Keeping my wife healthy

Ok, this may seem ironic. Many of the regulars here know that my wife
and I had our three kittens declawed last summer. They are now fine and
in great health and show none of the terrible side effects I was told
to expect. But none of this is the reason for this post.

My wife was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Her first biopsy
yielded an almost microscopic concentration of cancerous cells. Since
that time, no more cancer has been found anywhere in her body and she
is now, as far as we know, cancer free. She had a subsequent biopsy on
her right breast, her lymph nodes, and her left breast. All biopsies
since the first one have come back negative. She has also been tested
gentically, which was also negative. That is to say, the gene we all
posess which helps us fight off breast cancer is functioning fine in
her. Because of her age (38 when diagnosed), and the aggressive strain
of cancer found in her(which is resistant to conventional oral meds),
and the fact that three of her dozen aunts had breast cancer, she will
need Chemotherapy, even though she is seemingly cancer free. Her first
session is next Friday.

Here is the reason for this post. Aside from the side effects of chemo
we were aware of, there are others we didn't know about. Specifically,
she can't get sick for the next several months and also must avoid any
cuts scrapes and scratches, since her immune system will be reduced and
she will not clot properly.

As you know, our three cats, all front declawed, are about a year old.
All very active, all very fiesty, and depend on there back claws, and
use them a lot. I trim them weekly, but they grow very fast. Aside from
using common sense, and being careful in how often and the manner she
handles them, what else can we do to make sure they don't cut or
scratch my wife?

Also, I realize there are very few ways a cat can make a human sick,
but can she catch something from them. We assume that she doesn't need
worry about anything that won't routinely make a human sick, but they
do sleep on out pillows in very close proximity to our heads. Maybe we
are being overly cautious or parnoid, but we want to be sure. We change
all three litter boxes every few days and scoop them daily. One is in
our bedroom

We could seal them off from us and limit her exposure to them, but we
prefer not to, as they are wonderful therapy and seem to know when we
'need attntion'. They also reduce stress and are close companions and
confidants.

Less anyone think this is some thinly veiled lame attempt to justify
our original decision to have them declawed, I freely admit that we did
that for possibly vane and selfish reasons, and that we declawed them
months before a telltale spot appeared on my wife's mammogram. Please
don't use this post as further ammo to slam me for declawing my cats.
We've been through it before.

Has anyone been through a similar situation? Looking for some insight
here. I know there are some compassionate and helpful people here, and
I would greatly appreciate your insight.

Carl in CT

This is too serious a subject to throw open for public discussion,
especially here.

I strongly suggest you speak to a therapist instead of relying on strangers
to make decisions.

Period.

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

I've also been through this before. I have often encouraged that anyone
who read this board NOT depend on it for serious health advice for
their cats. Or for ourselves. We have spoken to our doctors about the
cats, but the purpose of this post is for real life experiences,
insight, and life stories.

I did state in my original post tha I was probably being paranoid and
overly cautious.

Also, I don't think anyting is too serious to throw out for public
devouring if it's among like minded people. If I receive even the
smallest bit of helpful advice or insight, it was well worth it. It's
very possible someone will have a suggestion that we or our doctors
overlooked.

Carl

OK, let's compromise...

Post away to your heart's content, but print out the thread and share with
trusted friend/advisor..someone in the real world. If you read through some
of the other posts (especially the Bengal Cats or any of the 100+ long
threads) you'll see how some people get..

Assuming that everyone here is like-minded is exactly that- an assumption.
I've been there - there's a limit to these message boards. For basic
information, they are very good - if your wife just had allergies, for
example.

But this is a life-threatening situation..take in all the information you
can..but be sure to review it with someone you know personally and trust.

My thoughts are with you in this difficult time.

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

wrote:
(...)
use them a lot. I trim them weekly, but they grow very fast. Aside
from
using common sense, and being careful in how often and the manner she
handles them, what else can we do to make sure they don't cut or
scratch my wife?

Softclaws / paws? (Are they 100% effective in preventing scratches, I
wonder).

Rear claws tend to be relatively blunt anyway - have you / your wife
ever been scratched by 'em so far? Is it only broken skin that's a
problem?

I don't know your cats, but TBH, I expect you could avoid a rear-claw
scratch just by your own behaviour - i.e., don't pick cat up, don't pet
the belly, etc.

HTH,
S.

We thought so too, but we've gotten some nasty scratches from them.
Also, putting softpaws on the rear claws of declawed cats would almost
completely incpacitate them. (And as long as they stay on, they are
100% effective at preventing scratches)

Carl

Well for gawd's sake don't declaw the back. I would purchase soft paws and
have the vet apply them. Something you could have done for the front claws
as well. Hope your wife's chemo goes well.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, this may seem ironic. Many of the regulars here know that my wife
and I had our three kittens declawed last summer. They are now fine and
in great health and show none of the terrible side effects I was told
to expect. But none of this is the reason for this post.

My wife was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Her first biopsy
yielded an almost microscopic concentration of cancerous cells. Since
that time, no more cancer has been found anywhere in her body and she
is now, as far as we know, cancer free. She had a subsequent biopsy on
her right breast, her lymph nodes, and her left breast. All biopsies
since the first one have come back negative. She has also been tested
gentically, which was also negative. That is to say, the gene we all
posess which helps us fight off breast cancer is functioning fine in
her. Because of her age (38 when diagnosed), and the aggressive strain
of cancer found in her(which is resistant to conventional oral meds),
and the fact that three of her dozen aunts had breast cancer, she will
need Chemotherapy, even though she is seemingly cancer free. Her first
session is next Friday.

Here is the reason for this post. Aside from the side effects of chemo
we were aware of, there are others we didn't know about. Specifically,
she can't get sick for the next several months and also must avoid any
cuts scrapes and scratches, since her immune system will be reduced and
she will not clot properly.

As you know, our three cats, all front declawed, are about a year old.
All very active, all very fiesty, and depend on there back claws, and
use them a lot. I trim them weekly, but they grow very fast. Aside from
using common sense, and being careful in how often and the manner she
handles them, what else can we do to make sure they don't cut or
scratch my wife?

Also, I realize there are very few ways a cat can make a human sick,
but can she catch something from them. We assume that she doesn't need
worry about anything that won't routinely make a human sick, but they
do sleep on out pillows in very close proximity to our heads. Maybe we
are being overly cautious or parnoid, but we want to be sure. We change
all three litter boxes every few days and scoop them daily. One is in
our bedroom

We could seal them off from us and limit her exposure to them, but we
prefer not to, as they are wonderful therapy and seem to know when we
'need attntion'. They also reduce stress and are close companions and
confidants.

Less anyone think this is some thinly veiled lame attempt to justify
our original decision to have them declawed, I freely admit that we did
that for possibly vane and selfish reasons, and that we declawed them
months before a telltale spot appeared on my wife's mammogram. Please
don't use this post as further ammo to slam me for declawing my cats.
We've been through it before.

Has anyone been through a similar situation? Looking for some insight
here. I know there are some compassionate and helpful people here, and
I would greatly appreciate your insight.

Carl in CT

wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, this may seem ironic. Many of the regulars here know that my wife
and I had our three kittens declawed last summer. They are now fine and
in great health and show none of the terrible side effects I was told
to expect. But none of this is the reason for this post.
snip
Here is the reason for this post. Aside from the side effects of chemo
we were aware of, there are others we didn't know about. Specifically,
she can't get sick for the next several months and also must avoid any
cuts scrapes and scratches, since her immune system will be reduced and
she will not clot properly.

snip

My only RL experience with this type of situation: I had a woman bring in a
stray cat to the shelter that showed up at their house. She really wanted
to keep the cat, but wasn't sure she could because her husband had just had
a heart transplant. I know this isn't chemo, but the reasons for not having
a cat were pretty much the same. She went home, talked it over with the
husband and his doctors, and the doctors said the cat was fine as long as
the husband didn't handle the litter. Didn't say anything about scratches.
She came back and adopted the cat.

Re SoftPaws: I have them on one of my cats, front and back, as he tends to
launch off of me with his rear feet. I would not say he is incapacitated at
all. He runs, jumps, climbs the cat tower, etc. He is indoor-only, I would
not do this on an in/out cat. I'm assuming your cats, esp being declawed,
are indoor-only.

I'm sorry about your wife. I hope she pulls through.

--
-Kelly

A friend of mine had heavy duty chemo for 6 months for breast cancer. Her
cat-not declawed- stayed with her through all of that. She is fine now.

I had breast cancer-early detection-with surgery and radiation. I credit my
three cats with hastening my recovery. My surgeon let me out of the
hospital in half the time he originally had said because it was no longer
medically necessary for me to stay and although he gave me a choice to stay
the rest of the time I was in a hurry to get home because no one can care
for my cats like I can.

Speak to your wife's doctor and make your own decisions.

Good luck,
Barb






--
Barb
Of course I don't look busy,
I did it right the first time.

On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 06:16:45 -0700, svendlho wrote:

Ok, this may seem ironic. Many of the regulars here know that my wife and
I had our three kittens declawed last summer. They are now fine and in
great health and show none of the terrible side effects I was told to
expect. But none of this is the reason for this post.

My wife was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Her first biopsy
yielded an almost microscopic concentration of cancerous cells. Since that
time, no more cancer has been found anywhere in her body and she is now,
as far as we know, cancer free. She had a subsequent biopsy on her right
breast, her lymph nodes, and her left breast. All biopsies since the first
one have come back negative. She has also been tested gentically, which
was also negative. That is to say, the gene we all posess which helps us
fight off breast cancer is functioning fine in her. Because of her age (38
when diagnosed), and the aggressive strain of cancer found in her(which is
resistant to conventional oral meds), and the fact that three of her dozen
aunts had breast cancer, she will need Chemotherapy, even though she is
seemingly cancer free. Her first session is next Friday.

Here is the reason for this post. Aside from the side effects of chemo we
were aware of, there are others we didn't know about. Specifically, she
can't get sick for the next several months and also must avoid any cuts
scrapes and scratches, since her immune system will be reduced and she
will not clot properly.

As you know, our three cats, all front declawed, are about a year old. All
very active, all very fiesty, and depend on there back claws, and use them
a lot. I trim them weekly, but they grow very fast. Aside from using
common sense, and being careful in how often and the manner she handles
them, what else can we do to make sure they don't cut or scratch my wife?

Also, I realize there are very few ways a cat can make a human sick, but
can she catch something from them. We assume that she doesn't need worry
about anything that won't routinely make a human sick, but they do sleep
on out pillows in very close proximity to our heads. Maybe we are being
overly cautious or parnoid, but we want to be sure. We change all three
litter boxes every few days and scoop them daily. One is in our bedroom

We could seal them off from us and limit her exposure to them, but we
prefer not to, as they are wonderful therapy and seem to know when we
'need attntion'. They also reduce stress and are close companions and
confidants.

Less anyone think this is some thinly veiled lame attempt to justify our
original decision to have them declawed, I freely admit that we did that
for possibly vane and selfish reasons, and that we declawed them months
before a telltale spot appeared on my wife's mammogram. Please don't use
this post as further ammo to slam me for declawing my cats. We've been
through it before.

Has anyone been through a similar situation? Looking for some insight
here. I know there are some compassionate and helpful people here, and I
would greatly appreciate your insight.

Carl in CT


This is not advice but we can only answer from personal experience.
Before chemo became popular, a preventative measure was to remove the
ovaries. As long as future childbearing isn't an issue, this is one form
of treatment. You might discuss this with your doctor. This treatment
worked for me for 40 years. MLB