A TALE OF TWO ORPHEES

Buddy's possessions are still squirreled away in various spots about my apartment. After all this time it is very hard to let go although I have to admit I've made some progress by passing along to Orphée the items Buddy never used. I can only guess that cats are a bit more discerning where proffered gifts are concerned unlike dogs who are thrilled with just about anything presented to them.

Orphée's taste is totally different than his predecessor's - Orphée has wholeheartedly embraced Buddy's rejects. I started with a few toys Buddy really had little interest in. Orphée delights in batting them about the house, pouncing on them, kicking them with his back feet and biting them. He definitely enjoys them.

The big breakthrough came when I passed along a cat igloo Buddy never even acknowledged as existing let alone belonging to him. Orphée was thoroughly intrigued by it.  His love of close quarters immediately enticed him into the cramped interior of the igloo. He sniffed the base, licking and biting the fabric as he familiarized himself with his new possession no doubt intrigued by Buddy's lingering smell remaining from the first and only time Buddy was placed inside.

A plump mouse hanging from the roof was pulled from his cord faster than you can read this sentence. With the mouse tucked under his chest, Orphée settled in and made the igloo his own. It now occupies an out-of-the-way spot under my vanity. Orphée has taken to dive-bombing from my bed into the igloo and reversing the process back to the bed as if he'd been shot from a canon. In short, he's gotten more use out of the igloo in 10 days than Buddy did in 10 years.

In turn, Orphée is more relaxed and fast becoming an integrated member of the family. We are definitely seeing a whole new Orphée.

After the initial inspection. Note the mouse behind the front paw.

Hey, this ain't half bad!

See the string where the mouse hung?

He likes it! Now to get him out so i can move it to its permanent location.

A CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION!

Will we celebrate Independence Day today? You bet! And in more than one way.

All of a sudden everything fell into place - by everything I mean we are now functioning as a family. Orphée is almost 100% comfortable with all of us.  He is only slightly hesitant around Annie.  He no longer takes swipes or hisses at her. He now talks to us a little which is nice considering Buddy talked incessantly and I really miss that interaction. Orphée follows me around sometimes, runs away from me less than before and actually plays with me.

There were two major breakthroughs - now he licks Artie after a grooming session and he is spending part of the night sleeping on my bed with me and Annie.

From time to time Orphée will stop and smell Annie's face as he passes by her. For the most part, Annie is calmer around Orphée.  She no longer detours if he is in her path of travel and she simply turns her face if he walks past her instead of jumping up or running away.

All these changes have made for pure bliss.  It's so peaceful I can't believe I'm living in the same house. I feel positively liberated. So does Artie and I bet Annie and Orphée do too.

So today we celebrate - our nation's independence and our coming together as a family. Enjoy the holiday! We're going to enjoy ours.

Happy 4th of July!

PET CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Cancer is an illness never far from my thoughts since Annie's Christmas and New Year surgeries. Do I consider my baby a cancer survivor? Now that we are approaching the post-surgery six-month mark, yes, most definitely I do consider her a survivor. Every day I wonder how much longer Artie and I will be fortunate to have her in our lives. She is our joy, our comfort and our unconditional love.

Yesterday I came across a few articles mentioning May as Pet Cancer Awareness Month. Current research figures indicate that approximately 30% of older pets succumb to cancer and it does not matter if they are pure bred or mixed breeds. That percentage is very shocking to me. I remember a day when the words 'cancer' and 'pet' were never spoken in the same sentence.

What causes cancer in pets? My guess would be the same things that cause them in humans. Do they come from the environment, cleaning products, additives in foods, exposure to the sun, a glitch in the reproduction of aging cells? The fact is we do not know.

Personally I feel cancer can come from all of these things and probably more. My concern is to try and prevent it from occurring in the human and animal members of my family. That is why I began a home cooking program for Annie and Buddy; to improve their health and give them longevity. 

I would consider Buddy a success with 2 years 9 months of renal failure made smooth sailing with home cooking and the proper medical protocols my little man had the best quality of life until the end. Buddy was also a cancer survivor, living almost 4 years after amputation of his tail. (The location of the growth did not leave enough area to obtain good margins.) Annie's urinary tract infections have been less frequent with home cooking. The cancer diagnosis was upsetting but if cancer is caused by what we eat, Annie has only had the benefit of home cooking for a few of her 10 years.

My cousin recently lost her 13 year old dog to cancer. We lost our dog Buster to Lymphoma just a few months shy of his sixth birthday. Devastating does not begin to describe Buster's loss to us. What we thought was a case of swollen glands swiftly became a cancer diagnosis that ended with his death 3 months later. The diagnosis was particularly hard on my father since Buster and my Dad were inseparable buddies. Buster's death was the only time I ever saw my Dad cry. That was more than 20 years ago. If Buster received the same diagnosis now, he would have a fighting chance with new medical advances.

Our furry family members need what our human family members need to prevent cancer - for all of us to be aware and to work towards a common goal of eradicating cancer in our lifetimes.  Start educating yourself about cancer in pets by following this link to The American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation website:

http://www.akcchf.org/canine-health/your-dogs-health/canine-cancer/

Also, The Magic Bullet Fund website, an organization dedicated to educating people about pet cancers and providing assistance is a good source of information as well: http://www.themagicbulletfund.org/

The ASPCA has information on cancer in cats and a corresponding page on cancer in dogs: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/cancer.aspx

A BAD TURN

Four-legged relationships in our home have taken a bad turn. Orphée is trying to exert his clout over Annie. He apparently feels the time is right to move up in his new colony's hierarchy.

That's not gonna happen! Artie and I have noticed Annie making wide detours around him.  The situation has now gotten to the point where she does an about face if he's in a doorway or a room taking a different route entirely in order not to walk past him. She has given up running and playing in her own home.  Her exuberance is gone. I've caught him chasing her away if he perceives she's too close to him. 

Artie was walking through the living room when Orphée overtook him, heading straight for the furniture.  All of a sudden, he jumped on the recliner, pushed between Annie and the recliner arm then laid down crowding her for more space.  It didn't take long for Annie to relinquish her spot on the recliner.  Apparently this scenario is intensifying because a few weeks ago they would both lay on the bed or couch at opposite ends but now whenever Orphée comes along Annie vacates the bed or couch going into another room entirely. 

This is a real problem. We do not leave them alone together for any length of time. I've been intervening by reprimanding Orphée when I catch him bullying Annie. I don't know how effective this will be. I'll need to surf the web, to read up on this problem. And I sure could use some suggestions.

In the meantime, I feel so sorry for my little girl. Since Buddy died, she's been so lonely. All she wants is another four-legged companion but it doesn't look like Orphée will fill that need. Hopefully we can change this dynamic.

IT'S TIME TO TAKE A BREAK AND PARTY!

And with that thought in mind, I decided to join the 2013 Ultimate Blog Party hosted for the seventh year in a row by 5 Minutes for Mom.com blog. A great idea for bloggers and readers-of-blogs to find other sites in the blogosphere to visit, I came across UBP 2013 while reading a post at DogTipper.com a blog I follow faithfully.

Let me introduce myself. I'm Barbara - Brooklyn Pet Mom. There are plenty of Moms in the world only some of us have kids with paws and tails. That's what my blog 8 Paws and 2 Tails is all about - my experiences as a pet mom and all the trials, tribulations and unconditional love that come with having pets for kids.

Let me tell you about my kids. When I started blogging it was with the intention to share my experiences caring for my Maine Coon Tabby mix, Buddy, a cat with a chronic disease (renal failure). Since that time the blog has expanded to include my dog Annie's recurring urinary tract infections and her recent cancer surgeries.

Along the way, I've added any news article or information I've found interesting, useful or just plain fun - all animal related of course.  With the loss of Buddy, the blog expanded again to include my experiences with managing Buddy's illness during his terminal stage, dealing with euthanasia, cremation and the stages of grief. 

Currently 8 Paws and 2 Tails chronicles my brother Artie's and my decision to join Neighborhood Cats, become TNR certified, our experiences managing a feral colony of 6 and our decision to rescue one of the colony by making him the newest member of our indoor family. Christened Orphée, this 15-pound Main Coon mix upstart has been diagnosed as FIV+ and we are slowly getting him house, people and Annie-acclimated.

So welcome to my site! If you like what you read, visit with us awhile or better yet follow us! Leave a comment - let me know what you like, what you don't like and what you'd like to read about. And check out the UBP for other great blogs.

Buddy & Annie, definitely not the partying type.

Orphée, happy to join the party!

ONE YEAR

Today is April 2 - one year since Buddy lost his battle with renal failure. With Annie's health issues and Orphée's rescue, neuter and FIV+ status, I neglected to mark Buddy's March anniversary.

It's been an unbelievable year.  Who would have thought a scant 12 months later we would rescue another cat only to have to deal with FIV or that Annie would undergo two cancer surgeries? Did I think I would be taking care of a feral colony or that I would even consider doing so?

Many changes in such a short time. One thing will never change - how much I miss Buddy. I was not a lover of cats before my little man came into my life. He really exhibited the best of feline qualities. I miss conversing with him. For every sentence I uttered he had an answering meow. He was extremely generous with his kisses and he loved to cuddle. Our games of 'Tip-your-head-give-me-a-kiss' I truly miss. Being a cat, he was demanding but in a decidedly non-annoying way.

Of course, I love Orphée but it's not the same. Orphée is not Buddy; he's Orphée a distinct personality and we are still feeling our way towards a relaxed relationship.

So Buddy I mark your one-year anniversary with a sense of loss and sadness but I turn towards the next year with hope that I can do for Annie and Orphée what I did for you; give them both long, healthy lives in spite of their health issues.

Buddy in his favorite spot.

EASTER SUNDAY

It's just a quiet Easter Sunday. Annie is sleeping in and even Orphée is quiet. We will spend a peaceful day off enjoying a good book and each other's company.

To all my readers I send wishes for a very Happy Easter and a Happy Passover. As I go forward with this blog there will be updates for Annie, some surprising developments with Orphée and final comments concerning Buddy.

Enjoy whichever holiday you celebrate and have a happy spring!

DOGGIE PRESCRIPTION

One of my friends told me about a pharmacy for pets in Manhattan. New Yorkers are really wrapped up in their pets and apparently one pharmacy on the Upper East Side took it as a call to action.

Best Pet Rx carries all kinds of personal needs and has the standard prescription drug counter but this traditional drug store took it one paw further by catering to pets. The personal needs items are most likely for dogs, cats or birds. The pharmacists fill prescriptions from veterinarians.

During Buddy's illness, I injured my ankle and couldn't go to Hope Veterinary Clinic to pick up refills of his IV supplies. Doctor Young gave me prescriptions and my local neighborhood pharmacy filled them.

It looks like Pet Pharmacies will be the wave of the future.

REMEMBERING BUDDY

With Annie's illness, I missed Buddy's January anniversary. Today we start our 10th month without him.  It's hard to believe it's been almost a year since he died. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we'd have another cat ever again let alone in less than a year's time.

Orphee and I seem to be back on track, he's talking to me and acting more like an affectionate cat. I've pulled back a bit on the petting, scratching and rubbing; he's seems to like less of that instead of more like Buddy did. I'm really not making obsessive or unfair comparisons. Never having a cat before, I can only look to Buddy's behavior then compare Orphee's to that.

Anyway, I do so much miss my little man. No early morning conversations, no TV watching snuggle time. Who knows? Maybe someday Orphee will decide he needs someone to talk to and snuggle with and maybe I'll be that person.

ORPHEE AND ME

The relationship between Orphee and me is at a standstill. I can't figure him. He seems to become tense when I pet or take care of him; he definitely is more comfortable with Artie.

This concerns me - I do so want to establish a rapport with him outside of being the person who feeds him and cleans his litter box. The other day I was petting him, rubbing his forehead, his face and neck. When I finished I patted him on the head then rubbed under his chin. I've done all of this before but this time Orphee lashed out with lightening speed hitting me on the wrist very hard and leaving me with 3 puncture wounds.

I was surprised; I totally did not see it coming. He didn't meow, hiss or scratch. This was a slap and a hard one with no raking of claws. He didn't even change his expression or move an inch outside of wielding his front paw.

My guess is Orphee is probably more alpha than Buddy. For all his bossy ways Buddy was a gentle soul. Orphee is still living in the front hall. He won't come into my apartment and he generally heads for the stairs whenever he thinks Annie is coming to see him.

Will he ever warm up to me and Annie? Was the meowing, purring, rubbing up against me an Artie a good routine to secure a daily meal? These are questions we need to answer, and only time will tell.

I'M NOT READY...

Even though Annie is doing well, I find I'm not ready to post about her surgery. At some point I will but frankly I'm still emotionally flattened by what happened. It upsets me to write even these few sentences. Everyday I look at her and wonder how much longer will I have her with me. For now, Annie is happy and she appears healthy but I'm aware the clock is ticking. I want my sweet girl to be a cancer survivor like Buddy was.

Buddy had an amazing 5 years after his cancer surgery. What will Annie have?

ORPHEE'S JOURNEY

Our Orphee's journey, while not as epic a journey to the underworld and back as that of the mythological Orpheus, has been momentous none the less. From a life on the streets to one on our front porch then to our front hall it's been a big adjustment over the past weeks.

Orphee is becoming more and more curious about what's behind my apartment door. A few nights ago, I thought I heard scratching. It was late (around 3 AM) and I was heading off to bed but I stopped to determine where the noise was coming from. Could it be the cat? 

I opened the door and there he was looking up at me. He began to meow - talking incessantly  peeking into the apartment with all the curiosity of (what else?) a cat. Of course, I stepped aside to let him in but Orphee wasn't having any of it. Curious but wary, a surprising combination but I guess that comes from life on the streets. I see none of Buddy's fearlessness in Orphee.

He did venture in twice on his own but deciding that discretion is the better part of valor, beat a hasty retreat at the sight of Annie. And what of Annie?  She loves him, it's as simple as that. Annie will follow me into the hall trotting along happily while I feed him. They've been a few feet apart just staring at each other or more accurately he watching her and she looking at him longingly and crying. As soon as the intestinal parasite issues are resolved Artie and I will take the next step and try getting them together.

WE HAVE A NAME!

The cat has a name! We settled on Orphée, the French pronunciation of Orpheus. The tale of Orpheus, the Greek musician, poet and prophet, going into the underworld to bring his wife back to the living after her death, fascinated French filmmaker Jean Cocteau who turned it into a film starring Jean Marais.

The cat, in his demeanor, expression and looks, resembles The Beast in Cocteau's Beauty and The Beast. Beast was our first choice for a name; our second was Marais but both seemed not to fit. Orphée seemed appropriate for its connection to Jean Marais and Orphée s story of coming back from the underworld. Our furry Orphée bears an uncanny resemblance to Buddy. 

Beauty and The Beast and Orpheus are wonderful films. Both are listed in IMDB.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038348/?ref_=sr_4

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041719/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

To see our Orphée's resemblance to The Beast watch both YouTube excerpts from Beauty and The Beast:

Orphée - look at Buddy's picture on his memorial page to see the resemblance.

DIABETES IN CATS

I've written extensively on renal failure in cats because Buddy had this chronic illness. Cats also can develop diabetes.

Our dog, Baron, a Beagle Manchester Terrier mix, was diabetic so Artie and I have also gone down the canine version of that route. Whether canine or feline you will find yourself dealing with injections, insulin, checking sugar levels, specialized diets and scheduled feedings.

Baron received scheduled feedings of special foods, had his urine checked to monitor sugar levels and was given daily insulin injections. He survived for about three years during which he went completely blind, finally succumbing to a stroke that left him walking in circles and howling. The stroke happened late at night and early the following day the decision was made to euthanize him.

What are the early warning signs of diabetes? Excessive thirst, increased appetite and loss of weight. If you have a cat that seems off his game or if you just want to familiarize yourself with this chronic disease WebMD Pets is a great place to start:

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/diabetes-symptoms-cats

NEW YORK CITY'S FERAL CATS

We're all spending more time outdoors now that summer is here which only serves to highlight the feral cat problem in New York's five boroughs. I'm sure everyone will admit this crisis is more evident during the warmer months especially when ferals and strays are breeding. There are many facets to this issue so I hope this post will cover all aspects of the situation.

My own sweet Buddy was a stray, tossed out by his original owners and that is part of the problem - irresponsible owners. Anyone who cannot care for their cat should realize they are not doing their feline a favor by turning them out. Fighting for food, looking for shelter, searching for water, dodging traffic and trying to escape from dogs or people who will harm them isn't preferable to turning them over to rescue groups or the ASPCA. Yes, euthanasia is a terrible prospect but a hard, uncertain life on the streets with a painful death is not a mercy either. And this act of abandonment, if coupled with the pet never having been spayed or neutered increases the homeless cat population, territorial fighting and injured male cats.

If you have a cat make your pet a house-cat. Keep your feline friend inside at all times to avoid communicable, incurable diseases, to prevent fighting or accidental injuries or death. If you are fortunate to have a backyard, invest in a cat containment system so your cat can enjoy the yard without escaping. You can find several different kinds on the internet. Don't want to spend the money or only have a porch or balcony? Consider a cage of some sort for your feline but remember it is very important to provide sun and shade simultaneously along with water and constant supervision. Buddy had a collapsible mesh cage, Annie would keep Buds company on our back porch and I would check on both of them every 10-15 minutes without fail. Don't have the resources or the time to do this? Open a window that has a built-in screen, attach a perch inside and your cat will be happy as can be to get that basic contact with the outdoors. if you live in an apartment building or have more than one floor to your house, watch out for high-rise syndrome which is the subject of yesterday's post.

City government does not have the funds (grants are running out) nor do they really care about the cat overpopulation issue. That's where we all come in. If you are a cat lover, think long and hard about managing a local feral colony. Remember this entails TNR (trap, neuter/spay, return) as well as providing food, water, shelter and medical care when needed. You could consider this even if you aren't interested in having pets or you could do this in addition to caring for your own pets. TNR will lower the amount of kittens turned into shelters and in turn the feral colony members help keep the rat population (another urban problem) in check instead of becoming euthanasia statistics.

At the very least anyone interested in helping in some small way can donate to low-cost spay/neuter programs or get in touch with the ASPCA, Humane Society, the Toby project and Maddie's Fund to find out more. Surf the internet to learn more about TNR, maintaining feral colonies and all other issues related to stray and feral cats:

http://tobyproject.org/

http://www.maddiesfund.org/Resource_Library/Maddies_Institute/Using_Data_to_Solve_Problems_and_Save_Lives.html

http://www.aspca.org/

http://humanesocietyny.org/

CATS AND HIGH-RISE SYNDROME

Everyone knows cats will climb to the highest point they can physically get to. Many of us have been exasperated by our feline companions as we attempted to coax them down from on top of the refrigerator, the china closet, a shelf and heaven only knows what else. Buddy's favorite place was the transom window above my back door, traversing my kitchen counter, stove and refrigerator to get there.

Cats do love high places as much as they love the great outdoors. During the summer, the lure of both can be a dangerous and possibly deadly one.  Apartment living above the first floor is fine for a cat as long as opened windows have closed screens. When we were young, my cousin had a Siamese cat. I recall one summer when all the kids on the block were yelling because my Aunt opened the front window and the cat was walking on the second floor ledge. Thankfully the cat allowed himself to be enticed back inside with a treat but that was certainly a potential for disaster. I never forgot it.

Buddy either fell or was tossed from a third-story apartment. When we took him in he had a scab on his chin. His first doctor visit turned up two missing front teeth. Since his 'owner' who lived in an apartment diagonally across from us appeared on our doorstep one year after we took Buddy in, I've always believed Buddy was tossed from the window. Judging from the amount of yelling and screaming from his former home, it was a safe bet to assume the family was abusive.

Always remember, felines believe they have nine lives, living life fearlessly and taking all kinds of chances. It's up to their two-legged companions to be ever vigilant when it comes to their safety. Only open screened-in windows. Better yet, designate one window for your cat's use and add a perch or window-seat so kitty can enjoy the great outdoors safely. Read the ASPCA link concerning High-rise syndrome:

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/high-rise-syndrome.aspx 

LAZY DAY, LAZY DOG, LAZY CAT

Well, another busy week is over. As far as Annie is concerned, Saturday is a lazy day. Brooklyn weather is absolutely gorgeous! The temperature is mild, no humidity, there's plenty of sun and a beautiful breeze. And how is my weekend you ask? Not so lazy. So far, I've prepared breakfast for the both of us, run my dishwasher, hand-washing what didn't fit in and I've run a load of wash which I will hang out after I've finished this post.

As she does on any beautiful day, Annie has been outside sunning herself several times today. The routine starts with her standing quietly by the back door until I let her out. She stretches out on the back porch until she gets warm. At that point she will get up to sit in the shade. The routine ends 30 minutes after it starts with her crying or barking to come in. Once she's in, Annie will drink a bit of water then proceed to my room to stretch out on my bed and enjoy the breeze. In approximately 30 minutes, she's in the kitchen again starting her routine over. This goes on about 3 or 4 times until I either go outside with her or tell her 'no more'.

Oh! There was a bit of excitement - Annie was barking furiously when she first went out. As usual, I went to see what was going on. The Norwegian Forest Cat was lounging in the attached yard. Annie was so excited to see him but apparently he wasn't as happy to see her. He dashed across the yard and up the separating chain link fence to put an empty yard between him and us but in his haste he caught one of his back paws in the links. For a moment I thought he was good and stuck; I was fearful he'd break his paw or leg or, worse yet, not be able to extricate himself at all. Thankfully, he freed himself. Unharmed, he made his way through the adjoining yards to the street.

It appears he will be coming around on a regular basis - I know his fear of Annie won't keep him away in his quest for food and water. He kinda reminds me of Buddy and I feel sorry for him so I'm going to keep a lookout for him. When I see him, I'll put out food - maybe I can trap him, have him fixed and we can see from there what develops. At the very least, I'll feed and care for him as an outside cat. If all goes well, maybe Artie and I can find him a home.

Ahh! I love the sun - damn the freckles.

Hey, is THAT the new cat?!

MEDICAL YELLOW BRICK ROAD

We finally made Annie's follow up trip to the doctor after her bout of gastritis last month. Sometimes I feel like I'm travelling down a medical yellow brick road with many twists and turns and unexpected surprises (both good and bad) it makes my head spin.

Annie has been fine these past few weeks but now it was time to revisit the discussion about her teeth, tab and the lick granuloma. It was the granuloma that really had me worried. Almost completely gone, Annie started licking it just two days ago. The fact that I'd misplaced my bottle of Grannick's Bitter Apple didn't help one bit. 

Our appointment was with Dr. Young and it was the first time we saw her since before Buddy's death. We talked about him for awhile and we donated Buddy's remaining supplies to their cat rescue efforts. Annie was thrilled to see Dr. Young and behaved quite well during her exam except when it came time to have her teeth checked; she just wouldn't let the doctor look in her mouth. After quite a bit of maneuvering, playing and coaxing the doctor did get to see her teeth.   

Her bottom teeth were fine with some tartar on the top teeth near the back. Dr. Young asked the dental specialist to come in for a consult. After more maneuvering, playing and coaxing the specialist completed his exam. Both doctors agreed we could avoid anesthesia and a dental scaling since Annie's teeth weren't that bad. Next, we discussed what to do to promote better oral hygiene and remove the built up tartar.

Annie never really chews bones but we will be trying her on Primal bones. I generally add Perio-Support to her food and Dr. Young suggested we add a bit to a cloth when I clean her teeth and massage her gums by hand. The doctor checked Annie's tab but didn't suggest removing it. The final discussion was about the lick granuloma and how distressed we were that it was back. We talked about diet and what Annie consumed over the past few days. Dr. Young felt the granuloma is tied in with an allergic reaction to some cheese Annie had this week.  I used some cheddar cheese along with egg in two meals. The doctor pointed out companies sometimes use food dyes, additives and preservatives in cheese which could have caused Annie to itch. Also, we gave her some unsalted crackers and the wheat probably contributed to the itchiness. We did notice Annie rubbing her muzzle recently.

The final outcome? Get stricter about what Annie eats and with cleaning her teeth. We are considering switching to a raw diet instead of continuing home cooking or a blend of raw and home cooking. I'm relieved Annie doesn't have to undergo general anesthesia.

When we were getting ready to leave we saw Juliet, the Practice Director. She asked how we were and we told her it's been rough since we lost Buddy and that we will be coming in for grief support group counseling. Juliet said it would be good to come in to talk about what we're going through.

Right now, I'm happy Annie doesn't need to have anything major done to her teeth. Artie and I will make sure we're even more diligent about her dental care now that she's getting older.

Annie sleeping after her trip to the doctor's office.