MaddyWatch: quite well, actually.

Longtime WAD readers recall that my cat Maddy has abdominal small cell lymphosarcoma. In May, the vet oncologist said that she had four to six weeks to live.

'Twould seem Maddy had something to say about that.

Mysterious kitteh is being mysterious.

Maddy has made it fourteen months since her diagnosis and six months since the vet oncologist proclaimed her almost ready-to-go. A visit to the vet onc last month left us all in good spirits. The vet looked at Maddy, felt her tummy, and mused, "...huh. I have to really dig to feel that lymph node in her abdomen. Her bowel still feels a little thickened, but her lymph nodes have shrunken down."

"How does that work? She's not supposed to beat this cancer, is she?" I asked.

"No," replied the vet. "This type of cancer in cats sometimes ebbs and flows. Right now, hers is in ebb. It will eventually flow back and get her, but it can ebb and flow one or more times as she hangs on. How's her energy, her quality of life?"

Her quality of life is pretty damn awesome. She's at about 75% of her normal self, which means she's at about 90% of a normal cat. Maddy has been nearly up my ass for almost her entire 11 years, so the fact that she spends some time in the bathroom, in the closet, or on the chaise is amazing. Usually, she's right with me, following me and harassing me.

I noes u haz fud, Mama.

She's up to about 11.4 pounds, which is amazing. She still feels kinda bony, but she's put on some weight.

Ehn! Pie!

As has Hazel. She's getting more to eat because Maddy gets more to eat, and occasionally Hazel will push Maddy around for her noms. Just as quickly though, I'll hear a fight in the other room and come in to see Maddy kicking Hazel's ass yet again. Hazel gives me that look like "I thought you said she was dying!"

We all thought that. And she will eventually die from this cancer. But for now, she's doing quite well and enjoying life.