About Me
- Hemmingwayscat
- Dubuque, Iowa, United States
- I'm a woman obsessed with cats. In this blog, I channel my absent Siamese cat named Angel. She lives with my family in this blog, 3 teenagers, a 4 year old boy and a 15 month old little girl. Life is complicated here. We twitter often, but be prepared for teenage interruptions as well as baby moments... Hope you find it interesting here....
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Haitian Vodou and Death
My Grandma died last night. I have been trying to learn about and embrace Haitian Vodun as I find it to be a beautiful way of life. I found this article and copied the part that I wanted (about death and the afterlife) so I could contemplate on it. Maybe you'll also learn something.
Rituals, Behaviors, and Practices Associated with Death and Dying
Haitians who adhere to Vodou do not consider death to be the end of life. They do believe in an afterlife. Followers of Vodoun believe that each person has a soul that has both a gros bon ange (large soul or universal life force), and a ti bon ange (little soul or the individual soul or essence.)
When one dies, the soul essence hovers near the corpse for seven to nine days. During this period, the ti bon ange is vulnerable and can be captured and made into a "spiritual zombie" by a sorcerer. Provided the soul is not captured, the priest or priestess performs a ritual called Nine Night* to sever the soul from the body so the soul may live in the dark waters for a year and a day. If this is not done, the ti bon ange may wander the earth and bring misfortune on others.
After a year and a day, relatives of the deceased perform the Rite of Reclamation** to raise the deceased person’s soul essence and put it in a clay jar known as a govi. The belief that each person’s life experiences can be passed on to the family or community compels Haitians to implore the spirit of the decease to temporarily possess a family member, priest (houngan), or priestess (mambo) to impart any final words of wisdom.
The clay jar may be placed in the houngan’s or mambo’s temple where the family may come to feed the spirit and treat it like a divine being. At other times, the houngan burns the jar in a ritual called boule zen. This releases the spirit to the land of the dead, where it should properly reside. Another way to elevate the ti-bon-ange is to break the jar and drop the pieces at a crossroad.
The ultimate purpose of death rituals in the Vodoun culture is to send the gros-bon-ange to Ginen, the cosmic community of ancestral spirits, where it will be worshipped by family members as a loa itself. Once the final ritual is done, the spirit is free to abide among the rocks and trees until rebirth. Sixteen incarnations later, spirits merge into the cosmic energy.
Here are some other common behaviors associated with death in the Haitian culture:
When death is impending, the entire family will gather, pray, cry, and use religious medallions or other spiritual artifacts. Relatives and friends expend considerable effort to be present when death is near.
Haitians prefer to die at home, but the hospital is also an acceptable choice.
The moment of death is marked by ritual wailing among family members, friends, and neighbors.
When a person dies, the oldest family member makes all the arrangements and notifies the family. The body is kept until the entire family can gather.
The last bath is usually given by a family member.
Funerals are important social events and involve several days of social interaction, including feasting and the consumption of rum.
Family members come from far away to sleep at the house, and friends and neighbors congregate in the yard.
Burial monuments and other mortuary rituals are often costly and elaborate. People are increasingly reluctant to be buried underground. They prefer to be interred above ground in an elaborate multi-chambered tomb that may cost more than the house in which the individual lived while alive.
Since the body is thought to be necessary for resurrection, organ donation and cremation are not allowed. Autopsy is allowed only if the death occurred as a result of wrong doing or to confirm that the body is actually dead and not a zombie.
Like many Western Christian religions that use a figurative sacrifice to symbolize the consumption of flesh and blood, some Vodoun ceremonies include a literal sacrifice in which chickens, goats, doves, pigeons, and turtles are sacrificed to celebrate births, marriages, and deaths.
Vodou Beliefs about Afterlife
Practitioners of Vodou assume that the souls of all the deceased go to an abode beneath the waters. Concepts of reward and punishment in the afterlife are alien to Vodou.
In Vodou, the soul continues to live on earth and may be used in magic or it may be incarnated in a member of the dead person's family.
Communion with a god or goddess occurs in the context of possession. The gods sometimes work through a govi, and sometimes take over a living person. This activity is referred to as "mounting a horse" during which the person loses consciousness and the body becomes temporarily possessed by a loa. A special priest (houngan) or priestess (mambo) assists both in summoning the divinities and in helping them to leave at the termination of the possession.
The gros-bon-ange returns to the high solar regions from which its cosmic energy was first drawn; there, it joins the other loa and becomes a loa itself.
Variations
Each group of worshipers is independent and there is no central organization, religious leader, or set of dogmatic beliefs. Rituals and ceremonies vary depending upon family traditions, regional differences, and exposure to the practices of other cultures such as Catholicism, which is the official religion of Haiti.
Some Haitians believe that the dead live in close proximity to the loa, in a place called "Under the Water." Others hold that the dead have no special place after death.
Burial ceremonies vary according to local tradition and the status of the person. Some families do not express grief aloud until most of the deceased's possessions have been removed from the home. Persons who are knowledgeable in the funeral customs wash, dress, and place the body in a coffin. Mourners wear white clothing which represents death. A priest may be summoned to conduct the burial service. The burial usually takes place within 24 hours.
Conclusion
Westerners, or so-called logical people, might find Vodoun a strange and exotic mixture of spells, possessions, and rituals. Like any other religion, its purpose is to comfort people by giving them a common bond. Vodoun meshes surprisingly well with Catholicism, the official religion of Haiti. With a supreme being, saint-like spirits, belief in the afterlife and invisible spirits, along with the protection of patron saints, Voodoo isn't that different from traditional religions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Resources
I utilized about 20 different sites to gather my information, but I’ve only listed the most credible sources in the list below. Most of these have similar information and contain very few contradictions to one another. The sites that I feel are most credible are the ones published by government or medical organizations and those that cite the sources used for their research.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voudon
http://ow.ly/v1wq This site has a long list of sources cited. Haitians had actually commented on the article claiming its accuracy and thanking the author for posting such an informative piece.
http://ow.ly/v1wE Boston Medical site was funded by a grant from The Ford Foundation. The information is provided as a research resource, and does not represent promotion or medical endorsement on the part of either the Boston Healing Landscape Project , the Boston University School of Medicine, or The Ford Foundation.
http://www.near-death.com/religion.html#rel15 Had a huge resource of information about the beliefs of different cultures regarding death, dying, and afterlife.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/Vodou.htm provides a list of 12 Internet resources used to compile the information and had links to more resources.
Cultural Competency, Haitian Immigrants, and Rural Sussex County, Delaware at http://tinyurl.com/ygnp73d is published to help address the challenges of providing health care to differing cultures.
http://whisperingwood.homestead.com/Voudon.html This site repeated much of what I found on other sites, but it gave insight to which I could verify information due to my current knowledge of Paganism.
http://www.widdershins.org/vol2iss2/l9605.htm this site gave a list of resources used.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase on Amazon.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Nine-Nights is a funerary tradition practiced in the Caribbean (primarily Jamaica and Guyana). It is an extended wake that lasts for several days, with roots in African tradition. During this time, friends and family come together to the home of the deceased. They share their condolences and memories while singing hymns and eating food together. In the old days, the nights were calm and reserved for the most part - but that tradition has changed with the times. Today, these gatherings resemble parties much more than they resemble wakes (though this is not true for all “nine-nights”).
In Haitian Vodou, Guinée is the ancestral home. The place of origin. The eternal dwelling of the lwa. Guinée is Africa. It is where the souls of the dead return to rest, the deep waters of the abyss. And it is the place from which the strength and blessings of the ancestors are repossessed for the benefit of their descendants in a ceremony known as retirer d’en bas d’leau. “A year and a day following the death of a person, the family undertakes to reclaim his soul from the waters of the abyss below the earth and to lodge it in a govi [a specially consecrated container] where it may henceforth be invoked and consulted in the event of illness or other difficulties and so may participate in all the decisions that normally unite the members of the family in counsel.”36 Anthropologist, initiate and scholar of Vodou Maya Deren describes the ritual, directed by a houngan (high priest) or manbo (high priestess) who shakes a consecrated rattle rhythmically, steadily, for a long time. Sometimes insistently, sometimes with a gentle, ringing murmur, the ritual leader uses the instrument and her voice to call les invisibles, the family dead, to the surface of the water.
This ceremony, in which the spirits of the deceased are coaxed with song back into active participation in the lives of their living family members, is a way of insuring that the blessings and help of ancestors are acknowledged and available to their kin. The spirits of the dead are asked to come and reside in special vessels where they can be kept close and cared for by their descendants. Once all the ceremonial rites have been completed, the reclaimed ancestors “are treated as tutelary spirits, a kind of minor loa, who look after their relations and who, in return for sacrifices offered them, attend to the prayers of kith and kin and respond to their appeals for advice or protection.”
Rituals, Behaviors, and Practices Associated with Death and Dying
Haitians who adhere to Vodou do not consider death to be the end of life. They do believe in an afterlife. Followers of Vodoun believe that each person has a soul that has both a gros bon ange (large soul or universal life force), and a ti bon ange (little soul or the individual soul or essence.)
When one dies, the soul essence hovers near the corpse for seven to nine days. During this period, the ti bon ange is vulnerable and can be captured and made into a "spiritual zombie" by a sorcerer. Provided the soul is not captured, the priest or priestess performs a ritual called Nine Night* to sever the soul from the body so the soul may live in the dark waters for a year and a day. If this is not done, the ti bon ange may wander the earth and bring misfortune on others.
After a year and a day, relatives of the deceased perform the Rite of Reclamation** to raise the deceased person’s soul essence and put it in a clay jar known as a govi. The belief that each person’s life experiences can be passed on to the family or community compels Haitians to implore the spirit of the decease to temporarily possess a family member, priest (houngan), or priestess (mambo) to impart any final words of wisdom.
The clay jar may be placed in the houngan’s or mambo’s temple where the family may come to feed the spirit and treat it like a divine being. At other times, the houngan burns the jar in a ritual called boule zen. This releases the spirit to the land of the dead, where it should properly reside. Another way to elevate the ti-bon-ange is to break the jar and drop the pieces at a crossroad.
The ultimate purpose of death rituals in the Vodoun culture is to send the gros-bon-ange to Ginen, the cosmic community of ancestral spirits, where it will be worshipped by family members as a loa itself. Once the final ritual is done, the spirit is free to abide among the rocks and trees until rebirth. Sixteen incarnations later, spirits merge into the cosmic energy.
Here are some other common behaviors associated with death in the Haitian culture:
When death is impending, the entire family will gather, pray, cry, and use religious medallions or other spiritual artifacts. Relatives and friends expend considerable effort to be present when death is near.
Haitians prefer to die at home, but the hospital is also an acceptable choice.
The moment of death is marked by ritual wailing among family members, friends, and neighbors.
When a person dies, the oldest family member makes all the arrangements and notifies the family. The body is kept until the entire family can gather.
The last bath is usually given by a family member.
Funerals are important social events and involve several days of social interaction, including feasting and the consumption of rum.
Family members come from far away to sleep at the house, and friends and neighbors congregate in the yard.
Burial monuments and other mortuary rituals are often costly and elaborate. People are increasingly reluctant to be buried underground. They prefer to be interred above ground in an elaborate multi-chambered tomb that may cost more than the house in which the individual lived while alive.
Since the body is thought to be necessary for resurrection, organ donation and cremation are not allowed. Autopsy is allowed only if the death occurred as a result of wrong doing or to confirm that the body is actually dead and not a zombie.
Like many Western Christian religions that use a figurative sacrifice to symbolize the consumption of flesh and blood, some Vodoun ceremonies include a literal sacrifice in which chickens, goats, doves, pigeons, and turtles are sacrificed to celebrate births, marriages, and deaths.
Vodou Beliefs about Afterlife
Practitioners of Vodou assume that the souls of all the deceased go to an abode beneath the waters. Concepts of reward and punishment in the afterlife are alien to Vodou.
In Vodou, the soul continues to live on earth and may be used in magic or it may be incarnated in a member of the dead person's family.
Communion with a god or goddess occurs in the context of possession. The gods sometimes work through a govi, and sometimes take over a living person. This activity is referred to as "mounting a horse" during which the person loses consciousness and the body becomes temporarily possessed by a loa. A special priest (houngan) or priestess (mambo) assists both in summoning the divinities and in helping them to leave at the termination of the possession.
The gros-bon-ange returns to the high solar regions from which its cosmic energy was first drawn; there, it joins the other loa and becomes a loa itself.
Variations
Each group of worshipers is independent and there is no central organization, religious leader, or set of dogmatic beliefs. Rituals and ceremonies vary depending upon family traditions, regional differences, and exposure to the practices of other cultures such as Catholicism, which is the official religion of Haiti.
Some Haitians believe that the dead live in close proximity to the loa, in a place called "Under the Water." Others hold that the dead have no special place after death.
Burial ceremonies vary according to local tradition and the status of the person. Some families do not express grief aloud until most of the deceased's possessions have been removed from the home. Persons who are knowledgeable in the funeral customs wash, dress, and place the body in a coffin. Mourners wear white clothing which represents death. A priest may be summoned to conduct the burial service. The burial usually takes place within 24 hours.
Conclusion
Westerners, or so-called logical people, might find Vodoun a strange and exotic mixture of spells, possessions, and rituals. Like any other religion, its purpose is to comfort people by giving them a common bond. Vodoun meshes surprisingly well with Catholicism, the official religion of Haiti. With a supreme being, saint-like spirits, belief in the afterlife and invisible spirits, along with the protection of patron saints, Voodoo isn't that different from traditional religions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Resources
I utilized about 20 different sites to gather my information, but I’ve only listed the most credible sources in the list below. Most of these have similar information and contain very few contradictions to one another. The sites that I feel are most credible are the ones published by government or medical organizations and those that cite the sources used for their research.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voudon
http://ow.ly/v1wq This site has a long list of sources cited. Haitians had actually commented on the article claiming its accuracy and thanking the author for posting such an informative piece.
http://ow.ly/v1wE Boston Medical site was funded by a grant from The Ford Foundation. The information is provided as a research resource, and does not represent promotion or medical endorsement on the part of either the Boston Healing Landscape Project , the Boston University School of Medicine, or The Ford Foundation.
http://www.near-death.com/religion.html#rel15 Had a huge resource of information about the beliefs of different cultures regarding death, dying, and afterlife.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/Vodou.htm provides a list of 12 Internet resources used to compile the information and had links to more resources.
Cultural Competency, Haitian Immigrants, and Rural Sussex County, Delaware at http://tinyurl.com/ygnp73d is published to help address the challenges of providing health care to differing cultures.
http://whisperingwood.homestead.com/Voudon.html This site repeated much of what I found on other sites, but it gave insight to which I could verify information due to my current knowledge of Paganism.
http://www.widdershins.org/vol2iss2/l9605.htm this site gave a list of resources used.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase on Amazon.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Nine-Nights is a funerary tradition practiced in the Caribbean (primarily Jamaica and Guyana). It is an extended wake that lasts for several days, with roots in African tradition. During this time, friends and family come together to the home of the deceased. They share their condolences and memories while singing hymns and eating food together. In the old days, the nights were calm and reserved for the most part - but that tradition has changed with the times. Today, these gatherings resemble parties much more than they resemble wakes (though this is not true for all “nine-nights”).
Nine-Nights are no longer a time to mourn but a time to celebrate since the loved one is no longer suffering in life. When friends come they do not come with just condolences they come with food, drink and music; this is after all a celebration. True to its name this celebration lasts nine nights and days with the ninth and final night being the night before the church service. On the ninth night the family prepares the food for all who come. As tradition has is on the ninth night it is believed that the spirit of the deceased passes through the party gathering food and saying goodbye before continuing on to its resting place. Out of all the nights this night is the most revered since it is the end of the celebration. Stories about the deceased and the fondest memories are shared, along with prayers. Games, such as Dominos, are played as well as singing hymns, which is also done on the other nights as well.
On the ninth night a table is set up under a tent with food for the loved one, though no one is allowed to eat from it before midnight because it is believed that this is the time that the spirit passes through. Along with the food are drinks, most often Jamaican rum with no less than 100 proof. The types of food on the table can vary from one celebration to the next, but typically fried fish and bammy are the main foods on the table. This time is very important to the family because it gives them time to celebrate the life of their loved one and to be able to say their goodbyes.
Traditionally on the ninth night of the deceased's death their bed and mattress are turned up against the wall, in order to encourage the spirit (Jamaican patois "duppy") to leave the house and enter the grave.
Retirer d’en bas d’leau: Reclaiming Ancestors: Haitian Vodou**
In Haitian Vodou, Guinée is the ancestral home. The place of origin. The eternal dwelling of the lwa. Guinée is Africa. It is where the souls of the dead return to rest, the deep waters of the abyss. And it is the place from which the strength and blessings of the ancestors are repossessed for the benefit of their descendants in a ceremony known as retirer d’en bas d’leau. “A year and a day following the death of a person, the family undertakes to reclaim his soul from the waters of the abyss below the earth and to lodge it in a govi [a specially consecrated container] where it may henceforth be invoked and consulted in the event of illness or other difficulties and so may participate in all the decisions that normally unite the members of the family in counsel.”36 Anthropologist, initiate and scholar of Vodou Maya Deren describes the ritual, directed by a houngan (high priest) or manbo (high priestess) who shakes a consecrated rattle rhythmically, steadily, for a long time. Sometimes insistently, sometimes with a gentle, ringing murmur, the ritual leader uses the instrument and her voice to call les invisibles, the family dead, to the surface of the water.This ceremony, in which the spirits of the deceased are coaxed with song back into active participation in the lives of their living family members, is a way of insuring that the blessings and help of ancestors are acknowledged and available to their kin. The spirits of the dead are asked to come and reside in special vessels where they can be kept close and cared for by their descendants. Once all the ceremonial rites have been completed, the reclaimed ancestors “are treated as tutelary spirits, a kind of minor loa, who look after their relations and who, in return for sacrifices offered them, attend to the prayers of kith and kin and respond to their appeals for advice or protection.”
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
@Spookyshorty and @Dannyspiro22's Blog Hop for Chemo!
I met Spooky as @spookyshorty months ago on Twitter at at #nipclub. Lillian is their Mom. I was helping @UsThreeCoons's Nimbus get help with his diabetes at the time, so it was December, I was trying to get it for Christmas. Spooky/Lillian was telling me about Spooky and his Lymphoma ...
Spooky-Shorty My Life with Lymphoma
I am an all black male 13 years old DSH cat & I have lymphoma.
I am trying to get cured of this & I am more then half way through my 1 year protocol of chemotherapy treatments.
My story begins last year in May when I could not go poop, I went to my regular vet who gave me enemas that did not work.
I was told I needed an ultrasound to see what was going on in my tummy. I breezed through that procedure. They saw something in my lower colon/rectal area.
I went back to stay over night so I can get cleaned out enough for a colonoscopy, yes the same procedures humans get.
I started to get this procedure & since they knocked me out I have to repeat the story that was told to me when I got better.
It seems when they went to get a tissue sample of this mass they saw in my colon, my colon tore away, this meant lots of bad fluids were starting to seep into my abdomen & that was very dangerous.
They rushed me into surgery that lasted 5 long hours, the surgeon who is very highly skilled, had cut open my belly & had to stop the leaking fluids & needed to remove this mass.
This mass was located behind my pelvis & Dr. Kyles had to drop my pelvis in order to get at that mass. [I think it means they broke it]
I got through the operation but was in very bad shape I was hooked up to IVs that pumped antibiotics so I won't get an infections, pain medication I heard that is a very painful operation. Also I had a drain put inside my abdomen so that all that bad fluid can drain out.
I had IVs around the clock for many days.
The doctors & hospital staff all were amazed that a few hours after waking up I wanted to eat & went to use litter box.
It was a very rough 72 hours, the doctors said they weren't sure that I would survive due to infections or if it ruptures. I had a part of my colon removed with the mass & the colon was reattached they wanted me to poop loose so I wouldn't put a strain on my sutured colon.
I remained in the hospital for 7 days. I was getting kind of depressed being away from home so long.
My first days home I hid in the dark room, I laid in my litter box afraid to move around too much. I had diahrrea very bad my butt got so sore.
A few days more I started to lay in the open, still in my litterbox [I had paper in it]
I started to look for food & walk around a bit more the doctor said no jumping or running or climbing. [ I didn't even want to walk much less jump]
Then the results came back from the biopsy....very bad news, it seemed that mass was cancerous & the type I have is called Lymphoma. There was very good news, this brillantly skilled surgeon Dr. Kyles had gotten all of the mass every piece of it, & the surrounding tissues he took along with it, when tests came back.....I was cancer-free.
Now the decision was to be made about treatments to keep my cancer away. If I had no treatment I would have maybe 2 months to live, if I have only pills [which I still take daily] called Prednisolone I could live maybe 4-6 months, if I got chemotherapy & the pills I need to continue for 1 full year of what they call protocol.
That was the option I chose, yes I did pick that one. My mom talked it over with me & asked me what I wanted, because I was the one to be going through this, what was involved would not be easy. I told mom I want to live a long time I will take the chemotherapy.
I started with it in July & had gotten a grant to help start it, mom was already maxed out from my operation & medicines & long stay in ICU. [$16,000.00]
I was running out of that fund when I got another fund that helped me continue. Soon that was running out because my chemotherapy had 4 drugs involved that are all over $450.00-$500.00 every week, then every other week.
Because of very caring & loving person Jennifer took me under her wing, she started a chip-in. since then so many other caring & loving people from allover the world have donated so I may continue my chemotherapy.
My oncologist will let me know if I will be continuing my chemotherapy after my 1 year protocol is over. He wants to keep this bad lymphoma from ever coming back
I have side effects, Adriamycin: this causes my poop to burn when it comes out it is very severe. Cytoxan: this causes me to get depressed/frightened I want to be held & comforted, & it also burns when I poop but differently & not as severe. Methotrexate: this causes my poop to burn even worse then Adriamycin & last longer. Vincristin: this one makes my bowels slow down & get sluggish so I don't poop.[ I was told this side effect mostly occurs in dogs]
For all my side effects I get medicines to help get over them, I get Metroniadolze pills for when my poop burns me. Miralax powder for when I cannot poop mixed in my food. [yes its made for people-laxative]
Plus the Prednisolone every day.
I went into the hospital weighing 21-lbs, I came home weighing 19-lbs, I weighed in last time at hospital where I get my treatments at 22-lbs. My oncologist would like me to go back to 19-lbs & stay at that weight it is easier to have a better dose of chemo at one weight then to get heavier then I need more higher dose chemo.
I am trying to get cured of this & I am more then half way through my 1 year protocol of chemotherapy treatments.
My story begins last year in May when I could not go poop, I went to my regular vet who gave me enemas that did not work.
I was told I needed an ultrasound to see what was going on in my tummy. I breezed through that procedure. They saw something in my lower colon/rectal area.
I went back to stay over night so I can get cleaned out enough for a colonoscopy, yes the same procedures humans get.
I started to get this procedure & since they knocked me out I have to repeat the story that was told to me when I got better.
It seems when they went to get a tissue sample of this mass they saw in my colon, my colon tore away, this meant lots of bad fluids were starting to seep into my abdomen & that was very dangerous.
They rushed me into surgery that lasted 5 long hours, the surgeon who is very highly skilled, had cut open my belly & had to stop the leaking fluids & needed to remove this mass.
This mass was located behind my pelvis & Dr. Kyles had to drop my pelvis in order to get at that mass. [I think it means they broke it]
I got through the operation but was in very bad shape I was hooked up to IVs that pumped antibiotics so I won't get an infections, pain medication I heard that is a very painful operation. Also I had a drain put inside my abdomen so that all that bad fluid can drain out.
I had IVs around the clock for many days.
The doctors & hospital staff all were amazed that a few hours after waking up I wanted to eat & went to use litter box.
It was a very rough 72 hours, the doctors said they weren't sure that I would survive due to infections or if it ruptures. I had a part of my colon removed with the mass & the colon was reattached they wanted me to poop loose so I wouldn't put a strain on my sutured colon.
I remained in the hospital for 7 days. I was getting kind of depressed being away from home so long.
My first days home I hid in the dark room, I laid in my litter box afraid to move around too much. I had diahrrea very bad my butt got so sore.
A few days more I started to lay in the open, still in my litterbox [I had paper in it]
I started to look for food & walk around a bit more the doctor said no jumping or running or climbing. [ I didn't even want to walk much less jump]
Then the results came back from the biopsy....very bad news, it seemed that mass was cancerous & the type I have is called Lymphoma. There was very good news, this brillantly skilled surgeon Dr. Kyles had gotten all of the mass every piece of it, & the surrounding tissues he took along with it, when tests came back.....I was cancer-free.
Now the decision was to be made about treatments to keep my cancer away. If I had no treatment I would have maybe 2 months to live, if I have only pills [which I still take daily] called Prednisolone I could live maybe 4-6 months, if I got chemotherapy & the pills I need to continue for 1 full year of what they call protocol.
That was the option I chose, yes I did pick that one. My mom talked it over with me & asked me what I wanted, because I was the one to be going through this, what was involved would not be easy. I told mom I want to live a long time I will take the chemotherapy.
I started with it in July & had gotten a grant to help start it, mom was already maxed out from my operation & medicines & long stay in ICU. [$16,000.00]
I was running out of that fund when I got another fund that helped me continue. Soon that was running out because my chemotherapy had 4 drugs involved that are all over $450.00-$500.00 every week, then every other week.
Because of very caring & loving person Jennifer took me under her wing, she started a chip-in. since then so many other caring & loving people from allover the world have donated so I may continue my chemotherapy.
My oncologist will let me know if I will be continuing my chemotherapy after my 1 year protocol is over. He wants to keep this bad lymphoma from ever coming back
I have side effects, Adriamycin: this causes my poop to burn when it comes out it is very severe. Cytoxan: this causes me to get depressed/frightened I want to be held & comforted, & it also burns when I poop but differently & not as severe. Methotrexate: this causes my poop to burn even worse then Adriamycin & last longer. Vincristin: this one makes my bowels slow down & get sluggish so I don't poop.[ I was told this side effect mostly occurs in dogs]
For all my side effects I get medicines to help get over them, I get Metroniadolze pills for when my poop burns me. Miralax powder for when I cannot poop mixed in my food. [yes its made for people-laxative]
Plus the Prednisolone every day.
I went into the hospital weighing 21-lbs, I came home weighing 19-lbs, I weighed in last time at hospital where I get my treatments at 22-lbs. My oncologist would like me to go back to 19-lbs & stay at that weight it is easier to have a better dose of chemo at one weight then to get heavier then I need more higher dose chemo.
I finally had found a kitty who could be saved instead of going OTRB! Mom's got Fibromyalgia and a hard case of depression with it and she had finally found a kitty who wouldn't go OTRB if she could help! Then she learned that Spooky had a brofur named Danny who eventually was discovered to have Lymphoma also! Here is something from Danny's blog...
Danny I Have Lymphoma Too
My name is Danny I am a 15 year old DSH creamy white colored cat & I have lymphoma too.
I came from the streets a man found me wandering around when I was about 11 months old. He didn't really like me & put me in a basement of an apartment building. People complained I smelled up the place so this man scooped me up & dumped me down another basement of another apartment building. This one contained huge rats.
I was very frightened of these rats & meowed a lot, there was this lady who came to see about the boiler, it seemed she helped this super tend to her buildings heat system, I ran up to her crying & she brought me food & water.
I don't blame her she didn't know why I was there I didn't know how to explain it.
The next day she came back to feed me & I was frantically meowing telling her 'DON'T LEAVE ME HERE' she left & came back a few minutes later with a bag. But she scooped me up in her arms & carried me up some stairs.
I spent the day in this nice room with food, water, litter box & a bed. I didn't see any rats here.
The next day I went to the vets, I was deemed a boy [like who didn't know] about 11 months old [I guess I forgot I was on my own a while] & I was healthy.
This lady asked around if I belonged to anybody & if anybody wanted me. she had 2 very old cats & 2 very young kittens.
No one answered her question. I was called CAT for a while then one day that lady came to me & asked did I want to live here......was she kidding me?
I was happy inside.
I went to the vets again to get 'fixed' & knew that when I was ready she'd come for me & I'd have a home forever.
After that the lady became MOM & I became DANNY
I have been in very good health most of my life, I think I have allergies cause I sneeze a lot during the mild months & in the chilly months after that I am ok.
Only now I was feeling not quite right & didn't know if I should tell her or not cause I was scared because I know she can't afford another cat on chemo.
I went to the vet & they took blood & urine & a thing called aspiration for cytology.
I went to another vet who did more tests & was told I had a big mass & a little mass in my belly somewhere maybe its why I feel full after eating so little?
I had gotten this really nice doctor who took special care of me [ he takes care of my brother Spooky-Shorty] I got something called chemotherapy.
I went home I pee a lot & eat in small portions but I am feeling a little better. I go next week & for 6 weeks straight in total to get more chemo this will help me get better & stronger cause I lost some weight.
Then I will get chemo every other week then every 2 weeks every 3 weeks [just like my Brother Spooky] & will have this nasty thing called lymphoma go away.
I loved to play with those plastic thingys that you buy in gum machines with little surprises in them. I can play with them for hours talking to them when they roll under things.
Did I mention I do talk a lot?
If you can please help donate towards my chemo I will be purring happily all the time. I want to live a lot longer & play with my caps.
I came from the streets a man found me wandering around when I was about 11 months old. He didn't really like me & put me in a basement of an apartment building. People complained I smelled up the place so this man scooped me up & dumped me down another basement of another apartment building. This one contained huge rats.
I was very frightened of these rats & meowed a lot, there was this lady who came to see about the boiler, it seemed she helped this super tend to her buildings heat system, I ran up to her crying & she brought me food & water.
I don't blame her she didn't know why I was there I didn't know how to explain it.
The next day she came back to feed me & I was frantically meowing telling her 'DON'T LEAVE ME HERE' she left & came back a few minutes later with a bag. But she scooped me up in her arms & carried me up some stairs.
I spent the day in this nice room with food, water, litter box & a bed. I didn't see any rats here.
The next day I went to the vets, I was deemed a boy [like who didn't know] about 11 months old [I guess I forgot I was on my own a while] & I was healthy.
This lady asked around if I belonged to anybody & if anybody wanted me. she had 2 very old cats & 2 very young kittens.
No one answered her question. I was called CAT for a while then one day that lady came to me & asked did I want to live here......was she kidding me?
I was happy inside.
I went to the vets again to get 'fixed' & knew that when I was ready she'd come for me & I'd have a home forever.
After that the lady became MOM & I became DANNY
I have been in very good health most of my life, I think I have allergies cause I sneeze a lot during the mild months & in the chilly months after that I am ok.
Only now I was feeling not quite right & didn't know if I should tell her or not cause I was scared because I know she can't afford another cat on chemo.
I went to the vet & they took blood & urine & a thing called aspiration for cytology.
I went to another vet who did more tests & was told I had a big mass & a little mass in my belly somewhere maybe its why I feel full after eating so little?
I had gotten this really nice doctor who took special care of me [ he takes care of my brother Spooky-Shorty] I got something called chemotherapy.
I went home I pee a lot & eat in small portions but I am feeling a little better. I go next week & for 6 weeks straight in total to get more chemo this will help me get better & stronger cause I lost some weight.
Then I will get chemo every other week then every 2 weeks every 3 weeks [just like my Brother Spooky] & will have this nasty thing called lymphoma go away.
I loved to play with those plastic thingys that you buy in gum machines with little surprises in them. I can play with them for hours talking to them when they roll under things.
Did I mention I do talk a lot?
If you can please help donate towards my chemo I will be purring happily all the time. I want to live a lot longer & play with my caps.
I don't know how, other than to throw #SpookyPawties and now to do this BlogHop, how to raise funds. Will you join in to help? Use Spooky and Danny's Blog Hop image and include the link for donation at the end. Then at last, please add your blog to the bloghop so you can be part of what everyone sees! Thank you SO much!
A brief history of Lymphoma!
FELINE LYMPHOSARCOMA
By Lynn Miller (Appeared in the "Cat Fanciers' Journal Summer 1998 Issue)Lymphosarcoma, sometimes called lymphoma, is a malignant tumor (or tumors) derived from lymphoid tissue (lymph nodes, tonsils, thymus, spleen, etc.). It is an illness that affects humans as well as cats, dogs, and other mammals. Lymphosarcomas are probably the common tumors of cats.
Although often caused by the leukemia virus, the cases we have experienced have occurred in FeLV negative Oriental Shorthairs, which have been strictly indoors in FeLV negative catteries. Since these cats are related we suspect a genetically inherited cause instead of viral.
Some of the lymphoma cats were diagnosed too late for treatment to be effective so we feel it's important to share our discussions about the symptoms to alert other cat owners and breeders. We have found that by talking about it openly, sharing experiences and pedigrees, we have been able to let go of the pain and continue as cat fanciers.
After our first cat died, I phoned all over the country. I was amazed at how many people would not talk about it. People would tell me about their experiences, but promised to deny the conversation in the future. Some, unfortunately, were all too willing to blame other cats many generations past.
I also went through a long period of denial during this time, which is very common when faced with a disease like this. Even after we lost three cats, I still couldn’t accept that our cases could be genetic. I kept searching for other possibilities. Was it environmental? Water, radon, power lines, or just random bad luck? Were humans affected? It just couldn’t be genetic!
I was frightened. I did not want to hear of any new cases and dreaded answering the phone. I was even afraid to sell kittens. Once we got over the denial, we decided to be proactive. We researched and altered those we believed might be passing it on. Some of our friends thought that we were overreacting. After all, some of the cats had produced beautiful babies and the books said it was viral.
We were also very fortunate to find Dr. Fred. He recognized the symptoms and knew how to treat the disease. Seeing several cats die because they were not treated in time has taught me why it is advisable to start therapy immediately. It’s also important to note that onset of the tumors is rapid, so it is important to get the cat to the vet as soon as possible once symptoms begin.
Lymphosarcomas have been found in Golden Retrievers for years. Rarely do we visit Dr. Fred without seeing one in the waiting room. Lymphoma is also been seen in Boxers, Basset Hounds, and St Bernard's. Lymphosarcoma has also been well-documented in cats. However, until recently, it was thought that all lymphomas were only in FeLV positive cats. This is not true as we, unfortunately, found out. Many veterinarians also believe that lymphoma means death and will advise euthanasia. Many cat owners believe that their cats will be sick from the chemo. Neither of these is true either.
Treatment of Lymphosarcoma in Felines
Most combinations include Vincristine, Cytoxan, and Prednisone (COP protocol). One combination used with success is Vincristine Cytoxan, Methotrexate. Some have added Prednisone and/or L-asparaginase (Elspar)
Dr Fred’s chemotherapy protocol includes Prednisone, Elspar, Vincristine, and Cytoxan. Idarubicin both parenteral and oral routes of administration are possible. Side effects include gastrointestinal toxicity, leukopenia, and anorexia. This drug has limited availability, but seems to have good results in feline lymphoma. Most oncologists agree that total chemotherapy lasts two years.
Case Histories
To help others understand lymphosarcoma that appears to be genetically caused, I’ve included several case histories below. You will see that it is a disease of the young presenting very subtle symptoms.
Algebra's Simon
Born5/6/96
Ebony Oriental Shorthair Male
Sire: SGC Mitsumews Chip N'Dale of Algebra
Dam: CH Algebra's Pocahontas
Born
Ebony Oriental Shorthair Male
Sire: SGC Mitsumews Chip N'Dale of Algebra
Dam: CH Algebra's Pocahontas
Algebra's Pantera of Teshari (Simon's brother aka Alvin
Born5/6/96
Ebony Oriental Shorthair Male
Sire: SGC Mitsumews Chip N'Dale of Algebra
Dam: CH Algebra's Pocahontas
Born
Ebony Oriental Shorthair Male
Sire: SGC Mitsumews Chip N'Dale of Algebra
Dam: CH Algebra's Pocahontas
10/96: Owner noted regurgitation, coughing, and dyspnea. Chest X-ray revealed mediastinal mass. Euthanasia. No necropsy report.
SGC Mitsumews Chip N Dale of Algebra
Born:2/9/95
Seal Point Oriental Shorthair
Sire: GC RW Mitsumews Diablo
Dam: Leggs Kiss Me Kate of Mitsumews
Born:
Seal Point Oriental Shorthair
Sire: GC RW Mitsumews Diablo
Dam: Leggs Kiss Me Kate of Mitsumews
Chip had a show career, was neutered and living in Princeton with a family, two cats, and two dogs. They noted that he was not acting right, not eating right, and not playing right. New toys, new foods, AD, Nutrical, etc. tried11/8/96 : admitted to local veterinary hospital for fluid replacement due to dehydration. 11/11/96 : a different vet realized that Chip was having dyspnea and did a chest x-ray. A mediastinal mass was revealed and euthanasia was recommended. Blood and organs sent to Leslie Lyons.
GP Algebra's Calypso of Y-NOT
Born:11/16/95
Sire: SGC Mitsumews Chip N Dale of Algebra
Dam: GC, GP Algebra's X Marks the Spot, DM
Ebony Oriental Shorthair Female
Born:
Sire: SGC Mitsumews Chip N Dale of Algebra
Dam: GC, GP Algebra's X Marks the Spot, DM
Ebony Oriental Shorthair Female
10/98: she continues to do well.
CH Algebra's Esmerelda
Seal Lynx Point Oriental Shorthair
Born6/1/96
Sire: SGC Mitsumews Chip N Dale of Algebra
Dam: GC, GP Algebra's X Marks the Spot, DM
Seal Lynx Point Oriental Shorthair
Born
Sire: SGC Mitsumews Chip N Dale of Algebra
Dam: GC, GP Algebra's X Marks the Spot, DM
Esmerelda received chemotherapy as per Dr. Fred's protocol. She did well. At the end of March, 1998, she contracted a virulent strain of upper respiratory infection and did not recover. She died on
GC Algebra's QT Pi
Blue Lynx Point Oriental Shorthair
Sire: SGC Mitsumews Chip N Dale of Algebra
Dam: GC, GP Algebra's X Marks the Spot, DM
Born6/1/96 (Esmerelda's litter sister)
Blue Lynx Point Oriental Shorthair
Sire: SGC Mitsumews Chip N Dale of Algebra
Dam: GC, GP Algebra's X Marks the Spot, DM
Born
8/98: Has done very well with chemo protocol. She has been seeing Dr. Fred every three weeks since January. The only doses she missed were in April 98, when she had a URI. She was shown often at cat shows from January-March.
December, 2002 addition. QT did very well with chemo, finished two years of L-COPP and was declared cured of cancer. A follow up six months after completion of chemo confirmed that there was no mass. In May, 2002, QT was seen by her regular vet and was doing well. Within a week, she was not eating and just not doing well. A visit to Red Bank to confirm that it wasn’t cancer, revealed chronic renal failure. She was given subq fluids until August, 2002, when she was euthanized.
CH Algebra's Equal
Seal Point Oriental Shorthair
Sire: Y-NOT WYSIWYG of Algebra
Dam: GC, GP Algebra's X Marks the Spot, DM
born5/3/97
Seal Point Oriental Shorthair
Sire: Y-NOT WYSIWYG of Algebra
Dam: GC, GP Algebra's X Marks the Spot, DM
born
She is doing well and also missed doses during her URI in 4/98.
10/98: she is now on every 3 week protocol.
December, 2002 addition. Equal finished chemo in April, 2000, and was declared cured. She continues to do well.
Roisin
Born 1/88Ireland
Seal Lynx Point
Born 1/88
Seal Lynx Point
10/88: vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, dyspnea, acting depressed. Treated with amoxidrops, and then prednisone. X-ray revealed mediastinal mass. Vincristine given. Prednisone continued. Antirobe started, Serex given.11/17/88 regurgitation repeatedly noted.
12/88-tumor has shrunk to 1/4 of the original size. Still cannot aspirate cells.3/24/89 -"chest film was clear"
1990-finished chemotherapy
3/98: cat is reported to be in good health.
12/88-tumor has shrunk to 1/4 of the original size. Still cannot aspirate cells.
1990-finished chemotherapy
3/98: cat is reported to be in good health.
GC, RW FelitanMick Jaguar of Y-NOT
Ebony Tabby Oriental Shorthair
Born:5/6/95
Sire: CH Y-NOT the Shadow Nose of Felitan
Dam: GC Korindah Kinieger of Felitan (Australian Import)
Ebony Tabby Oriental Shorthair
Born:
Sire: CH Y-NOT the Shadow Nose of Felitan
Dam: GC Korindah Kinieger of Felitan (Australian Import)
12/95: Initially thought to be thymoma (after seeing two vets due to not being able to eat) and scheduled for surgery. Diagnosed with lymphosarcoma. Mediastinal mass was found on x-ray. Cat was sent to referral hospital. He had been unable to keep food down because his esophagus was being compressed by the tumor.
Treated for a full two years with chemo (Vincristine, Cytoxan, and Methotrexate with Prednisone). Was shown during chemo without ill effect. Good response and he is doing well.
Treated for a full two years with chemo (Vincristine, Cytoxan, and Methotrexate with Prednisone). Was shown during chemo without ill effect. Good response and he is doing well.
Notes:
1. Alvin and Simon's brother, Theodore is alive and well and living in Massachusetts
2. Pocahontas died in 1997 at the age two 1/2 years of a possible seizure disorder. No signs of lymphosarcoma were seen on necropsy. Written report remains unavailable. (As of 2002, her siblings were doing well).
2. Pocahontas died in 1997 at the age two 1/2 years of a possible seizure disorder. No signs of lymphosarcoma were seen on necropsy. Written report remains unavailable. (As of 2002, her siblings were doing well).
Studies
Dr. Leslie Lyons is doing a study on cats with lymphosarcoma. It is possible that it is genetic. Blood samples are being collected. Most vets will draw the blood for free and National Institute of Health will pay for shipping charges. Write to her at:lalyons@ucdavis.edu
Dr. Heather Lorimer is collecting pedigrees of the cats with lympho. She has viewed several common denominators. Write to Helorimer@cc.ysu.edu
USEFUL LINKS ON WORLD WIDE WEB
Chemotherapy Side effects (this site no longer exists)Lymphoma InformationDr. Hahn -- Caring for Pets with CancerLymphoma in Cats -- Australian StudyLymphoma InformationIOSG Home Page (this site no longer exists)Lymphoma Resource Pages: Hodgkin's Disease and Non-Hodgkin's LymphomaLymphoma Resource Pages - Lymphoma GlossaryLymphoma Resource Pages - What is Lymphoma?Ferret Lymphosarcoma FAQTalk About Lymphoma
Many of us have been living with cats with lymphosarcoma. They have chemotherapy for up to 2 years before they are declared "cured".
We have formed an on line support group to discuss any and all aspects of the disease. You must be a member to read our files, see our photos, and talk to us. Sign on at felinelymphoma@yahoogroups.com.
This is not a disease of just cats or just Orientals. Several oncologists have been treating felines with lymphoma successfully. If you even think that your cat has lymphoma, please contact one of us for help immediately. It is a fast growing tumor and chemotherapy needs to be started immediately -- even if it is a weekend.
December, 2002 Notes
Cats continue to be diagnosed with feline lymphosarcoma. Young ones treated with long-term chemotherapy continue to do well. Short-term therapies do not seem to have equal results. There are still vets out there who recommend euthanasia instead of consultation with an oncologist. Textbooks continue to talk about feline lymphosarcoma being related to FeLVeand being a lethal disease. There are still vets out there who are so interested in testing and staging that the cat dies before treatment is started. There are still vets out there interested in their wallet and not in the cat or their caretaker. This would be the only explanation for people paying $20 to $125 for the same treatment. As of now, there are 525 members of the feline lymphoma on-line support group.
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