****NAMES CHANGED TO PROTECT PORTLAND'S STREET KIDS*****
The first order of business in the morning was to make sure Baby Girl was still alive. I demanded a status update from Kitten Momma the moment I woke up. She barely answered me. She had stayed up all night to be with Baby Girl. She said she was fine but I asked her at least five times before I believed her. Baby Girl pooped which was so encouraging we practically cheered for her.
Next we had to be seen in the clinic for our bites from the fight. The doctor was the same one I saw when I was throwing up. I was happy about that. They decided to have us both in the same room since we were both being seen for the same thing. We put Baby Girl on the exam table while we were being examined. We overtook the doctor's office. I helped myself to peroxide and we both took medical supplies as we deemed necessary for ourselves or for Baby Girl. FYI: Lazy-eye-doctor-lady was totally okay with this.
We were there for over an hour. They took pictures of our bites and documented all our bruising and symptoms. We had to get Tetnus shots which swear to god hurt worse than the dog fight. We played doctor with Baby Girl and screamed with excitement when she moved her back legs. We knew she would pull through.
I'm pretty sure everyone in the medical office came into the room to see us. A social worker talked to us for quite awhile about how he just lost his ten year old cat. People came in to see the miracle kitten who has consistently been supposed to die but has prevailed nonetheless. They laughed as our bags ended up unpacked and we turned the tiny exam room into our home. When we screamed because Baby Girl moved her legs they ran to see what was going on.
We were filled with so much hope and compassion. Every person there wished us luck, hoping and believing Baby Girl would live. We then went to meet my friend Savior Man at Gateway as he was going to give us a ride to the vet in Oregon City for a second opinion. Kitten Momma's boyfriend decided he was going along which I hadn't planned on but he insisted so I bit my tongue and dealt with it. We were taking Baby Girl to my vet because I trust my vet. She is so wonderful I would not trust my Spencer with anyone else.
Houdini also insisted we took the bus instead of the max. This cost us over an hour in time. I was pretty fed up with him. Savior Man picked us up with Spencer in the car. I squeezed him tight. He's starting to gain weight. His uncle is trying to get him fat. <disgruntled face>. I could not let go of him. He stuck his head out the window, he looooves car rides. I never realize how much I miss him until I have him in my lap. Spock is going to laugh at me but I told Savior Man that I think we should shave Spencer. He got really overheated in the sun. He'll get too hot and start panting like crazy. It scares the shit out of me every time. That kid is so damn fluffy.
With high hopes we walked into the vet's office. We even got my special lady. Spencer wasn't too happy to be there. He growled and dug his claws into my shoulders until I set him down in the exam room. Then he growled and hid under the chair. He could not believe I came to visit and took him to the vet. It was actually a request from the vet that I bring him in to visit when he didn't need an exam or shots. She's adored him since he was a baby but he doesn't feel as fond of her. She wants to see him when she doesn't have to poke him so he won't hate her entirely. Personally, I think the damage may already be done.
She did an exam on Baby Girl and said she was hopeful but she couldn't guarantee anything without an x-ray. The biggest concern was that she had not peed even when her bladder was firmly pressed. I told her to do the x-ray. We waited with fingers crossed for good news.
My wonderful vet came back in 15 minutes later with terse lips and a laptop. I knew. Before she even said, "Not good." I knew. Baby Girl was going to die. She showed us the x-ray and the solid break on Baby Girl's spine. She told us not even a specialist would dare try to fix that. She told us to think of all the people in the world with broke spines and the condition of their lives. I thought of Superman. Baby Girl would never regain use of her back legs. We could put her in a wheel chair but even then her bladder would rupture causing an excruciating death. She said Baby Girl had 24-48 hours at best.
Kitten Momma started sobbing even though no tears fell. Meanwhile, her boyfriend was MIA. I thought fuck this and went out to find him sleeping in the car. I screamed at him to go in to see his kitten and girlfriend. I couldn't believe he left while we stayed and got the news especially after he threw the fit about wanting to go. I stayed out for awhile when he ran in as I wanted to be respectful and give them space. Then I went into the room to hear Kitten Momma saying, "There's no miracle chance?"
My vet lady shook her head.
Kitten Momma said she couldn't do it, not today. She needed time to say goodbye. My vet said she didn't want to be the one to do it but for us to come back in when we were ready to let Baby Girl go and she would put her down for free. She made sure we understood what little time we had and the repercussions for Baby Girl if we didn't act quickly enough. We solemly agreed to the conditions and left the office.
Savior Man started to drive us back to his house so I could take a shower and they could smoke pot. Houdini got his panties in a twist saying they had somewhere to be. In the end Savior Man took them to Llyod Center while I showered then came back to take me. He had driven us all over the planet, let us smoke almost a whole pack of his smokes, and provided pot. Then made two trips back and forth to Llyod.
I do not deserve the amazing friends I have.
While I was on my way back to shelter I got a call from him. He sadly told me money was missing from his backseat. He had done all of that and Houdini possibly stole money from him. I couldn't apologize enough. He told me he wasn't mad. I said I'd pay him back immediately as soon as I got money. He said, "Take care of yourself first." He wasn't even really mad.
The moment I walked into shelter I asked Kitten Momma, "Did he steal money from my friend?"
I believed her when she said she didn't know. If she was going to lie she'd just say no. She was probably more mad than I was. She didn't have good news for me either though. Rumors were spreading that I intentionally shoved the cat in the pitbull's mouth. She told me she didn't believe the rumors. She told me she trusted me. I told her I trusted her.
I'm pretty sure we both went to bed still raving mad. She fell right asleep though. I stayed up and wrote my statement about what happened when the dog attacked and sealed it in an envelope. Then I talked to one of our roommates I don't quite know yet. I wrote until I could not keep my eyes open because if I didn't I'd go crazy. Then I collapsed into sleep where I dreamed about my friend Jelly Bean and thought about what a terrible friend I've been ignoring everyone in town that have no idea I'm even home.
--mm
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