The Dragon's Blessing

"the dragon's blessing - this deep understanding that suffering can be transformed and be transformative" ~ Guy Allenby

FIP is all about stress. Cat stress. Human stress - my son and I lost our appetites, stopped eating. I lost my spare tire and gained more under eye bags. Naturally we both got a cold almost immediately. Now I don't believe in God, I don't pray - there were no other adults to support me deeply emotionally; even worse - the vets were out of useful ideas so I was searching the internet until the small hours of the morning. I needed to stay strong for Mishka and for Michael. Plus there was no darn way I was going to let FIP take our health as well. 

So from that spiritual void to calm everyone's panic, ease their pain, and later, to mend a broken heart I reached out for music therapy and meditation. All the wooo hippy junk I wasn't going to bother with when I was younger and life was easy. Certainly not in medical school - I was there to learn about drugs and surgical interventions.

I didn't really believe in the power of the mind until a christmas holiday a few years ago. It just bucketed down, and the family's holiday at Coolum was not the escape to sunny Queensland promised. So while Brisbane flooded and a state of emergence was declared, I retreated to the spa to sauna, sip tea and read Dr. Ian Gawler's biography "the Dragon's Blessing". Studies over the years have increasingly backed up what was at the heart of his healing from 'terminal' sarcoma but much derided at the time and for many years after - meditation. It improves the immune system, critical thinking and memory. With FIP I needed all of these things for each of us FAST without heading for a pill bottle. Music of the right frequency was a shortcut to moving our minds into the zone. There's an abundance of suitable music for free on youtube. It far exceeded my hopes for keeping Mishka comfortable and everyone calm during any therapy. Since she was a highly strung cat and we were all empathically wired in together, one buzz in the wrong direction could wind us all up. We even found one track that reliably sent her and my son to sleep quickly. I have kept adding to the playlist now and then for pleasure. It's unintentionally chronicled a mental healing with the tone of the tracks becoming brighter over time.

 Other resources

Dr. Hedy Kober, a neuroscientist at Yale talks about how she began practising meditation to mend her broken heart.

Other resources I collected along the way are on the support and solace webpage. The most amazing was the facebook community - please also check that out and find what blessings you can as you face FIP.

Tomten's Birthday

"...for us physicists believe the separation between past, present, and future is only an illusion, although a convincing one." ~ Einstein on the death of his friend Besso

Just wanted to drop a note to say that Tomten & Gizmo celebrated their 6th birthday last week! Yeah! Happy Birthday Tomten & Gizmo! For those of you who are newly diagnosed and feeling at a total loss. I wanted to share that bit of news. Tomten was diagnosed July 1st 2012 with dry FIP. He has been on the feline interferon and pred ever since. While he has his good days (totally normal mischievous Devon Rex) and his slow days (sleeps all day and scares us to death) his quality of life seems good. We never thought we would see this birthday so we celebrated with a nice long walk outside on his leash, a can of tuna fish, and plenty of cat nip! I don't know how long he has but we treasure each day! Thanks to everyone who helped him see this birthday! ~ Cassie (details of treatment here )

Many happy returns to Tomten and his littermate Gizmo (who doesn't have FIP)! Cassie is so thoughtfully posting his updates to keep our spirits up  as we watch the steady stream of kittens dying from FIP on the FIP fighters facebook community.
This month Mihoshi Barner - the little Ferret with FIP who has been on PI for over a year, passed away leaving a very sad owner behind. Ferrets do not live as long as cats so in ferret years I wonder how old he was? Mishka was 27 in accelerated cat time when she died, which is some sort of cold comfort. Tomten and Gizmo are the equivalent of 41 human years old wow, nearly middle aged by the catyears calculator ( in the right column menu overthere ) - no wonder he's catnapping all day. Hiphip hooray! Kill Da virus!

Gizmo on left Tomten on right

Leap of Faith

"Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it." - Tori Amos

I wrote this just before Mishka died on Feb 1st but I've decided to post it unchanged. Update: a few edits and see the comment from Dusty's mum below!
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Dusty is the reason we are treating Mishka. Dusty survived wet FIP of the lungs in part thanks to injections of feline interferon and oral prednisone in 2007. I first wrote about him in a post about Hope http://onecatlife.blogspot.com/2012/10/hope-is-black-swan.html

Virbac sent me the case history and amazingly here was a cat I could believe in because I knew the vet practice in Sydney (I think my mum even took our old cat there on occasion. Chloe was a stray my brother took in who lived to be 17 on a commercial diet without ever getting regular vaccinations btw)  so I phoned the vet, Simon Craig who verified the cat was still kicking and had made it off the interferon. Based on Dusty's outcome we did the math and decided we could afford the treatment on the basis of expecting a dead cat or a cure in a little over two weeks - but there you have it, each case is unique and Mishka has not progressed as well - but she's not dead either, so the budget is completely blown by five months worth of extra drugs. We have apparently converted an acute illness into a chronic one - as allopathic medicine does so well.

Possibly due to her more advanced disease ( she has abdominal FIP as well) her own genetic challenges (she is a Birman, Dusty is a Scottish Fold) or that two week delay or not using the steroids first up. Dr Addie does mention in her wet fip case study, which I only recently read, that the wet FIP response to FOI is higher for cats with FIP of the lungs, and doesn't seem to work as well on abdominal FIP.

My suspicion is this is because abdominal FIP can be cryptic for longer in that area without causing distress. Mishka had abdominal fluid for a few weeks to a month perhaps before we knew she was sick.

It wasn't until her lungs really filled up that we rushed to the vet. Perhaps she was also dehydrated somewhat and thirstier than usual. Here she is the night before, mucking about and looking ok:

She may have been sick for much longer as the earliest signs are so hard to detect as abnormal, if indeed they were - she started being more sleepy (thought that was natural as a cat growing older and not being a kitten any longer), more cuddly and purry - well she got to know us and that's a nice thing, she was very hungry and insisted on 4 am snacks - well she's a growing cat. She got so chubby she was stuck in her cat door - that was cute (ok my son had at that stage twigged something was up. "mum Mishka is not a cat anymore" ? "Definition of a cat - fits anywhere the head fits" ??!!! )

Definition of a cat - fits anywhere the head fits

 Mishka's Leap of Faith

 
and so we followed the example of Dusty. I feel like a cartoon character that's headed over the cliff - can't stop running to look down now or gravity will reassert itself. Hoping to make it to the other side on pure momentum. Courage kitty - leap!

Reccomended Vets for FIP

" The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good. " ~ Ann Landers 

When Karmen's 10 month old kitten Bunny died of wet FIP in the lungs in December 2012 her vet from Companion Veterinary Hospital PS planted a tree as as tribute. This was a sweet thing to do for someone who had to put down a young cat in such distressing circumstances.

Contrast this with veterinary practices who would stack charges onto ordering our interferon because you can. Reccomended FIP experienced practices on a database, you can add your reccomendations there.

Hope is a Black Swan

"Rara avis in terris nigroque simillima cygno" (a rare bird in the lands, very much like a black swan) ~ Juvenal

The first thing you will likely hear after the diagnosis of FIP is that 'there is no cure'. Utter bunkum - there are cured cats - not a sure thing, not easy and not cheap but just one survivor proves that it is possible. Black swans did exist unbeknownst to Juvenal writing in 1st century Rome. If your cat has wet FIP the cure is Feline Omega Interferon (FOI); if your cat has dry FIP the cure is Polyprenyl Immunostimulant (PI). UPDATE: PI has also possibly cured a kitten with wet FIP. The sooner you start the more likely the cat will do well.

Wet FIP Cases

Miracle 6 week old F6 Savanah http://onecatlife.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-miracle-kitten.html

Dusty 3yo scottish fold - survived wet fip with pleural effusion in 2007. Still alive and well October 2012 and on no meds. Diagnosis confirmed by Jaqui Norris, University of Sydney direct immunoflourescence of pleural aspirate. This is the feline omega interferon (FOI) 'poster case' for the manufacturers Virbac.

Click here for full case history

I talked directly to the vet responsible for Dusty's case - Simon Craig in Sydney Australia; his practice is up the road from where I used to live and I have followed their pioneering work in autologous bonemarrow stemcell treatment for hip arthitis in dogs which we can now use in humans too, thanks to their collaboration with a local doc. Be aware Simon Craig says it is no miracle cure and did not help most of his patients and he has not used it in years.

Dry FIP Case

The Hucaby cats live in Nashville Tennesee. Gringo (white cat in centre photo) was 2 years old and Natasha was 15 when they contracted dry FIP in 2006. Both were successfully treated with PI and Natasha reached the grand old age of 20 in 2010. (Update: at autopsy Natasha was found not to have FIP "Natasha passed last year of natural causes at the age of 21. Dr. Legendre has not included her data on his paper since he doubted that she had FIP (he had no doubts about Gringo). Natasha's necropsy revealed no FIP, as I recall. Dr. Legendre was correct as always." Oct 2012)

Click here to read their story

Polyprenyl Immunostimuant (PI ) survivors - reprinted with permission

FIP is a rollercoaster

"Being diagnosed with a serious illness can seem like a roller coaster ride; scary, up and down, out of control.
Remember, the following is also true of roller coasters:
1. It's less scary with a friend
2. If you stay on the ride to the end you won't get hurt
3. It's okay to scream"

~ borrowed from a post by Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis

As you can see I hate rollercoasters and so does Michael - the others are 007 cool with it which may have something to do with differing levels of reaction to having a terminally ill kitty.

1. Yes much less scary with a friend - Mother/son bonding is a little known benefit of having a fippy cat.
2. Not sure about point 2 - one can step off the ride at any time by euthanizing cats (but not humans yet in australia) It goes smoothly for some but others have had a traumatic time, notably if the cat freaks out at the vets and tries to scramble back into the kitty carrier or dies with its eyes open. There are misdiagnoses - it is not easy to diagnose dry FIP and it is suspected many cats will be euthanized who may have recovered from some other self-limiting illness - or fail to receive the correct treatment
3. aaaarghhh!!!! Don't automatically expect understanding from your friends, or nearest and dearest. Even those with pets have been known to utter "It's only a cat!" Note the use of IT. Use the padded cell of cyberspace and do your screaming in a dedicated FIP support forum or facebook group.

The ups and downs of FIP are extreme. Mishka has earned the nickname 'Lazarus cat' - i have video evidence of resurrection.

A Long Ride

 

 On Friday last I was thinking "euthanase" as either her appetite was so poor (bad sign) or Mish was now the fussiest cat in the world in space - fussier even than the one pictured on the fussy-cat food which she is too fussy to eat. Fussiness v. inappetance is a good sign (expansion of vocabulary is another little known benefit of FIP in humans) But the universe took charge and sent our new vet away for the weekend so euthanasia was not possible till Monday earliest.

Plus she woke me with retching noises at 4 am yesterday. For a panic stricken moment I thought we were back at square one with a chest full of fluid (our acquaintance with FIP began with an early morning emergence vet visit after I mistook symptoms of suffocation for a hairball). Sat up with her a bit longer to be sure it really was a hairball this time and was so tired I forgot to turn off the grill before leaving the house.
The universe then saved us as my husband came home at lunchtime instead of having a chat with me at the health expo, due to a 'misunderstanding' and switched it off or I might have burnt house down and kitten up!
At dinner time I finally seized the bull by the horns ( poor Mish by the cheeks ) and syringed in some Lectade with Nutrigel and for good measure smeared a fingerful on her chin --> about a minute of unhappy vanilla flavoured cat. Some fish was offered to take away the yuk and HUZZAH she ate it!

claws moving human cushion back into place

Later I lugged the fippy little furball complaining out to the lounge room to watch tv with dad. Couch potato mode is actually classified as 'active' if you are a tired fippy cat because you are out socialising, snacking and grooming rather than buried in a furry heap alone in a bedroom feeling sorry for yourself. She got comfy on her favourite human cushion, Kevin McCloud showed us some nice houses while she polished off seconds, then tidied her fur and fell asleep - the picture of a contented kitty. Her breathing is not wheezy anymore - I even hauled out the baby stethescope to check. A nice big hairball on the carpet would have made us all even more happy!

Now i had to edit this post to tell the end of the story....

 

We had decided to drain her at home to prevent the extreme trauma she suffered from having this done twice before with two different vets and made preparations which were delayed by the receptionist from hell. This woman specialises in mucking me around, why I have no idea - first she said to come over and pick up the sedative, then when i show up instead made me book an appointment a few days later but when i arrived for that she claimed the vet didn't do appointments on that morning and he wasn't there - lies lies - he was out the back. So with a critically ill cat at home I  got yelled at and belittled, had to beg ,..... shaking and tearful I finally was given the required meds. It was almost too late.
Mishka was still happy and active though very full of fluid as it was now three not two weeks since her last drainage, ate a good lunch as she wasn't going to be drained until the evening. Husband came home to find she had vomited all the food and a small hairball but things didn't settle - she kept bringing up fluid. We suspected impacted hairball and she's no candidate for surgery - I REFUSED to lose her to a hairball! Frantic text message to a supportive vet, purchased catlax and shoved it in; the vomiting stopped overnight so we drained Mishka 400 mls and gave her subcut fluids /vitamin C. Afterwards she looked the best she had in a month. The upshot is that she will need draining perhaps every two weeks unless we can get control of the inflammation leading to the effusion.

Still on the ride.....