Our Scare

So Thursday afternoon I came home from work. I said hello to Cuzco and Blitzen like I always do, then I went into the bathroom to check on Izzy.  We've been having her stay in the bathroom. Anyway, I opened the bathroom door fully expecting her to rush out like she always does but she didn't. She was just laying on the floor, didn't even squeak or anything. I glanced at her litter box and it was a mess. How could such a small creature have made such a mess?! I picked her up and I could feel her nose was hot and dry. I tried to feed her but she had no interest in her food. So we went out to the living room to cuddle. A couple hours later Casey came home and we were talking about how she didn't look very good. We called the vet but had to wait for her to call back from the answering service because it was after hours. Anyway after talking to Dr. Bell, she told us the big concern was dehydration so we got some pedialite, kitten formula, and a kitten bottle. Casey then gave her a blessing. Something neither of us had experienced but were assured by our bishop that it was a good thing to do. Then we stayed up all night feeding her each hour, and she just got worse and worse. Between the litter box issues, and vomiting she was really scaring us.
The next morning we had to take her to work with us until we could call the vet again. After a status report she said we should bring Izzy in for some blood tests.
The vet took about a half hour to get the results back. It was found that she has a strain of feline leukemia. It's a virus that attacks the while blood cells so cats can't fight illnesses as well. Sort of like the HIV/AIDS virus for humans. That's how the vet explained it. They also suspected feline distemper. Puppies and kittens each have their own types of distemper and it's very hard on their systems. It dehydrates them and comes on very quickly. So with those two combined the vet told us to prepare ourselves. His prognosis was "grim." He even had tears in his eyes so we knew it was very bad.
The first 48 hours of  her illness were critical. We had already passed the 24 hour mark so there needed to be a quick turnaround for us to have more hope. The vet kept her there all day trying to hydrate her and pumping her full of medicine. She's so little they couldn't even do an IV. I guess the process was not easy at all.
We took her home that Friday night with lot of tears. This time we needed to feed her every half hour with formula. Again in the middle of the night she took a downward turn. At about 4 AM, Casey was taking his turn feeding her and left the bathroom door open a little and Cuzco butt in. He said it was like a light switched on. They both started purring, and he came strait over to Izzy and they cuddled. After that she started taking her food easier although she was still to weak to feed herself.
By Saturday afternoon she was drinking the formula on her own. We made sure to give her plenty of exposure to her big brothers. Casey called the vets office and she said that although she needed a quiet warm place to recover in solitude, cats and especially kittens are very prone to depression when they are sick.
Cuzco literally saved her life. He gave her a will to live. She adores her big brothers, and has continued improving bit by bit. Today she was even eating canned food on her own. Her spunk has started to return and she's slowly becoming the spunky little girl we feel in love with instantly.
The whole process has been exhausting and for a while there devastating. We truly thought that we had lost her. Our hearts were broken. Part of me couldn't understand why after only 2 weeks we could love someone so much.
Maybe it's weird but our kitties are our children. I realize that more and more. Today someone said something to the effect of it must be nice to have so much money to spend on a cat. I thought to myself, but that's my little girl? How is it any different than someone taking their child to the doctor because they are sick? I used to joke but I really am their mama. I know someday we will have human children. I do know that. But that doesn't make these furballs any less my little ones.
I'm so grateful for the answered prayers and blessings. I'm so grateful that we have the family that we have. I love my boys and Izzy with all my heart. Who knew a heart could hold that much love?