Spirit, an Angel Cat; Sighted or Blind, Opening Eyes to Miracles

When I first came to my furrrever home by way of my most special favorite Auntie, I was battling a lot of chronic eye issues, as its turned out some of my FELV+ issues manifesting in my eyes. From March 2015 - July 2015 I dealt with multiple eye illnesses including, uveitis, herpes, toxoplasmosis, allergies to components in the eyes ointments being given and glaucoma though I still had my vision. However the glaucoma we would surmise took my vision late July 2015. This is a tough subject for Momma in a lot of ways because she has trouble forgiving my former family for not taking better care of me and treating my eyes sooner which may have helped the chronic nature of what was happening but then maybe not either. Momma sometimes feels even my FELV+ is their fault because if I was at risk from siblings in that house or being indoor/outdoor they should have had me vaccinated. I don’t judge or regret; I am trying to help Mommy be better about these defects. I am totally indoor nowadays with Mom although I try to sneak out more than anybody; Mom calls me Ms. Bust-A-Move sometimes.

Also Mom has trouble forgiving one of my vets for being lacking in clarity as well as forgiving herself for not being smarter. As the glaucoma onset happened Mom and I were traveling on an extended trip out of town and we saw a local vet just before leaving to try to know we had a good regimen treating what was happening with my eyes. Mom kind of blames herself and also the vet because she thought it was explained that the vets did something with meds to my eyes before leaving on the trip that treated the glaucoma. It was not explained well and it was not clear to Mom that the glaucoma might need ongoing treatment. Almost a week into our trip the vet called to alert Mom to the appt with the ophthalmologist specialists at a nearby veterinary university that they were referring me to and asked how my eyes looked. Well frankly they looked sh*tty they always had to that point and almost in passing said to Mom maybe she ought to get my pressures checked. Mom still (even as she writes this for me I know her she’s getting upset; I hear her crying) gets so emotional because she knows you can’t see ‘pressures’ or know just visually if glaucoma is presenting a problem or not? Mom herself has a potential for narrow angle glaucoma and had YAGG Peripheral Iridotomies done on both eyes December 2014 so she aches in her heart with upset that the vet wasn’t better and clearer, that she wasn’t clearer in mind and understanding of the needs glaucoma presented. Mom took me immediately the next day to an emergency vet in a nearby city about an hour away and my pressures were skyrocketed, she got glaucoma drops from the hooman pharmacy at a dire price being out of town etc too. Then within a day or two Mom noticed I was acting funny like I couldn’t see and she took me in to a local vet in the city we were visiting as the ER vet had suggested to check my pressures and that vet told us she thought I was already blind in one eye and we should try to insist that the closest ophthalmologist specialist who was about an hour and a half away see me to try to help me. You know my Momma went out into the parking lot with the number for the eye vet specialist from the local vet called that office told them we were on vacation that she had an emergency happening with me and we were coming now work us in. I was super impressed with Mom’s determination to try to get me help yet she doesn’t feel very good about any of it. The specialist saw me and was super kind and smart too and ethical. He told Mom I did have herpes flares in my eyes too and gave me meds for that oral and drops and since I was headed to the appt closer to home within a week at the veterinary university back home and there really wasn’t anything he could do to help the vision loss that was happening or had happened in any immediate manner other than treat the symptoms that extended work ups should be left to the the vet university near my home. No sense him doing tests they’d probably require all over again. He said I had already lost my vision in the one eye and it seemed on my way to losing the other eye. And on top of it all we learned about a year later that I had an allergy to a component in the very ointments and drops the one vet was giving me for my eyes that caused the uveitis possibly or at least worsened it which led to more complications so Mom has more fodder for her ‘not like medical peeps or medical peeps miss a lot mess up a lot’ folder. My loss of vision happened fast and Mom gets super heartsick every time she revisits the experience.

She’s more upset about my loss of vision still than I ever was. I just kind like was boom not seeing too well then not at all. I just adjusted you know used my other senses. I still enjoyed our trip and all the ones we’ve had since. Mom had to have my Aunties (and Dad at the time) help her ‘emotionally’ process what was happening to me when I lost my vision on that trip. It’s cool that she mentions need and gets help when she needs it. I need her help and my vets too though as a cat I prefer to pretend I do not need anyone’s help for anything, you know its a cat thing. Being blind hasn’t slowed me down. Every once in a while I miss a mark with my movement cause I am rushing or I run into things. Mom over frets a lot of times, sometimes she helps me out though and I know she tries her best to keep me safe. I followed my Mom everywhere when I could see and I do no different now. I am laying on the modem well napping on the modem while she types this bio for me. My late grandmom “T” (Mom’s Momma) had really limited vision for the last couple of three decades of her life really at least that’s what Mommy says and I think my loss of vision reminds my Mom a lot of her Mother touching her heart with memories of both her Mom’s strength and her challenges in vision loss. And if she thinks on it too long my vision loss reminds Mom of the precarious balance my immune system can waiver in with my FELV+ status. Mom should not go there I tell her because we are living well, we are loving strong and we will enjoy our bond every moment we shall have it. I never complain and really have nothing to complain about.

Mom gets me great care so my health doesn’t ‘hurt’ me so to speak, I have lots of adventures, lots of love, lots of great snacks (love it when Mom eats fried chicken). Mom gets real wow’d by how resilient I am. Even like when I jump real fast for the the tall chair by the island and miss because I have been running around with Brobro (Dante) all excited and slam my head into the side of the counter or slam into the counter on the one of our trips because one of Mom’s visiting friends moves the bar stool I use for access too close to the counter and my aim is off. I am pretty sure some of these experiences exist for a reason to help Mom know and feel the miracles around us. I know there’s lots around me. I hope my sharing my life with you guys helps you furrrrends know some miracles your way!! I am pretty sure its meant to be part of my path of purpose. My relationship with my siblings other than Brobro (Dante) is a little different well let’s be honest and say strained or non-existent because of my blindness but that’s ok I don’t need to cuddle with the huddled masses yearning to breath free. See I have a warm fuzzy name for Dante = Brobro notice I do not for my other five brothers. Mom calls them all ‘street warriors’ puuhhleasse they are homeless strays....yes I know remember Spirit “but for the grace of God there go I”...I really shouldn’t judge I wasn’t a stray so to speak not at that moment anyways but I was headed for the ole dirt nap if I had not been put in Mom’s path.

The amazing miracle path footnote here is I am the ‘miracle’ that brought us all (and I think we might still be growing) together as a family even though I truly could do without all of the street urchins (Geez Mom telling me again to set an example for my brothers uggh).Because of me and my life with Mom she opened her heart and home to all my tomcat siblings yeah that’s right I am calling you out boys. Dante of course does not count he is not a tomcat, he is my canine Brobro and he was actually here first, is the elder of us all and has his own miracle story too but I as a cat I cannot publicly give him credit for anything (I love you though Brobro thank you for protecting me from day one and loving me too and oh yeah for not eating me). Yeah for now Mom and I are the only ‘chicas’ in the house. Each of my brothers including Dante has their own special needs, health challenges, are animals that were written off by some by some peeps but not goodhearted hoomans like you who are interested in my life and my page and my Mom and the circles around her that help her make a home for us. All my brothers are miracles with so much to give that my family is thankful to have the experience of creating a home with. Their stories will come later as my page unfolds and I or Mom or they themselves introduce their stories to you. Miracles in how swiftly we have grown as a family and how things keep working out against expectations and odds to some extent. I am Let me just do a brief introduction now for ya’ll.

Dante came to be with Momma August 2014 when Dad and his family couldn’t really take care of Dante the way needed fully. He is kind of a big guy at least in my book.

Caleb’s gotcha day is in January 2017, alias OG Straight Outta Cherry Hill

Next came Trinity end of September 2017 alias UFC Street Fighter

Solomon’s gotcha day is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving 2017 alias The Southern Gentleman.

Next we have Thaddeus who’s Gotcha Day is January 2018

Our most recent addition Judas and yes there is room at the table even for Judas. He came to our home 2/15/18 by way of challenges to later be explored but his name correlates to the concept of ‘biting the hand that feeds’ literally. Momma is trying real hard to save his life and he’s not helping a lot but so far so good. We don’t have any real good pics of him even though he’s a really handsome guy. This one was Sunday 10/7/18 at a local church where a blessings of the animals was done. Judas went with 4 others of his siblings to the wonderful event.

I hope as my page unfolds and grows you’ll all share some of your miracles too!!! Thank you for all you do for fur babies in your worlds. We are fuuurrrever grateful!! XXOO and some catnip fun your way.

Spirit