A post about my cat, Jazz. No, this really will be an interesting topic. :)

Let's start off that I've been avoiding blogging about this because, even though I'm acting fine about it, it's something that I'm still dealing with (on top of everything else). Jazz, my ginger tabby, was diagnosed with Leukemia last week. She's not young, she's middle-aged in kitty years, and she's been mine for the last 2 1/2 out of her 8 years. She's mellow, sweet, and has provided unflagging companionship when things are good, and when things are rough (HA! lately things have been really rough, so she's been working overtime). When she started to get ill (lethargy mostly and having lost a little weight that she couldn't afford to lose), I gave it a couple of days to see if she would get better on her own, before I took her to the vet. Well, she got a little better, but not enough that I didn't stop worrying. Immediately the vet said she was severely anemic, but they wanted to do a blood test to see what was causing it. The test cost $190. The visit cost $50. Financially, this was not a good thing. In fact, I've just been able to coast above what I would call, a major financial upset, by the skin of my teeth, the last few weeks. A $250 vet visit was not in the plan, and yet how could I say no? That is the question of this blog. Where does the line get drawn between the life of your pet and your bank book? How much would it cost before you say that you can't afford to keep them alive, so you have to put them down? I don't have an answer for that.

My vet is wonderful. Having understood my situation (which is like so many of us lately), she gave me a discount on the tests. One of the two medications was free thanks to a previous owner who no longer needed them for their pet, and the other was only $23. Making her take the pills is another blog completely! haha. No, she's been a gem about it, hasn't drawn blood yet (fingers crossed)

My Jazz purrs like a freight train, squeaks like a toy, and trills and meows sweetly. I will spoil her for as long as she is with me. And I will miss her when she's gone. My Jazz.

UPDATE: Jazz passed away in June of 2011.