Reprieve

Blissfully unaware that we are debating his life, Smokey peers cluelessly around the vet's office.

Well, Smokey has been given a month's reprieve. It's a long story, but the upshot is this: our vet felt that with Smokey still being active, it would not be inhumane to give him a steroid shot which should alleviate his discomfort for up to a month. This gives us time to say goodbye, spoil him and let him wet on all the walls of the house (happy, happy, joy, joy). But we will be putting him to sleep. It is liver cancer and it is fatal.

Right now, my wife is fighting to prevent him from eating her pizza and drinking her milk. He's already clawed her and drawn blood, so I'd say the steroid is working.

I'm glad, I was not ready to say goodbye and it is a blessing that I don't have to put him down and then leave town. I am looking forward to coming home and if I am very lucky; I may get one of those rare half hours where I sit and read and Smokey sits in my lap and lets me scratch his head. The Goddess is good and she is kind sometimes. I am grateful.