tragedy into farce
There is a contest underway amongst the language school students to see who can come up with the best cat picture during our time in Morocco (cats are think on the ground around here, though mostly thin about the belly). I think my previous photo from Chefchaoun is in the running, but here's my favority entry, taken in the cemetary of the Anglican church in Tangier:
This photo has lately acquired a symbolic significance as I discovered a week ago that my family's cat, "Nachos," is dying of kidney failure. He's 17 years old, so this is no shock to anyone. He's also never been the most affectionate of beasties, more prone to nips and indifference than purring and affection: Still, he's been a constant in my life since we rode out the Loma Prieta quake together in 1989. I was prepared to write something properly sentimental to mark his passing.
And then I received an email from one of my aunts, with the subject line "IMPORTANT: READ IMMEDIATELY." The first line: "Your mother was hospitalized last night..."
NOT a line you want to read, especially while on another continent. Frantically, I read on, only to discover that the infamous cat was the cause of the crisis! It appears that my mom was trying to groom him and he gave her a particularly nasty bite, which almost immediately got inflamed and infected. Cat saliva is apparently toxic--who knew? A couple days of swelling and trips to the urgent care center later, she landed in the hospital.
Happily, her recovery is going smoothly and she should be headed home today or tomorrow. We will see how long the cat lasts. Mom's in a relatively good humor about the whole thing, describing this as "Nachos' Last Stand" and decrying his audacity in sleeping on her bed the night after puncturing her arm.
She's also enjoying having the shoe on the other foot. Instead of being the reluctant recipient of her overly sanguine, globe-trotting daughters' foreign disaster stories (Passport theft, anyone? Intestinal disorders? Bombing raids?), she's now the one receiving our panicked calls: "Are you all right, Mom? Are you OK? Are you sure? I'm so far away!!!" What goes around comes around?
This photo has lately acquired a symbolic significance as I discovered a week ago that my family's cat, "Nachos," is dying of kidney failure. He's 17 years old, so this is no shock to anyone. He's also never been the most affectionate of beasties, more prone to nips and indifference than purring and affection: Still, he's been a constant in my life since we rode out the Loma Prieta quake together in 1989. I was prepared to write something properly sentimental to mark his passing.
And then I received an email from one of my aunts, with the subject line "IMPORTANT: READ IMMEDIATELY." The first line: "Your mother was hospitalized last night..."
NOT a line you want to read, especially while on another continent. Frantically, I read on, only to discover that the infamous cat was the cause of the crisis! It appears that my mom was trying to groom him and he gave her a particularly nasty bite, which almost immediately got inflamed and infected. Cat saliva is apparently toxic--who knew? A couple days of swelling and trips to the urgent care center later, she landed in the hospital.
Happily, her recovery is going smoothly and she should be headed home today or tomorrow. We will see how long the cat lasts. Mom's in a relatively good humor about the whole thing, describing this as "Nachos' Last Stand" and decrying his audacity in sleeping on her bed the night after puncturing her arm.
She's also enjoying having the shoe on the other foot. Instead of being the reluctant recipient of her overly sanguine, globe-trotting daughters' foreign disaster stories (Passport theft, anyone? Intestinal disorders? Bombing raids?), she's now the one receiving our panicked calls: "Are you all right, Mom? Are you OK? Are you sure? I'm so far away!!!" What goes around comes around?
posted by Emily at 10:35 PM
6 Comments:
Ain't that always how it seems to go, though? Life is funny that way!
This recently happened to my great aunt (age around 80). She was attacked -- rather brutally -- by her 20 year old housecat. She was hospitalized, and was still limping when she visited us a week later.
I'll spare you the news of what happened the cat, but I'm sure it was done painlessly.
The cat was always nice to me.
I am glad to hear that your mom is going to be ok.
Hope the email wasn't too alarming - but I see it did the trick and got your attention. Talked to Grammie earlier - Mom went home today. Speaking of coming home - when do you arrive in the States? Toni
Well, the cat always was more particular to guys...
I get back to Chicago July 30, then start driving to CA on August 2, probably arriving in Oakland that Sat or Sun, depending on how fast we drive.
Suggesting that the cat is gay is a weak excuse...
; )
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