This was Jasmine my 14 year old companion through thick and thin. I have been away for a long time from blogging due to her passing and subsequent injuries I sustained. First of all, Jasmine was a very loving cat in her own way. I had rescued her when she was 1yr old from the humane society. I had just moved out on my own getting out of a very long term relationship. I had never lived by myself before, always has boyfriend or room mates around. So for my 26th birthday my mom decided I needed a cat. We went to the humane society and walked by rows and rows of caged cuties until one stretched her paw out through the bars and swatted my face. I turned and looked at her and instantly knew she was the one. While filling out her paperwork, I noticed she had not only been returned once, but twice due to “behavior problems”. She was on kitty death row and she got her lucky chance with me.
When I got her home to my apartment and put her in the living room I expected her to nervous or skiddish of the new environment. Quite the opposite, she instantly ruled the area. Also I should note that she was an indoor cat. And a very smart and spoiled indoor cat. She did get out once, and I was frantic. Fortunately she was only gone during the day and I got a call from my neighbor who found her. No, my cat did not run for the forest or the trees, she went to the Safeway up the street from me and sat outside the sliding doors when my neighbors daughter found her. Only Jasmine. 🙂 Also, her favorite place to sleep was either on top of or in a plastic shopping bag. For some reason, Fred Meyer bags were her favorite.
So we moved around a little, went through some very rough times. I was back to dating and one thing I could trust is if my cat liked or disliked the guy I was dating. I brought one guy over to my place once and my cat absolutely loved him. That guy is my husband today.
Jasmine had been an only cat for sometime and at the end of her life she had 2 other “sisters” and a dog that she “tolerated”.
Unfortunately, our pets have shorter lifespans than we do and I had to accept that after 14 years my Jasmine was ready to move on. It happened fairly suddenly, about a two week period. She had lost a lot of weight and was very lethargic. After multiple trips to the vet and a special diet she was still going downhill. My husband and I had to make the inevitable decision to end her suffering. So on the night of the 8th of May, we knew the following morning we were going to take her to our vet and do the humane thing. So after much crying and cuddling of the cat, we decided to try and get her as comfortable as possible and put her on our bed to spend the night. This is where you can learn a lesson as I have. Cats are very good at hiding pain. I didn’t realize how much my cat was hurting until I went to help her moved into a different position (she was not moving around very well) and she bit me, Not a normal cat bite, but a dying cat in pain bite on the left hand and index finger. I was unable to get her to stop. I finally freed my hand and yelled for my husband. I was bleeding pretty severley for a bit, I had blood all over the bed and down the hallway. I was able to get it stopped and washed it with soap and water and put some Bactine on it. It was incredibly painful but I figured she had just bit me real good. The following morning I called the vet and explained what was going on and scheduled us to come in and see our vet. The vet tech on the phone advised me that I should get to my doctor right away for the bite as, now I know, cat bites can be potentially very bad. Like blood poisoning, septic, losing limbs kinda bad. I called my doctor and got an appointment for me. I got Jasmine to the vet, and we said our goodbyes.
The vet then said also I needed to get to the DR. After that emotionally draining appointment, I was off to take care of myself. By the time I had gotten to my DR my finger felt like it was on fire. My dr took one look at it and told me I needed to get on antibiotics ASAP and get into a hand surgeon right away. I had kept my hand bandage but looked at it my finger was swollen to the point the tip of my finger was getting no blood and the redness/infection that was setting in my spreading up my hand. This had only been about 12 hours. I got an appointment for first thing next morning to see a hand surgeon and got started on oral mega antibiotics.
This picture above does not show the bites that well. The next day I saw the surgeon. Immediately he said that I needed to go to Providence Portland hospital to get checked in for full on surgery of my hand. I was in shock, I was expecting to probably hand my finger lanced in the office but surgery ? Also overnight in the hospital ?? Wait a minute this is a cat bite. This was May 10th, exactly 13 years since I had got my beloved Jasmine. So I swung on home, grabbed my tooth brush and tooth paste and my husband drove me to the hospital, and was in surgery by 3p that afternoon. What a way to spend your Birthday.
What I now know is that she had actually punctured me 9 times in the hand and index finger, through the flexor tendon. Cat bites can develop infection quickly, 2 to 12 hours after the bite, even if you throughly wash the wound. Bites to the hand are potentially dangerous because there is less blood circulation in the hand due to the many bones, joints and tendons in the hand . Less blood circulation makes it harder for the body to fight infection in the hand. Infections that develop in the hand may lead to severe complications. If pasteurellosis develops in the tissues of the hand, the bacteria can infect tendons or even bones.
Unfortunately, I had a full blown case of Pasteurella multocida infection. The surgeon had to put a tourniquet on my arm and open up my hand in two place to clean out the tendon and tendon sheath that was infected. There was a chance of losing the finger if too badly infected, but was I pleased when I woke up and had the recovery nurse count all my fingers for me. I had a nerve block on my hand and could not feel any of my fingers which scared me at first lol. I spent 2 days in the hospital on IV antibiotic and they had to leave the incisions open so they could drain. I was sent home with tons of painkillers, you would not believe how excruciating the pain can be from just a finger that had cellulitis and tenosynovitis, and sodium chloride to soak my hand in to keep it draining.
My hand healed, I began to be able to use it again, slowly. I am left handed and yes this all was on my left hand. For my job I spend a great deal of time on the computer but with the amount of medications I was taking to control pain and lack of use of my left hand kept from work for 3 weeks.
I am now back at work, still healing, according to my doctor the swelling should be all the way down in about 4 more months. I know feel like I have arthritis in my joint that she bite.
So, moral of the story, my beloved Jasmine was a sweet cat, great companion who left this life in a way that I will never be able to forget her. Mentally, emotionally or now physically. Also, cat bites are serious injuries. If you every get bit, go to the dr, urgent care or even ER. This infection got so bad to the point of requiring surgery and hospitalization within 24 hours.
Still miss my kitty tho.
Blonde Catharticism 