Today I waited in suspense for my veterinarian to call me with the lab results for my cat Onyx. I took her in on Friday for her routine 6 month checkup. There really wasn’t anything specifically wrong with her, but she’s 19 years old, so I was worried that her labs would say that her kidneys might were starting to fail or that there was some other type of dire senior cat problem.
Luckily, there’s nothing wrong with her other then old age. But we are starting her on subcutaneous fluids three times a week as she was dehydrated when we took her in. At this point, I’m willing to do anything to improve her quality of life. I’ve had her since I was 16 and she’s a very important part of my life as well as my heart.
While I worried and waited for the news, I knitted away on my latest sock. I was able to finish the first sock and I decided to cal this pair the Opal Garden Socks.
The yarn is another Opal one of a kind colourway. I knitted this sock with more than a touch of regret as I really prefer the colours the yarn company came out with earlier in their career.
I’m using the Beaded Rib pattern from the book Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. It’s a fun and relaxing knit, which was just what I needed today.
knittingphilistine on 18 Jun 2007 at 4:04 pm #
Beautiful sock! Glad your sweet old kitty is okay. :)
debbie on 18 Jun 2007 at 4:22 pm #
i love the colorway too! glad to hear onyx is doing ok - how many cats do you have? my dog emmitt is slowing down - he’s about 15 years old, we got him 13 years ago from the humane society when he was about 2. we got him cause we wanted a watch dog, but he’s just turned into a regular part of our family….
Sue J. on 18 Jun 2007 at 4:33 pm #
Beautiful socks, and I will surely keep Onyx in my thoughts. She’s a beauty, that’s for sure. I know what you mean about doing anything to improve our pets’ quality of life. But her quality is already wonderful because she has you.
Susie
Dee on 18 Jun 2007 at 5:10 pm #
Sending good wishes to Onyx!
Love the socks too.
Barb on 18 Jun 2007 at 5:45 pm #
She wears her age well:) Nice sock, you speed demon.
Debi on 18 Jun 2007 at 6:17 pm #
Onyx practically looks like a kitten! I hope all will be well with her for a long time to come!
Cute socks, hardly looks like Opal :)
Jeanne on 18 Jun 2007 at 8:57 pm #
She’s a cutie - I hope she continues to do well. Very pretty socks!
Hattie on 18 Jun 2007 at 9:10 pm #
Poor kitty! My grandparents finally put down our old cat a while ago. She was older than me by a year (course I’m only 22 now), my mom brought her from Texas when she was prego with me. She was so old that her body was just bones and she cried all the time. It was sad though, once they get to the point they can’t function. Glad your kitty is ok!
lobstah on 19 Jun 2007 at 1:33 am #
Aw, give Onyx a snuggle from me! Such a sweet little face!
Alison on 19 Jun 2007 at 1:35 am #
We do love our animals, don’t we? My 14-year-old pup is on a special diet because of protein in kidneys and such and she’s had doggie breast cancer, but she’s doing well now.
Love the socks as usual!
Karen B. on 19 Jun 2007 at 1:55 am #
She’s a beauty, Opal. Best wishes for her continued health and longevity!
Lovely colorway on the sock. Debi’s right. It doesn’t seem like the usual dye job.
chris on 19 Jun 2007 at 2:24 am #
What a beautiful cat! I’m so glad she’s doing well, and I hope you have many more years together. Lovely socks and I agree about those colorways.
Robbyn on 19 Jun 2007 at 2:36 am #
That rib pattern looks great! I’m going to have to try that myself. I don’t think the colors are bad at all, for what it’s worth. I appreciate that’s like someone telling me that I’ll really love those stuffed peppers if I’d just give them a chance when I loathe bell peppers.
Onyx is quite the regal kitty. My Jade is a black cat too, but she only acts like a princess, where I’m certain Onyx actually is one :)
textillian on 19 Jun 2007 at 3:16 am #
Glad to hear that Onyx made it through her check-up. That is always a tense time.
Again, I love the colors of that yarn. I missed out on so many yarns. Darnit!
Shelly on 19 Jun 2007 at 3:40 am #
Way to go Onyx! Keep healthy gal! Those socks are beautiful- goodness you are cranking them out! When you get bored making them for you— I can send you some yarn to make them for me LOL!!
Cecilia on 19 Jun 2007 at 5:12 am #
I love the sock colors! I think it’s a really pretty color combo. I’m glad to hear your cat is hangin’ in there. It’s really tough watching the pets get old. Sounds like you’re taking excellent care of her though.
Meredith on 19 Jun 2007 at 5:28 am #
So glad Onyx is basically healthy…that must take a little of the load off your mind. My Elvis is now 14 and is holding up pretty well, but I think about his health a lot (probably too much).
Great socks! I have used that pattern for some green socks (yarn purchased from Plain & Fancy Wool Company at Taos Wool Festival quite a few years ago and marinated in my stash till last winter. Easy and very nice with that self-striping yarn.
hugggggggggggggggggggssssssssssssss to all at your house but especially to Onyx
Agnes on 19 Jun 2007 at 5:33 am #
Glad to find that she is okay. Take care.
knitnana on 19 Jun 2007 at 6:45 am #
And as we’ve said before, fluids are pretty easy to handle at home, so 3x per weeks should be okay - tho’ if Onyx is anything like the Calico Curmudgeon, she won’t like it a lot…
Still…tis better than dehydration!
Give Onyx head scritches for me…
Love your socks!
(((hugs)))
Roseann on 19 Jun 2007 at 7:14 am #
Wonderful news about Onyx!!! She is a trooper, probably queen of your home, I am so glad for you both. I hope the fluids go well. It turns out Chanel is not a good candidate though it would help her. She is too feisty in her old age, it took the vet and 2 techs to draw her blood.
I love your Opal Garden sock, it is soooo pretty on you.
Judy on 20 Jun 2007 at 9:47 am #
Just found your blog (linked from yarnpath) and had to comment. My cat, Kari, is 17 1/2 and started extra fluids in April. We’ve been doing them twice a week since then, here at home. She grumbles a bit, but we have now gotten into a routine on Tuesday and Friday. Her last kidney values showed “no change” (a good thing, I guess, since they hadn’t increased).
Hope Onyx continues to do OK.
Judy
Asaknitter on 20 Jun 2007 at 12:26 pm #
Glad to hear your cat is still well - wow, 19 years! Lovely socks.