"So this is what we're doing now? Okay!"

Yes, Kato. This is what we are doing now. In addition, we are going to have a little lesson in spatial geometry."

I hope you can help the walker work through this.

Thanks, Bev. I had him in this afternoon and that went pretty well.

It's been this emotional roller coaster for all of us today and holding space for everyone has just worn me right out.

People I should be able to trust made some huge mistakes so there was a lot of bailing of unnecessarily hurt feelings.

I can't even. Tonight will be feet up, stupid tv.

So hey, more pet-related worry: the very old kitty has started sneezing blood. She's seemed to have a chronic respiratory issue for at least a year, maybe more, that seem like allergies. Just kitty sneezes, and the occasional hacking cough that is NOT a hairball cough (totally different vibe). She's otherwise ridiculously healthy for a 17-year-old cat (possibly 18). But earlier this week, she started sneezing blood when she sneezes.

Just last week it got cold and super dry, esp. at night. And *I* am yielding blood when *I* blow my nose. So in the absence of any other symptoms, I'm wondering if she just has super dry, very old nasal passageways.

(I know that no one can diagnose cancer of the kitty sneeze over the internet. I'm mostly just wondering if that's a thing -- do cats, like people, get dry nasal passageways and sneeze blood? If it keeps up, we'll take her to our regular vet next week. But right now she seems her healthy old self, other than sneezing blood, so I don't want to take her to the emergency vet if I don't have to. I'd rather our regular vet, who knows her, see her. Plus, if it *is* cancer of the kitty sneeze, I'd rather hear it from our own vet.)

It looks like a scene from CSI in here, I tell you what.

In addition, we are going to have a little lesson in spatial geometry.

In all fairness, we call him "Speed Bump" because of his uncanny knack for finding the exact spot where he's in everyone's path (living room to hallway, living room to dining room, dining room to hallway -- he has found the nexus) and then flopping down and not moving. So he was probably just getting back at me for the Speed Bump jokes.

So he was probably just getting back at me for the Speed Bump jokes.

No doubt.

I would definitely suggest seeing the vet.

Is the blood unilateral? Meaning blood from one nostril over the other?

Oh, Bonny, I am so sorry. How awful for all involved.

There's a site for representations of people of color in European art history (largely to refute those who say there weren't any).

If it's MPOC, it's a hot mess of problematic awful with an unfortunate cult of personality, inflated claims of qualifications, a habit of talking over POC and ethnic minorities, especially European ones, and I'd suggest one of many, many other people talking about the subject. (Disclaimer: most of them have actual jobs in academia, or a grad students, and don't have the time to post as often as That Other Person does.)

One day, it'll probably all blow up in the runner's face, which would make me laugh and laugh and laugh except for where people who are doing serious work on the matter are going to find themselves painted with the same brush.

Is the blood unilateral? Meaning blood from one nostril over the other?

No, it's pretty equal opportunity. Dr. Google says that cats do sneeze blood for pretty unalarming reasons, including allergies/drop in humidity. But yeah, we'll still take her to the vet to be sure.

Yep. Equal is way better and probably not alarming.

Yay Dr. Google!

for anyone keeping track at home: my kitty's back lump is just a lump of fatty oil fluid near his microchip. He's getting a weeks course of antibiotics. Vet kept saying "this is so wierd!" while squooshing it around. Nice to have professional confirmation of my homegrown finding of "yep, really wierd, totally behaves like subcutaenous fluids!". Also super cool: this vet trip occured while I was flat on my back in my bed. Mom took Malachi in and speaker phoned me with the vet and my exceedingly well behaved younger cat. Living in the future continues to be pretty amazing.

erin, I'm glad it was nothing serious. How are you feeling?

We just ate at a new fancy burger joint. The burgers were delicious and the spiked milkshakes were also yummy! And that was very hard to type, so I may be a little tipsy.

Teppy, if that were my cat and I got beyond the Losing-My-Shit-Over-This-Dramatic-Symptom stage to think clearly, I'd be wanting MY vet ASAP - as in, prompt evaluation at the earliest available appointment. And heck yeah, I'd play up the symptoms on the phone if they were hemming and hawing about getting us in right away. Of course, it helps that this is a more rural area. We don't so much have Emergency Vet clinics as the vets take turns being on-call.