Simon.

This is Simon. He’s 11 years old, and he’s my baby.

This last week, while I’ve been at college suffering through classes and tests… he’s been suffering for real.

He had a stroke on Wednesday night, according to my mom. He was taken to the vet and kept til Thursday where the vet (not our usual doctor) called us and proclaimed that he was “normal.” My mother said when she picked him up, he couldn’t use his back legs and didn’t seem to know who he was anymore. She took him back to the vet on Friday (hoping he’d get better once he was home) and raised holy Hell until our usual vet told her he’d check Simon out for free and wouldn’t let the other woman touch him. He did bloodwork and a protein that indicates muscle damage was off the charts. He warned mom that this is just the beginning—another one might happen next week, next month, who knows and to be ready to say goodbye.

He’s home now and mom said he’s back to himself except he walks with a limp in his back left leg. Apparently the clot didn’t dissolve enough to stop nerve/muscle damage from occuring there. He hasn’t meowed since the stroke, either. So, I’m going home next weekend to see him (just in case).

Who am I to complain about tests or stress or claim to love him when I wasn’t there. He was hurting and I wasn’t there. It’s like Sophie all over again.

I don’t want him to die. Why is this happening? Why him? Why can’t the vet make him better?

Why why why? Not my Simon. How could he get so sick? He’s been so healthy. He never acted old, he was always vibrant and playful and cuddly. He’s my kitty. He’s been my kitty since I was ten.

I don’t know what to do… He isn’t going to get better.






I don’t want him to die.