Tik Tok

I really like the song Tik Tok by Ke$ha, but that's not what today's post is about. 

Earon, one of the people I met recently through capturing videos for Music Choice, chose the song Tik Tok by Ke$ha as his favorite music video. He encouraged viewers at home to vote for it based on what the song meant to him:

"...because it always [sic] reminds me that time is always running out, and you should use time while it lasts."


Brilliantly put, Earon. 


We don't have a lot of time on this Earth, and neither do the bison, bald eagles, or gorillas that live in our backyards. Unfortunately, none of those animals are native to where I live. A cat named Casper is the animal that means the most to me and she lives with me, or rather, I live with her. Between her full 14 years of living at my house and my segmented 23 years of going here and there, I'd say she's the more permanent resident.


Her name is Casper, and although she's not a boy, somehow we made the mistake of thinking she was one when we first adopted her. The name Casper stuck, and many other derivative names like Caspy, Casperella, Kitty, and Misses Kitty followed shortly after. She looks nothing like her brother Ferris (deceased) and does not behave like the average lovable house cat. She's quite irritable and has been for a long time. Don't expect her to hump your leg. That's not really her thing. 


Recently though, within the last 3 years, she's become more crabby and detached than ever before. We found out 2 years ago that she has some condition with her thyroid: it's enlarged or has some hideous extra growth or something. Oops, sensitive subject Casper. Just trying to fit in a little tumor humor whenever I can.


She used to weigh 11 pounds and always attracted negative attention to herself for being fat, lazy, and evil. Over the past few years though she's dropped to the weight of 6 pounds and has adopted some form of cat bulimia, yaking up almost everything she eats. We've tried putting her on pills, letting her go out more to eat grass (to help her digestive system), and feeding her A LOT more. Nothing has worked. Doesn't she know that skinny with fur is SO OUT?


Two days ago she had an episode. Can you believe it? They finally launched her pilot: The Real House Cats of Pomona. And right after that she had a more serious episode where her tongue was hanging out for no reason, and she was crying like she was going to die. My mother and sister took her to the emergency room. 


Good thing she was covered by an HMO. This shouldn't surprise you. Imagine that, some animals have better health care than humans. Regrettably, my cat and I are in the same boat when it comes to health care: actually, we're not even covered for the boat. 


Now she needs to have radioactive surgery on her thyroid. Once the tumor is removed we can expect her to return to a normal weight again. 


When she came home from the hospital today she behaved in the most affectionate manner I've seen since she was a baby. My sister advised me to leave her alone while she readjusted herself to the house. She had been with strangers at the vet for more than a few hours today, which is 1000% more time than she's used to. When she came back, she was different. Maybe this time she knew how close her life was to the threshold of death. When I said hello to her, she responded with a genuine kindness. I picked her up and let her rest on my lap. Normally I would have to force her to stay. This time, however, she stayed on her own. No extra petting was needed. She was legitimately happy to see me, purring the entire 20 minutes she rested on me. Whenever she readjusted her chin on my knee or her paws on my legs I feared that her warmheartedness had faded and that she was preparing to leave. She didn't though. She just kept staying. Purring. Relaxing. 


We almost fell asleep together. What else could I have done? I couldn't abandon my post and get up. She may never be this adoring again. I took it all in and used my time wisely to appreciate my Casper.


~Anthans