Work, vet, vet, vet
*click* for big picture
School trip!
Coffee break
Flowers!
The vet's
Bolle (Fatty)
Absinthe
Guinness
Last friday would be a really busy day. Apart from a 6-hour working day, we had three appointments with the vet for our cats. Unfortunately, these could not be combined, as we can only take one cat a time by bike. With a nifty schedule we managed to do it in just one afternoon, while even squeezing in a doctor's appointment for cy-v.
As the previous day, work was slow, again. Apparently most of our customers have finished school, taken some time off or something. Without working too much, the store was kept nice and tidy. There were two moments of excitement though, the first being when a group of school-going children, around the age of 13, entered the store and a colleague of mine wondered why are those Smurfs in this early? Jokingly, I replied oh, they're on a school trip to Artis zoo. Look, they even dressed as apes. And we continued our usual work. The little kids stayed in the store for a while, as others came in as well. A while later I heard one ask his friend if it would be more expensive here, or in Artis? Thanks. Apparently my joke turned out to be not as far-fetched as I had though myself. I laughed, and told my colleague about how I had been right, leaving a third colleague to do the work as we laughed about it all.
The other excitement was more of a personal matter. Right during our lunch-rush, which we had to do with just two people, I had to arrange the money for the vet. Although we did have the money on our savings account, we could unfortunately not access that account. A few days earlier we found cy-v's web access to be blocked for security reasons. Even though we requested a new access code at once, it had not arrived that morning, leaving us without accessible money. Not wanting to cancel all three appointments, I called my mother in despair, explaining the situation and asking if she could transfer some money, so we could go to the vet and pay her back after the weekend. Luckily, she agreed to that, and half an hour prior to our first vet's appointment, the money was on our regular checking account.
And then a logistic nightmare began. Guinnness was due at 14:00, Absinthe at 15:30 and Bolle at 17:00. After we put Guinness into the cage, we put her at the front of the bike and went to the vet's. We arrived about fifteen minutes early, but didn't have to wait long. After a quick check-up, she turned out to be a healthy cat, though she should not take on any more weight. We headed back home, cy-v went to the doctor's as she squeezed an appointment in to the busy schedule. I secretly used the time to get her the flowers after all. The night before I put the card to go with it in the mailbox, so I wouldn't have to hide it from cy-v, whereas I retrieved it this morning and took it to work. Right after she left, I left too and went to our favourite florist, which was open now. I asked for a nice, purple-pink bouquet, and got one.
After giving her the flowers, it was time to head back to the vet with the second cat, Absinthe. This time I arrived just in time and didn't have to wait at all. He too, was healthy, albeit a little too heavy. But since he did lose some weight, the vet said he could not comment on that. ;-) We said goodbye, again, and I took Absinthe back home on the bike, after waiting for the rain to pass. As the cage is actually a bit too large for the crate on the bike, we had to put it vertical, leaving the cats laying on the actual side of the cage. For both Absinthe and Guinness was no problem. For Bolle however, it wouldn't have been comfortable at all.
That's why he got a special treatment. Instead of taking the bike, we took the bus. As the bus that stops right in front of the vet is rather infrequent, and does not serve the city centre, I opted for a direct city bus, and walk the last half mile to the vet. With a 7-kilo cat, that's easier said than done. We made it though, in time even. However, this time an emergency got priority, and my appointment was pushed back for about fifteen minutes. But then again, what are fifteen minutes if another animal's life may be saved? Even after warning the vet this cat was 'our last, but also our biggest', he couldn't resist an exclamation of astonishment. Where the other cats got their check-ups first, before being weighed, he did things the other way around for Bolle.
He weighed in at about 7.5 kilos, which actually is way too heavy for a cat, although other than that, he was in good health. I enquired about a test for his insulin levels, worrying about possible diabetes - he's obese, and doesn't exercise regularly - the vet thought that wasn't necessary. But, if it would make me feel comfortable, he'd gladly do it. And so he did. Bolle had an insulin level of 4.9, where it should be between 4 and 8. For a cat whose last meal was hours ago - insulin levels rise after meals - that was perfectly acceptable. I'm really glad though, I had him tested. Now I can actually cuddle him again, without tears. Without worrying he might be unhealthy.
I'm so content about the fact we finally could get our cats to the vet, even if it was three months overdue (we try to bring them in every year). The best however, was that my mother told me she did not need the money for the vet back. This visit was on her. Although I feel laden to take the offer, I will accept it, at least partially. These are things I love my mother for, but on the other hand hate to accept such offers. Weird thing, the human mind.