appointment (I do), that we should reschedule if we aren't having any problems, and to stay home as much as possible. There was also a link to a CDC website page for high risk people that should apply to everyone.

After my Friday visit to Walmart, I had already decided to limit my exposure to crowds. I was going to go to church this morning and make it my last visit for awhile, but I got up with a slight cough and drippy nose and decided I'd better not expose the real elderly people at church. I'm 99% sure that it is either allergies or some daycare cold given to me by our grandsons who just moved here. They've been going to McDonald's beside the interstate a lot and my youngest daughter is afraid they will bring the coronavirus home to me. She has been sending me links to playground equipment to see if Hubby will put it together if she has it sent here. So far, Hubby said no. I, however, would like to have a swingset, so when they are gone, I can put a porch swing on it.

A quick update on Buddy T. Cat too. He has not been doing well lately. We noticed a few months ago that he was losing weight and he had begun to have a lot of little cysts popping up on his skin. Then, one Friday morning he got up and fell over. He wobbled when he walked and fell over a couple of times. We took him to the vet, and she did a boatload of tests and with none of them positive, she diagnosed him with an inner ear infection because she noticed he was falling to the left every time. She gave him an injection of antibiotic, a steroid injection, pills for dizziness, azodyl for renal support, prednisone, and ear drops. Over the weekend, he got better but by Thursday, he was falling over again. The vet wanted us to start giving him an oral antibiotic even though the shot she gave him should have lasted a couple of weeks. So I picked up that prescription and an increased dosage for the anti-dizzy medication. This time he didn't improve over the weekend and by the middle of the next week, it was obvious that he was getting worse.

Another trip taking Buddy to the vet and the diagnosis is vestibular disease caused by tumors in his ear. By then, they were large enough to see, and he also has some on his tongue which makes it almost impossible for him to eat. I've been giving him a lot of chicken bone broth, but lately, he won't drink that either, and drinks very little water. We both think this is the end of life for Buddy, and I have spent a lot of hours with him in my lap telling him how glad I am that he came into my life. He doesn't seem to be in any pain and spends a lot of time sleeping in my lap or on a bed beside my chair. If he were in pain, I'd take him to the vet for a final injection, but the vet's office causes him such stress that I just can't do it. I know he would rather pass peacefully at home.