Thank you for your encouragement and good wishes. My doctor called this morning and confirmed that I have elevated thyroid levels, and so she is prescribing some pills for that. I hate pills but since I already have to take 4, what's one more? She is also looking into a radioactive iodine treatment that is better than the pills, if the specialist thinks I would be a good candidate for it. If any of your kitties have had this, please leave my Person a comment and let us know how that went. I will also need some Vitamin B12 shots because of my IBD. Thankfully my most favorite Person has done injections before -- the female Person is needle phobic but hopefully between the two of them, they'll figure it out. I really don't want to be catnapped in the cage for highway rides to the doctor any more than necessary.
This is all good news -- once I start the medication, I expect to put on some weight again. I'm feeling great otherwise, and in no way will this new development affect my duties as president of Catsa (you've heard of Mensa, haven't you? This is the feline association) or being supremely crabby at my brother Tim, just because.
In the meantime, I'm using this thyroid thing for all it's worth. You can get away with a lot if they think you're sick, including making off with your Person's dinner when his back is turned.
The female Person was laughing too hard to yell at me when I grabbed a mouthful and took off into the dining room. She even gave me my own plate of spaghetti after that, and I ate it all. I'm getting tired of the canned duck.
mmm...mmm....noodles...! Glad you're feeling better!
Posted by: tiennie | October 18, 2006 at 11:52 AM
Hey Charlie,
I'm of the canine persuasion, writing to you on my human sister's computer. I had thyroid problems in the last six months--coat was thin, weight was up (rather than down), and really lethargic, which the squirrels loved. My human parents got me on thyroid meds, and I am back to 100%. Weight has come down, my coat is thick and shiny, and the squirrels....let's just say I am once again queen of my own backyard. You won't believe how much better you'll feel once you get on the meds! You have really good parent's watching out for you :o) Feel better.
~~Julie
Posted by: Jenny Raye | October 18, 2006 at 02:55 PM
OH Charlie, I'm glad they have medicine that will make you feel better. Get all the spoiling you can while your sick though!
Posted by: Rebekah | October 18, 2006 at 03:36 PM
Glad you have a good vet, Charlie. Moses has been getting ham and cheese while grieving Maggie's loss, and Pooh gets tuna when she's feeling bad. We have good people.
Posted by: Moses and PoohCat | October 18, 2006 at 04:24 PM
Glad to hear you are on the mend, Charlie. You sure have a good person taking care of you!
Posted by: Mercy | October 18, 2006 at 07:16 PM
Charlie, please tell your Persons that I love the picture they took of you and Tim. Tim looks like he wants a piece of the spaghetti action, too!
Posted by: Beth | October 18, 2006 at 10:40 PM
Oh Charlie, these are the best pictures of you ever! So happy to hear there seems to finally be a way to make you fat like the rest of the kitties in your family! We all love you!
Posted by: Alicia | October 19, 2006 at 01:03 AM
Charlie, you do look so heart-meltingly handsome in the top photo. Glad to hear you should be on the mend very soon.
Posted by: alice | October 19, 2006 at 05:19 AM
I'm really glad your kitty is heading towards the mend, he is adorable!
Posted by: Valerie | October 19, 2006 at 09:22 AM
Hi, Charlie!
We pirated our human's computer to say, "hi and glad to hear to hear that you will soon be on the mend." We are also intrigued by this sympathy-based strategy for obtaining forbidden food items. We will be experimenting with this and are grateful for the tip.
Stay well and take care of your humans since they are the only ones who can open cans.
Persephone and Desdemona
Posted by: Sheepish Annie | October 19, 2006 at 09:56 AM
Dyson and Minnow offer their sympathy. They also asked me to tell you to keep up the good work: their experimentation has proven that simply marching up to the table and eating what interests you is the most reliable way to get human gooshy food. Dyson says "Remember that if you make them laugh they'll let you have anything, anything at all. You can get away with fresh salmon and steak tartare, or at least I can."
Posted by: sarah | October 19, 2006 at 11:38 AM
I didn't know kitties liked spaghetti! Hope you feel better soon Charlie!
Posted by: Karen | October 19, 2006 at 03:34 PM
Charlie, you are lookin' good and must be feelin' fine, snagging that spaghetti. Keep those People on their toes!
Posted by: Kristen | October 19, 2006 at 06:37 PM
Hi Charlie, I hope you feel better soon! There is a lot of spaghetti out there that still has to be eaten...
Posted by: Erika | October 19, 2006 at 11:33 PM
Charlie,
My people cat-sat for friends of theirs and one of the cats had to get insulin injections. My female person is also needle-phobic so my male person gave the cat her shots. According to him, it was easy to do and the cat didn't even notice. So hopefully your shots won't hurt either.
I can't believe that you eat spaghetti! My people won't let me eat much people food. They say I have a "delicate stomach," whatever that means. I like how Tim is tucked in the corner of that photo looking at you getting the good stuff. You must be the most important cat in the household.
Scout
Posted by: Scout | October 20, 2006 at 02:07 AM
Why is it always the sweet, innocent looking ones that cause the most mischief?
Posted by: Katie | October 20, 2006 at 02:16 AM
Hi Charlie, I wish I could get away with eating meals off the dining room table too! Get well soon! From, Bandit
Posted by: Sarah | October 20, 2006 at 11:53 AM
Glad you are doing so well, Charlie! You sure are a handsome one! I can see you are taking the gaining of weight seriously, and it's always good that the patient has a the right attitude. Tired of the duck!!! :)
Posted by: hege | October 20, 2006 at 02:32 PM
Glad you're feeling better Charlie. Sounds like you are being well cared for.
Posted by: Kendra | October 20, 2006 at 04:39 PM
I (ok, my late cat Cinnamon) have been through the radioactive treatment for hyperthyroid, although it was about 12 years ago.
I looked on it as a pay now/pay as you go method. It was lots up front ($1200 or so), but the pills were around $1/day plus periodic bloodwork, and the joys of twice-daily pilling on a cat that always hid under the bed when I was away. Cinny was about 11 when this came up. I figured if he lived 3 more years the treatment would be way better. If the cat's much older, I'd probably go the pill route. He lived about three more years, and then lost a lot of weight rapidly that turned out to be due to some kind of liver cancer.
Also be aware that you will most likely have to administer sub-Q fluids. The prelim visit with the vet said "possibly", and I did have to do it every other day for 10 treatments. This means you have to hold the cat for around 5 minutes while an IV bag of fluids is draining into your cat. The needle is pretty easy; you're not trying to get a vein, but you do have to keep the cat calm for a few minutes. Last year I had to do this for 5 months for an elderly (18 1/2) cat who was in kidney failure.
My cats looooove Gerber Ham baby food, so I can usually sneak a pill into that and they lap it up.
Posted by: Debby | October 20, 2006 at 06:08 PM
Hi Charlie,
So pleased you're feeling better and best wishes for your forthcoming treatment. A bowl of spaghetti now and then is just the thing to make a kitty feel good! Big purrs to you and Timmy -- my People send big pats, too. Misty
Posted by: Misty | October 20, 2006 at 08:20 PM