Biopsy Day

What a long, stressful day it has been. We took Bodie to the vet this morning for an early morning drop off. I tried to keep myself busy most of the day, but failed greatly. Instead, I slept. My dreams revolved around needles. I'm restless. I picked him up from the vet this evening. Dr. Z said that everything went very well and for that I am very thankful. We should have the biopsy results in 3-5 days. More waiting. More worrying. More stress. He's home now, in the bedroom, and I just spent some time with him. He's purring and being very sweet. I know he knows I am helping him. He looks tired. My poor boy. Here's a photo I just took:

I will update when I know more. Thank you for your love, support and prayers. For those of you who have donated to help save this boy, thank you so much. It is so appreciated.

He's a happy boy :)

Bodie giving me some love :)

UPDATE: April 24, 2013

Bodie had been doing so well. A few weeks ago, however, he started walking with a significant limp. I was concerned as he was showing no improvement, so we decided a vet visit was in order. We were not expecting such devastating news. Bodie's Xray revealed an unidentified lesion on his bone. The Xray was sent to a radiologist to review and it was determined that the lesion is a bone tumor. In order to save Bodie, he has to have his back left leg amputated. As you can imagine, this entire procedure is extremely costly. I want to do the right thing and Save Bodie. He has come so far and has defeated so many obstacles. I've decided to take up a donations that will go towards his biopsy and his surgery. I will update this page as we get closer to a biopsy/surgery date. I thank you in advance for anything you can contribute and I know that Bodie thanks you, too.

The Black and White Kitty

It's hard to remember the first time that I noticed the black and white kitty hanging around Police Headquarters. I recall seeing him when he seemed relatively healthy and happy. I remember once time watching him roll around on the pavement in the sun, as if he didn't have a care in the world. He didn't seem homeless. He didn't seem feral. He seemed shy, but sure of his surroundings, as if he had been there a while. In truth, I have no idea how long he really had been there.

I remember taking my breaks and going for walks. I would always look for him. Something about having a work kitty made my day a little better. I enjoyed going outside and looking for the elusive black and white cat, but I hardly ever saw him! Occasionally, I would notice him sleeping under a bush. He would look at me as I talked to him, but he wouldn't run. If I got too close, he would scamper away. Months passed where I only saw him occasionally, but I heard he was out a lot at day. Swing Shift and Graveyard informed me that they saw him, so at least I knew he was okay. I missed seeing his face, but knowing he was still around was what mattered most.

I remember seeing him for the first time after a few weeks, possibly months. When I saw him, I could hardly believe he was the same, once healthy looking kitty! He looked absolutely terrible. Foremost, he could barely open both of his eyes, as they were both infected and possibly injured. He was super skinny, dirty, and his fur had lost its shine. But, more than all of that, he was now walking with a very bad limp and not putting any weight on his back hind leg. When my co-workers and I saw his deteriorated condition, we knew that something had to be done! I was suddenly worried he might lose an eye to injury or even a leg! So, my friends and I devised a plan. My friend Dotty and I would be the ones he would start getting used to. We would start providing him food and water and hope to gain his trust. We would feed him at the same place every morning and on those days when we were off work, another co-worker would step in. Our priority was getting this boy fed so his body could fight any infections. He was really beat up and ragged and I found myself thinking about him at night when I was at home. I found myself looking forward to seeing him and feeding him in the morning.

It took some time, but he started to realize where the food was and he also started to realize that we weren't going to hurt him. He was making his way closer and closer to us, getting to know our voices, our scents. We didn't try and push ourselves on him and we let things progress in his own time. Coaxing him with food took months, but it finally paid off. One day, while he was eating in front of me, I decided to try and touch him. Much to my surprise, he didn't back away. He let me pet him and I felt my eyes swell with tears. I knew now, more than ever, we had to get this boy trapped. He needed medical attention and he needed to be neutered. It was at this point that I reached out to FieldHaven Feline Rescue, an amazing organization that I have been volunteering for since 2008. And if it wasn't for FieldHaven, the black and white kitty would still be living at Police Headquarters.

(To be Continued...)