Edward is back.

It's as if everything bad about last year is good about this year. I have some good writing assignments, my dream-column is launching, my love life ain't half bad, and I have found some virtual communities that are more community than virtual.

I have a kitty to nurse over the next six weeks, but with a healthy happy mom he is sure to get well sooner.

I have every intention of being able to help others some day the way that they have helped me over the past week. It is a great feeling.

To read the saga from where it left off yesterday, I am going to post here the emails I sent to the rebecalist and posted on the well. I hope that that is okay.

Before I do, it is worth repeating that I have learned something. I have learned how wonderful humans, as well as cats, can be.

EDWARD UPDATE
6/11/97 PART II

I don't know what to say. This has been so hard for me; the guilt has been so hard for me; and you all are being more supportive, kind, sympathetic, and generous than I ever could have imagined. I am learning from this, and what I am learning is very different from what I would have expected to learn -- I am learning that humans can, in fact, sometimes be as loving and supportive as cats. I want you all to meet Edward; he is so special. And so are you. I sound silly. But I mean it.

Dr. Press called this morning (about 20 minutes ago, in fact), and told me that Edward is recovering well -- his lung is healing, and he was cleared for pain killers (thank goodness) -- but, because of the complexity and quantity of the fractures, he does need surgery. Edward is only six years old, and a very healthy cat in general, so with surgery, the outlook is good. No matter how much money he receives over at Mission Pet Hospital (and I told Dr. Press to be on the lookout for Edward rescue funds) -- and he and I are soooo grateful for any amount you send him there -- I *will* be getting him the surgery. According to Dr. Press, a specialist is being called in to do it, and it will most likely take place tomorrow or Friday. I will continue to post updates here, as well as put breaking news in my bio file.

For those who want to see a picture of edward, he has a page (or two) on my web site at (http://www.bossanova.com/rebeca/edward.html) (don't laugh; I made those pages in September, 1995 :). I didn't know that there were so many (fellow) animal lovers on the well! This experience has been leveling and humbling; you all are making it so much better for me. You are giving my cat (and myself) a second chance at living a healthy life, and I cannot thank you enough.

P.S. When Edward isn't headbutting, he does have that adorable cat tendency to butt-sniff as well. And he has such a beautiful butt. I hope you all get a chance to meet him, as well as he have a chance to meet all of the muggins and rastas and axes, snickers, beans, robins, blues, smokeys, harleys, sams, marmelades, nutmegs, Schroendinger, Diracs, Charlies, Morgans, Wrigleys, Rosies, Jackson, Natasha, Pookie, Orange, and Cueball, Howdys, Wackys, Sings and Tiggers (and anyone else I forgot - sorry). Thanks again.

---

EDWARD UPDATE 6/12/97 Edward had his surgery today. A special surgeon was called in to perform it, and he called me at a little after 4 pm when he was completed. According to the surgeon, everything went "perfectly." Edward was strong and brave (and also completely knocked out), and the bones were put back together again "beautifully." He used words like "couldn't have been better" to describe the success of the procedure. Edward will need to be kept in a cage for about 6 weeks, but after that, he will may even recover fully, and be back to "100%." I'll get to bring him home tomorrow (Friday) and, if all goes well (which the vet thinks will happen), then "it will eventually be as if nothing ever happened." I am so relieved. This has been such a nightmare; but it looks like, after a couple months, things will be back to normal (except for the debt I'll be shouldering) and Edward will be a head-butting leaper-boy again. I wish I could even explain how grateful I have been for all of the support I've received over the last few days. Edward is such a special cat -- the vet told me that even yesterday, with his broken pelvis, he insisted on using his litter box in his cage! -- and being able to keep him a part of my life is just so incredibly priceless. I'm still feeling so guilty about the open window; I'll always probably feel guilty about the open window; but your emails, posts, and calls have helped me so much. I'm so grateful and relieved. ... as well as exhausted. I didn't post right away, because right after the vet called, I laid down on my bed and slept for an hour. I think that the beams helped. He's on the road to recovery. I'm so very pleased and relieved. Thanks again. Thanks so much.

---

EDWARD UPDATE
6/14/97

He's home! ( I would have been able to bring him home yesterday, but he wasn't eating. Then I brought in his own food -- he, like his mom, doesn't eat chicken but does sometimes eat fish -- and he ate some, finally.)

Poor thing has half of his tush area shaved, and a fairly scary looking arc-shaped line of sutures (I forgot to ask how many stitches, but it looks like about 20 (remember kimmie's head from melrose place?)). He will be confined to a cage I borrowed, which is about 20 inches by 3 feet by 3 feet tall, but it is big enough for a small litterbox, his food dish and a waterbowl, and for him to lie down on the mars-smelling towels (crazy cat, don't ask me why he likes that smell). Jennifer rabbit, who lives in a two-story condominium at least twice the size of edward's cage, is greeting him with tons of thumps -- grrr. But edward, being the zen cat that he is, appears nonplused. He is situated near the window, in between jen's condo and the tv, so he has tons to look at, including me, on my couch right here (the first advantage I've found yet from living in such a tiny apartment!). He seems calm and isn't crying, which is comforting, I guess.

He goes back in to have his pain-killer patch removed on Thursday, and then have his sutures removed a week from Monday. Everyone at Mission Pet Hospital has been nothing but amazingly professional, competent, and caring. And they have been keeping together the checks that have arrived and applying them to the bill, which was as predicted. Again, I have to repeat that I am so very grateful, not just for the financial support for edward, which has been so generous, but also for the amazing outpouring of emotional support that you all have given. It's really amazing.

This has been quite a week for me in more ways than one; it's really fabulous to see how wonderful humans, as well as cats, can be. I am so afraid that this comes across as trite, but I am really really grateful.

I will continue to post updates, when relevant, (and hopefully shorter than this one!) to news, my bio .plan file, and to my home page at http://www.bossanova.com/rebeca/readme/.

Jennifer just stopped thumping. Edward just took a bite of food. It is a beautiful sunny day in here, and I am indescribably relieved and grateful. Thanks again.

---