Suffering exists - Joanie's Story (Day One)

The day did not end very well for us. At about 5pm, we received an SOS call from Aunty Kiew. It seems one of her cats was having trouble giving birth, and she said it was an emergency as it looked like the cat was already dying. We rushed to Aunty Kiew's and found the poor cat in a box, motionless.

From her place, we sped off to the hospital, and the doctor in attendance immediately took an x-ray. What the x-ray revealed was far worse than what had met the eye.

According to the doctor, the kittens were already all dead, and had probably been dead for some time. There was a bit of bone sticking out of the cat's vagina, and it was the decomposed remains of one of her foetuses (trying to be born). The foetuses had already decomposed inside her uterus and everything had turned septic and was now in a "gaseous" state (full of gas and toxins).

The doctor advised us that the prognosis was really bad and the chances of saving her was extremely slim. The surgery and treatment would cost quite a bit, and he wasn't even sure if she would survive the surgery.

I said we have to try. So I told him to go ahead with the surgery. It was the lesser of the two evils - if we don't remove the foetuses, she would surely die and she was already in great pain as it is. She has been suffering for quite some time already.

A surgeon was called in and we waited while the doctors performed the surgery.

We prayed and sent positive thoughts to the poor cat.

After some time (I dont know how long), the surgeon came out and said the cat survived the surgery but the prognosis was still very bad. First, the insides were in such a terrible state that her tissues had already decomposed. They removed as much as they could so much so that there was hardly any left for suture. It was like "taufoo", the surgeon told us. He sutured the wound, and covered it with some fat so that in case the suture did not hold, the fat might give it some protection. Second, based on the extent of septicaemia, the surgeon thinks she might have already been in this terrible state for two weeks (can you imagine her suffering?), and he cannot be certain how much toxins there are and the extent of damage the toxins have caused her other organs.

A blood sample was taken and it will be sent to the lab to determine the condition of her other organs tomorrow.

The surgeon says she might not even pull through tonight. But they have tried their best.

We went in to see her, and the surgeon showed us her eyes. He thinks brain trauma had already occured (or could have been in existence earlier, we would never know) because one eye was dilated while the other was not.

We are thankful to the surgeon and the doctor in attendance for having put in all their efforts to save her.

The doctor said they would call me tomorrow should her condition take a turn for the worse. Whatever it is, we will visit her tomorrow too when the hospital opens.

The cat has been given a heavy dose of painkillers and is on intravenous drips (antibiotics, etc). She is not in pain. The doctors have done their best, and all that is left now is...to pray.

As I was driving back from the hospital, I was more determined than ever to get more people to participate in CNRM. Neutering IS the way to solve and reduce the problems of the suffering strays.

I am now home, reflecting on this episode, and as I send positive thoughts to this poor cat, I look at my own cats and tell them silently that they are so, so lucky to have been spayed and neutered and they have a loving home.

Think of the thousands of strays out there who are suffering right now.

Suffering exists. This is an undeniable fact.

And we must help as much as we can.

Please join me in praying for and sending positive thoughts to this cat who is now fighting for her life. May she recover soon. May nature be kind to her and free her from suffering.

We need a miracle.

P.S. I am calling her Joanie.

P.P.S. 10th Aug 09 - It's 8 days after we rescued Joanie. She has an indomitable fighting spirit that has stumped the doctors completely. Joanie is now discharged and is at home with me. It would be months before she can be declared "healthy enough". So far, she is showing improvement gradually, day by day. Every day is a miracle for her.