Distressing Elvis news

Poor Elvis is quite sick. I found a lump on him a few months ago, and was told it was nothing. But a week or so ago, I realized it had suddenly started to grow at alarming rate. I took him to the vet and was told it was probably cancer. The vet wanted to wait for test results to make sure an older cat like Elvis could handle surgery. The timing was horrible. It was Thursday, and I was supposed to leave on Sunday to go to a workshop in Concord, Mass., to study the Transcendentalists. As the tests wouldn't be back until Monday, and the vet seemed to think it would be ok to wait a week for the surgery, I decided to go. Elvis at this point was acting completely normal--eating, drinking, batting me in the middle of the night for an extra snack. Neilson was put on cat watch duty. On Monday I spoke to the vet, who said Elvis might have diabetes, and his urine would need to be tested. So Neilson was set on monitoring the litter box. But Elvis wouldn't produce and suddenly on Wednesday evening started to act very odd and sick. Neilson was at the vet first thing Thursday morning. The immediate problem that Elvis was very dehydrated--Neilson had to learn how to put in kitty iv and give him one yesterday afternoon. I decided to come back from Concord (luckily it was run by real pet lovers, and most of the critical events had taken place). Elvis seems better than he did Wednesday, but still far from normal. The vet told me he was a "real sick kitty" and doesn't really know what is wrong with him. So keep in him in your thoughts.

Elvis in healthier days.

P.S. With the exception of my distress over Elvis, the Concord workshop was wonderful. I'll post pictures, details, etc., soon.