5/7/10: Cosmo 2 year OTJ annifursary!!!!

hello everyone, old friends and new...

Today is Cosmo's 2 year OTJ anniversary!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Cosmo wasn't my first choice as a pet... he and his littermate are 'accidentally' mine. I agreed to 'foster' these two for 3 months while their daddy was supposed to find cat friendly housing. And here we are 15 years later, and I can't imagine my life without them.

26 months ago, I thought I was going to have to say goodbye to my furbaby. My gentle, scaredy cat who is a man-***** for attention. I had gone away for a conference, and came home to a lethargic cat who wasn't hungry for the first time in his life. Still, he purred and patted my face when I picked him up, and it wasn't until he refused wet food that I knew he was sick.

The ER vet told me that it would be best to put him to sleep. He was DKA, she explained, and most cats don't survive and treatment is expensive. I bawled and bawled some more. I said I want to give him a chance. Over the next 8 days, he was diagnosed with DKA, hepatic lipidosis, and pancreatitis. Then a heart murmur. I visited him 2x per day (the only time I was allowed to see him). I spent the entire visiting hour crying and petting him, willing him to know that I loved him and for him to get better.

Slowly, but surely, every day, the intern vet told me that he seemed 'brighter' and after 5 days, he finally got rid of all the acid, then the ketones. He came home with a tube in his throat, and a huge bag of medicine. For the next 2 months, I poked, prodded, and syringe fed around the clock while trying not to flunk out of my doctoral program. Every day, he got stronger. I thought he was so cute with his antennae (when the e-tube was taped up out of the way, it would poke up between his ears).
I was pretty sure he was going to be ok when he started to bounce up and down next to the bed to ask for me to pick him up onto the bed.

In the meantime, I found FDMB. I found a loving, supportive, ever so helpful place where people understood what we were going through. Around the clock care that was instrumental in helping him recover and go OTJ. I'll never forget the first time he threw a low AMPS. Or the time when Jojo coached me through buying and using "R" b/c she knew he was prone to going back to DKA with his scary high numbers. And the scary, anxiety provoking, but exciting roller coaster ride of dose decreases. And the disbelief and holding my breath as we did the OTJ countdown, even as we planned the removal of his feeding tube.

Since going OTJ, we've had other health issues that you all have seen us through. CRF, possible lymphoma and the removal of the eye, the TOHP, and many bouts of pancreatitis. The bronzed poo episode and the ascites

He still struggling with the ascites and pancreatitis (more and more frequently, it seems), but we have mostly good days. The TOHP isn't gone, but it stopped growing. He's the snuggliest baby bug, and we use the baby sling on a regular basis. He now likes to sleep curled up facing me so he can put his head on my arm, and he's been diligently working on giving me stylish bangs.

So... catniptinis and tunaritas all around!! I wouldn't give these last two years up for all the gold in the world. Not only b/c of the special relationship I have with my Cosmo, but b/c I got to meet and get to know all of you.

ps. sorry for big pic. I tried to shrink, to no avail.

 

happy 2 year OTJ annifursary, cyn and cosmo!!!
gosh, the two of you have been through so much together. your boy is such a fighter... and he is so lucky to have you!

 

Great story, congrats to you both

 

Happy Two Year Annifursary, Cyn and Cosmo! You two have been through so much togther. I loved your post. Wishing you many more annifursaries with your sweet boy.

 

Happy 2 Year Annifursary! Wow what an amazing story!!!! Congrats!!!!

 

happy two year anniversary! Amazing story!

 

Words, words, words, where are the words?
Goodness, this is an exciting celebration day. You and Cosmo are so special to us.
YOU have done so much for him, LL, and even me personally, you helped me through Michael (DFS) and Noisy -- two of the hardest things ever.
I am forever thankful for you.
I LOVE HIM, HAPPY 2 YEARS!!!

 

What a beautiful "accident" that you two found each other! Congratulations Cosmo...on your 2 year Annifursary! What a milestone for you both!!
party_cat HAPPY 2 YEAR ANNIFURSARY COSMO!!! party_cat
You have both been through SO much and that special bond is wonderful to read about. You are both so lucky to have each other...he is a darling! What a sweet kitty he is! Thank you for sharing Cosmos' story with us Cyn....hope you have a wonderful day today...what a great celebration!!!! :mrgreen:

 

Happy Annifursary!! ​

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Happy Annifursary! What an inspiring story. Cosmo is one amazing kitty with an amazing mom! Wishing you many more annifursaries.

 

You know Punk and I heart you guys more than our luggage. D's right.....where are the words? Cosmo is an inspiration. I remember when I was a newbie reading your condos and thinking "geez, she musta been here forever, she knows everything." But you were a newbie too! A most impressive newbie at that. I'm verra happy to know you both and you guys are the wind beneath Punkin's fur.

She baked Cosmo a cake, she says share with Danger.(look closely, it's made of fish) :mrgreen:
HAPPY ANNIFURSARY!

 

Thank you for sharing that story - it brought tears to my eyes. I'm fairly new here, so I hadn't heard it before. Congratulations on your 2 year Annifursary! party_cat I hope you and Cosmo get many more annifursaries.

 

WTG Cosmo & Cyn! Cyn you are just too awesome for words, Seamus sends his love to his Boston mama.

 

Cyn! Cosmo! Danger! We heart you guys too! Cosmo was already OTJ by the time we got here, but what a wonderful story. He is such an inspiration for everyone here.

Love the "cake" Jackie! Punk is such a good cook :smile:

Happy 2 year annifursary you guys!

 

Happy anniversary! :RAHCAT

 

HAPPY 2ND ANNIFURSARY TO YOU & COSMO, THE HANDSOME BOY!!
AFTER ALL YOU WENT THROUGH, YOU ARE STILL STANDING TALL-
I remember your trial & tribulations & always knew you were strong & brave--
You deserve a wonderful day--HUGS~!

 

Thanks for all the well wishes everyone!

He had a terrific annifursary. We snuggled with the baby sling for over an hour, he got extra bonito flakes, and he had a huge appy today! Can't ask for anything more. Well. maybe. Even better, he is trying like mad to get into people food (noodles with butter and parmesan. He loves him some carbs!)

 

As usual, I'm here late and missed the entire annifursary celebration. But I wanted to send along congratulations and hopes for many more years together.

 

sorry we are late coming to this wonderful celebration of life, love and perserverance!

I actually have you to thank for being Maui's first responder on my first day finding this board. Because of what you and Cosmo went through, you were there for me and were one of several guiding angels helping me get Maui out of a bad vet situation and finding my local angels Andrea & Seymour and Donna & Flame to help me IRL.

Edited to add: not only were you the first responder - you were that one constant voice writing to me and doing your best to help me out of what you all knew was a stressful, difficult situation. I just re-read those posts the first two days - and Cyn - honestly, if it weren't for you, I don't know where Maui would be today!

Wed. will be Maui's one year OTJ and I'll post then, but since you posted about your OTJ - I wanted you to know just how much yours and the others who posted that first day - really helped.

So - thank you and Happy Annifursary! Come stop by Maui's condo - she's got the nipjitos ready!

 

I'm late to the party, but I couldn't miss it. I heart you and Cosmo. No matter what obstacle is thrown in front of you, you just say "well, ok, here we go again" and you plow right through it. You guys are a great team. Two years is AWESOME, especially for a kitty as sick as Cosmo was when he got here. He inspired me to keep going with Lucy, knowing that if Cosmo could do it, Lucy could too. Thank you!

 

Happy annifursary Cosmo!!

 

Wow! What an amazing group of people and kitties we have here, in Lantus Land!

Congratulations Cosmo on your 2 year annifursary! :mrgreen:

party_cat

 

Sorry I am late to the party. Congratulations on 2 years OTJ.
:RAHCAT :RAHCAT

 

Happy Anniversary, wow, what a milestone for Cosmo to have come so far when he was so sick. This was a huge accomplishment for you, your vets and all your loving care for Cosmo. He knew he had to get better for you and then he went OTJ as a bonus! But what I appreciated very much is that you stayed here to pass it forward and help so many other beans and their kitties. As Hillary said you have been there for many of us and what an awesome gift your presence and support has been for the whole board. Thank you from all of us who were and are helped directly by your posts or indirectly by reading what you write to others.

Congratulations Cosmo!

 

Congratulations on your anniversary milestone! You sure garnered a lot of experience in those few early months, and have shared your knowledge with several others having to deal with feeding tubes and other issues. Cosmo is an inspiration.

 

CONGRATULATIONS !!

In some ways seems like no way could it be 2 years already, and other ways seems like forever ago.

I'm glad Cosmo is still a happy cat ........ many more OTJ/happy catfursaries to come !

cat_pet_icon
scritches to Cosmo for me

 

congratulations and happy 2-yr otj! and hugs to the lemon kitty cat_pet_icon

you know you played a huge role in this, don't you? your perseverance and effort helped pull him through where others would have written him off. so give yourself a pat on the back too ;-)