Things are as ever slowly changing..

My illness that is now being treated with double beta blockers is not yet responding well and some of my ordinary PVCs have changed to interpolated PVCs which can eventually lead to Cardiomyopathy with severe and chronic anxiety being the root cause.

I don’t have control over my anxiety and Flickr is just one thing I can leave off at least. I have had some lovely mails asking me to just take a break then come back and believe me they are so heartwarming and mean more than you will ever know.

The place I am at now is to still leave my account open as it is paid up until April 2024. Comments for new photos are turned off and shall remain off as I am too unwell to leave comments as they take me ages to formulate and I get so tired and stressed.

I intend flooding my Flickr account with photos from my two previous Flickr accounts as I get a better idea of whether I myself consider them worthy of uploading to my new online account with a couple of online accounts instead of mixed with thousands of other photos on my PC

www.redbubble.com/people/suelleanor/shop

I shall hopefully start to fave but not be commenting on photos on Flickr as I not well enough to at the moment but I haven’t given up on getting better although I am unsure how…

I wish everyone well and am still browsing all your wonderful inspirational photography !

Sue

All in three minutes but this pair will go on to mate for hours..moving constantly and if disturbed can fly still joined then land and carry on. A sort of version of the sky high club if you like ;) All taken using a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens mounted on a Nikon D500 and the length showing as 135mm and taken at f/3.8

Things are as ever slowly changing..

My illness that is now being treated with double beta blockers is not yet responding well and some of my ordinary PVCs have changed to interpolated PVCs which can eventually lead to Cardiomyopathy with severe and chronic anxiety being the root cause.

I don’t have control over my anxiety and Flickr is just one thing I can leave off at least. I have had some lovely mails asking me to just take a break then come back and believe me they are so heartwarming and mean more than you will ever know.

The place I am at now is to still leave my account open as it is paid up until April 2024. Comments for new photos are turned off and shall remain off as I am too unwell to leave comments as they take me ages to formulate and I get so tired and stresseI intend flooding my Flickr account with photos from my two previous Flickr accounts as I get a better idea of whether I myself consider them worthy of uploading to my new online account with a couple of online accounts instead of mixed with thousands of other photos on my PC

www.redbubble.com/people/suelleanor/shop

I shall hopefully start to fave but not be commenting on photos on Flickr as I not well enough to at the moment but I haven’t given up on getting better although I am unsure how…

I wish everyone well and am still browsing all your wonderful inspirational photography !

Sued.

The don't waste any time these tiny butterflies. Its sad they are only estimated to live two weeks.

The following sequence was taken over a three minute period...

Things are as ever slowly changing..

My illness that is now being treated with double beta blockers is not yet responding well and some of my ordinary PVCs have changed to interpolated PVCs which can eventually lead to Cardiomyopathy with severe and chronic anxiety being the root cause.

I don’t have control over my anxiety and Flickr is just one thing I can leave off at least. I have had some lovely mails asking me to just take a break then come back and believe me they are so heartwarming and mean more than you will ever know.

The place I am at now is to still leave my account open as it is paid up until April 2024. Comments for new photos are turned off and shall remain off as I am too unwell to leave comments as they take me ages to formulate and I get so tired and stressed.

I intend flooding my Flickr account with photos from my two previous Flickr accounts as I get a better idea of whether I myself consider them worthy of uploading to my new online account with a couple of online accounts instead of mixed with thousands of other photos on my PC

www.redbubble.com/people/suelleanor/shop

I shall hopefully start to fave but not be commenting on photos on Flickr as I not well enough to at the moment but I haven’t given up on getting better although I am unsure how…

I wish everyone well and am still browsing all your wonderful inspirational photography !

Sue

The following sequence was taken of a three minute period...

Things are as ever slowly changing..

My illness that is now being treated with double beta blockers is not yet responding well and some of my ordinary PVCs have changed to interpolated PVCs which can eventually lead to Cardiomyopathy with severe and chronic anxiety being the root cause.

I don’t have control over my anxiety and Flickr is just one thing I can leave off at least. I have had some lovely mails asking me to just take a break then come back and believe me they are so heartwarming and mean more than you will ever know.

The place I am at now is to still leave my account open as it is paid up until April 2024. Comments for new photos are turned off and shall remain off as I am too unwell to leave comments as they take me ages to formulate and I get so tired and stressed.

I intend flooding my Flickr account with photos from my two previous Flickr accounts as I get a better idea of whether I myself consider them worthy of uploading to my new online account with a couple of online accounts instead of mixed with thousands of other photos on my PC

www.redbubble.com/people/suelleanor/shop

I shall hopefully start to fave but not be commenting on photos on Flickr as I not well enough to at the moment but I haven’t given up on getting better although I am unsure how…

I wish everyone well and am still browsing all your wonderful inspirational photography !

Sue

She is Mercedes Mother. She hasn't noticed anything different without Matilda.

Stichting Hartedroom is a charity for children suffering from cardiomyopathy. At my husbands company they designed and produced a water sensor in the shape of a heart, called PlantHeart. They all did this in their own time.

PlantHeart is a reflection light that you put in a flowerpot. The heart starts blinking when the soil is to dry and the plant needs water.

www.plantheart.nl

Many thanks to all who takes the time to view, comment and fave my pictures!

I have one last photo from my visit to the Kitty Cat Cafe, of Max, and eight-year-old Siamese. He can usually be found relaxing in a bed with a good vantage point. According to the cafe's website, Max has kidney issues and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that they're going to get under control before he'll be available for adoption. Until then, he's enjoying lots of good pats and stimulating visitors at the cafe.

www.kittycatcafema.com/our-cats

Sethi in the garden on a lovely sunny day but he enjoys his garden even more if nobody follows him with a camera. :)

Later this afternoon we will have to take Sethi to a cardiologist as he has a heart murmur. It's necessary to find out if he has a serious heart issue as he will need dental surgery and therefore general anaesthetic in the near future. The cardiologist is quite far away, we will need about 90 minutes for one way and will therefore return home rather late this afternoon. I will continue commenting this evening and maybe I will be able to give you an update on Sethi under this photo by then.

Update: Turns out that Sethi's right heart valve doesn't close completely which causes the heart murmur but according to the cardiologist it's not serious and Sethi may even have had this issue all his life. What he also found out is that Sethi has a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which means that the heart wall is thicker than it should be. He said we were lucky because it was discovered in an early stage and there is a good chance that it won't get worse if he receives medication for the rest of his life. He doesn't consider this as an issue which would make anaesthesia more dangerous for him. So off to the vet next week where at least 5 of Sethi's teeth will be removed.

This dog looked for all the world like he wanted to tell me he was enjoying himself on his jollydays lol...Sue ;)

I hope you reckon that's enough dear `*⊹ ᑭɧყƖƖıʂ •٭ but not QUITE the road trip fabulous shots you capture ;))

My illness that is now being treated with double beta blockers is not yet responding well and some of my ordinary PVCs have changed to interpolated PVCs which can eventually lead to Cardiomyopathy with severe and chronic anxiety being the root cause.

I don’t have control over my anxiety and Flickr is just one thing I can leave off at least. I have had some lovely mails asking me to just take a break then come back and believe me they are so heartwarming and mean more than you will ever know.

The place I am at now is to still leave my account open as it is paid up until April 2024. Comments for new photos are turned off and shall remain off as I am too unwell to leave comments as they take me ages to formulate and I get so tired and stressed.

————————————————————————

Another change, the extra beta blockers are causing Bradycardia now so I have to cut back on them. Having more tests later today to see if electrolyte imbalance is causing me to have more than usual PVCs.. don’t wish to bore everybody but there is a reason why trying to keep up with commenting is too difficult at present…Sue :)

It's an estimate of her date of birth. I think I got her when she was about 2 years old. I can't remember anymore. She's doing well.

© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved

It can happen to anyone, from any walk of life.

20 years ago I had a career that I was incredibly proud of, saving lives, I had a home, mortgage, car and disposable income. I was confident and, even though I hate to blow my own trumpet, I was incredibly good at the work that I did.

I was, however, bullied, harassed, abused, belittled and ostracised by management and many colleagues in a toxic environment where this behaviour had spread like a cancer. This went on daily for 13 years. I thought that I was 'ignoring' it and just knuckling down in my work. I didn't know, until it was too late, that this was damaging both my physical and mental health.

After some time off due to a stress breakdown I returned and the bullying turned into a witch hunt. They succeeded. My mental and physical health had been destroyed. I was wrongly advised to resign by a union that had representatives embedded in management. I was too unwell to pursue any means of recompense.

Losing my career lead to my first Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy attack. This one was nearly fatal.

I have suffered from Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) for at least 20 years as a direct result of this. Only finally receiving help for the condition last year after years of medical denial because the establishment at the time did not understand the connection between non-life threatening instances and PTSD despite mounting evidence. Thankfully it is much better understood today.

The bullies took my career, my confidence, my identity, my physical health, my mental health and now they have taken my relationship and my home. My ex being unable to cope with my PTSD and reacting to it in a way that was making it worse in a cycle that just destroyed our relationship.

Now, unable to work and unable to claim benefits for the moment, unwell, terrified and struggling at times to cope with basic life things, I am facing this horrendous situation that is so daunting there are times that my thoughts go to a very dark place.

I never imagined any of this would happen to me. I was on top of the world back in the early 2000s. The best time of my entire life.

Maybe I deserved this. Maybe I did something terrible in a former life. I don't know. I can't make sense of it.

I don't want to give up just yet. I want to fight back. I just have so little actual physical support. PTSD can cause isolation. Distrust. Withdrawal.

I have lost my few best friends since moving to Scotland for numerous reasons outside of my control. My family are 300 miles away and offer just loving thoughts. I am on my own.

On Friday I will be completely on my own for the first time in 20 years. This time without the confidence and abilities I had back then. I have to try and find them but without safety, comfort and familiarity I face an impossible task. It can take monumental effort just to cook a simple meal. PTSD is a terrible thing to have.

I am sharing my story as I don't know when or how I will return to Flickr.

Photography has been my recovery. My saviour from PTSD. An adrenaline kick from street photography, the excitement of the edit when you return home. Sharing my photographs with you and taking time to enjoy your photographs. The Flickr routine has kept my sanity and been an important part of my day for years now. I fully intend to return but the odds are against me at least for the moment.

Some of you wanted to help by donating towards the expensive Internet costs I will face in temporary housing.

I hate asking for help but please know that I am incredibly grateful for the help that I have received, both financially and otherwise. Just knowing that people care is a help in itself.

If you wish to keep in touch with me via WhatsApp while I am unable to get my PC online then please Flickrmail me your contact details. (bearing in mind that over the next few days my time is limited).

My PC will be packed tomorrow so I may make one more post before I go. I'll make sure it is a happier picture.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I am profoundly thankful for the friendships and acquaintances that I have made here. You are all wonderful, awesome people. Thank you.

Homelessness can happen to anyone.

...having a roll.

We've had extreme temperatures hitting 40°C. Josie did start vomiting so I stopped her supplements. I've introduced only a few back into her diet. She is eating well now. I did have to increase her diuretic and it looked like she wasn't going to make it through some days, but now she's on her usual dose of medication. Her leg she was limping on is a lot better, but she continues to limp on it.

Explored!!! Thank You.

I give a big Thank You to everyone who comments and favours this photo. Thank you for visiting.

Josie...

She's doing ok. She hangs in there, she is comfortable. She did a big run from the back of the yard the other day, then had to sit and recover for hours. I imagine it is annoying for her to have cardiomyopathy, as she's such an active little thing when she's well. She is mostly inactive but she seems to enjoy herself.

THANK YOU everyone for your visit, your favs and your comments. I apologise if I cannot get back to everyone's photostream as I would like to, but I appreciate your visit very much.

A quiet morning at Buntzen Lake in Anmore near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

About this photo: What a gorgeous day we had on the 1st of February! I hope we will get more days like this!

I was reminded that it's been just over a year since I was admitted to the hospital for 5 days and was diagnosed with heart failure (my heart doesn't pump hard enough). They didn't really know why as I don't have the typical problems that usually causes this. I have never been really sick before, never been in a hospital (except for giving birth) and have always felt good. After being followed up and doing several tests they are calling my condition non specific and non ischemic cardiomyopathy. I was prescribed a bunch of medications, I was told to follow a low sodium diet, restrict my fluids and start walking lots.

I did what the doctor told me to do and I am happy to report that I am feeling pretty good and the pumping function of my heart has increased from below 20% to 40% (50-75% is normal). It's not quite where it should be, but I keep working on it as I am still home from work for now and possibly will be until I get into an almost normal %. Hopefully it won't be too long before my pumping function will get back into a normal % and I will be in remission.

I have been taking advantage of the fact that I am supposed to walk frequently by going on walks and hikes to enjoy some beautiful scenery besides my daily walks in my neighbourhood. I am still doing that when I can and yesterday I enjoyed a visit to beautiful Buntzen Lake in Anmore near Vancouver. This place is a 20 minute drive from my home and has such a beautiful natural setting. It was a very calm morning and the light was beautiful. I took this photo during my visit there. I hope you like it!

~Camera Settings:

*Camera Model: Sony DSC-RX10M4

*Focal Length: 9mm

*F-Number: F/8

*Exposure Time: 1/250 sec.

*ISO Speed: ISO-100

*Exposure Program: Manual Mode (M)

Thank you for dropping by!

Ann :)

Some information about Buntzen Lake: Buntzen lake used to be named Trout Lake, and was also called Lake Beautiful and then renamed to Buntzen Lake in 1905 at the opening of the tunnel to Coquitlam Lake. In 1903 the lake was used to power Vancouver's first hydroelectric plant "the Buntzen Powerhouse". A tunnel was excavated through Eagle Mountain from Coquitlam Lake to Buntzen Lake. Coquitlam Lake was dammed, and water flowed 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) through the tunnel to Buntzen Lake, and from there, through an outlet at the north end of the lake to two power generating stations on Indian Arm. The first, Powerhouse No 1 built in 1903, and the second 300M away, Powerhouse No 2 built in 1914. Buntzen Lake is also used in another power generating plant, Burrard Generating Station, a gas-powered plant, where water is used to produce steam for the generators.

The area around the lake is managed by BC Hydro as a recreation site and visitors can swim, fish, hike, and boat on the lake. There are many trails in this area. You can walk around the lake, take longer all day hikes into the back country and much more! The recreation area has been a very good example of multiple use, allowing Hikers, Mountain Bikers and Equestrians to use the trails together. Most of the trails extend from the recreation area into Indian Arm Provincial Park. Dogs on a leash are permitted on all trails at Buntzen Lake. There are also two designated off-leash dog areas, one of which includes an off-leash beach area, and an off-leash trail. (Info from Wikipedia)

Such a sweet girl, she just wants to be near me all the time. She is such a pleasure to have around. But she still has to chase and whack the others.

I've started trying to secure the yard today. After Mercedes cut her foot quite badly, I'm forced to act. A few weeks ago Raphael was attacked badly by another cat in my yard. I have to try and secure them. Tonight Raphael insisted on going out, he started doing circles at the door, and I know that means he's distressed and he will spray if I don't let him have his freedom. It's a constant worry, but it is a risk I have to take with him. He grew up on the streets and so he's not happy being confined.

Being cute.

Those of you who follow me on facebook saw my posting about losing Keiko on Easter day afternoon. Emory and I are devastated but have such gratitude for sharing our lives with this amazing cat for so many years.

Our temperatures are very humid even though we've had rain for several days now. Our Autumn started on the first of March, and so did the wet weather. The cooler temperatures have been a relief, but the sticky humidity has made things uncomfortable. We have air conditioning inside, but she prefers outdoors, she always has.

I have halved her diuretics now, which is a much safer dose for her kidneys, and she is stable with the fluid retention at the moment.

Josie acts in all ways like a happy healthy cat, but her body her lets her down, she wants to be active, but gets breathless quickly.

Midnight leaning on her foot in the background. Over 34 degrees heat this day. Today Wednesday, it hit 39 degrees. I kept her inside all day in the air conditioning.

I uploaded this and accidentally deleted it so I apologise to those who had commented and favoured it.

I have finished 6 weeks of farm sitting, so I have more time now for my flickr.

Josie is on a very slow weight loss regime starting from yesterday. She is doing just fine.

For Happy Caturday Archive Photos

This is Sally and she was part of the litter the includes Fuzzy, Turtle and Molly. Sally died 18 mos ago at the age of 5. She also had cardiomyopathy. She was my son's favorite and he asked that I include her in the next archive. He picked out the picture to include.

She's carrying a lot of fluid, it slowly gets more and more. She seems to manage ok though. She is always laying down. She injured herself and limps from nearly 3 weeks ago. Yesterday she started to show improvement with the injury and is starting to walk better at times without limping.

This is Lily. She was a Lynx Ragdoll, and she was the sweetest baby ever. When she was just a few months old, we found out that she had cardiomyopathy, which is a heart defect that can be a problem within the Ragdoll breed. We were heartbroken, but determined to make her short life as happy as possible. I gave her 2 different medications 3 times every day, and she was sweet and content for her 2 years of life.... I still miss her.....

© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved

A sunset from April, with my 90th 'Stranger Portrait' subject taking a sunset photograph for herself next to her kayak.

I am sorry for being absent for a few days here on Flickr.

I was rushed into hospital on Friday with a suspected heart attack. I didn't suspect one myself because the symptoms, although almost entirely the same as a heart attack, are something that I have experienced 3 times before.

I was discharged yesterday after a clear echo cardiogram with the diagnosis of Recurrent Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy. This is my 4th attack with my first being at the age of just 35.

Takotsubo Syndrome (also known as Stress Cardiomyopathy or Broken Heart Syndrome) has about the same fatality rate as a heart attack because it does cause an injury to the heart, although the mechanism is quite different. It is little understood but is caused by profound grief, emotional stress or physical stress that releases a surge of stress hormones that cause the left ventricle of the heart to swell and change shape and lose it's ability to work effectively.

All of my attacks have been preceded by profound grief and loss. Those of you following my recent tales will know that I have just been ditched by my partner of 20 years and I am facing homelessness, the loss of everything and will have to start my life from scratch, both materially and financially, at an age where I should be looking forward to winding my life down.

I now have to deal with all of this while trying to allow my heart to heal from the physical damage, knowing that there will never be a full 100% recovery and that there is no current treatment plan that can prevent a future attack.

I hate being a fringe medical case.

I am sad to say that while terrified, I almost wanted this attack to take me away from this cruel and painful world.

I am emotionally spent. I am mentally spent. I am physically spent.

I share this because I wear my heart on my sleeve, I always have. Such a shame that it keeps getting broken. Actually broken.

Thank you all in advance for any kind and warm wishes. I will get around to thanking you properly and catching up with your beautiful photography in time. I have to take it a little easy for a while though. It can take up to 2 months for the heart to 'recover' from this. I know all too well how it can cause a great deal of fatigue for a while.

Take care my Flickr friends. Be nice to one another in this crazy world.

© Leanne Boulton, All RIghts Reserved

Candid eye contact street photography from Glasgow, Scotland. Confronted and asked 'did you just photograph me?' I simply replied, 'I just photographed the street' and with that he was on his way. I was pleased that I managed to get out for a short while but quickly found that I had overestimated my strength following my recent cardiomyopathy. It may be a wee while before I am up to a full street shoot. I have to remind myself to walk before I can run. Hoping that you all have a great week ahead.

the implements I prepared so as to facilitate giving Sonya water when she becomes weak as she can't drink by herself. But I didn't use that, because she had drunk water by herself until just before her death for luckily and fortunately. Sonya passed away by cardiomyopathy on the morning of October 6th, 2025. She was 7 and a half years-old.

She was sleeping with her toes up. Cute.

Her little heart was working hard. Josie has cardiomyopathy. Our temperatures hit 37°C (98.6°F) yesterday.

Josie is slowly holding more fluid. Yesterday I've added to her food vitamin C in the form that is gentle to the stomach, (calcium carbonate in a powder form), which is a natural diuretic, and I've also added B Complex to give her some energy.

Josie still has her limp in her left back leg. She uses the leg better now, and I still don't know what caused it. It's been 4 weeks now.

She is still taking CoQ10 and Krill oil and zinc and calcium and magnesium and L-carnitine. Plus hawthorn tea and dandelion tea. She should also be taking L-taurine but I can't find it in shops, and I was hoping to avoid buying it online.

These two fellows are very close. Noah (golden on the left) saw the cardiologist again today where we received the sobering news we had been expecting. Dx, btw: Dilated cardiomyopathy; a-fib. We've added two new drugs to the mix (Digoxin and Diltiazem) with no pipe dreams attached. He was given until Christmas 2017 at the onset of these problems and he's still with us 2+ years later, though with less overall verve. Noah and Tucker are both in their last chapters and we've been hoping Tucker wouldn't be the one left behind as he is so attached to his brother. Cardio follow-up in two weeks.

Bon et bien voici les nouvelles de Chouette suite à son échocardiographie. Elle a une "cardiomyopathie hypertrophique" (CMH) = un épaississement des parois du muscle cardiaque. Les causes sont multiples mais déjà l'hyperthyroïdie et les causes rénales ont été exclues par la prise de sang. Il reste à vérifier sa tension, ce qui sera fait dans un second temps la semaine prochaine. Après il y a aussi des causes congénitales et/ou indéterminées. Toujours est-il que pour le moment elle n'a pas de traitement (sauf s'il s'avérait qu'elle a trop de tension), mais annuellement elle devra être contrôlée.

Well, here is the news of Chouette following her echocardiogram. She has a "hypertrophic cardiomyopathy" (HCM) = a thickening of the walls of the heart muscle. The causes are multiple but already hyperthyroidism and renal causes have been excluded by the blood test. Her blood pressure needs still to be tested, which will be done in a second step next week. There can also be congenital and/or undetermined causes. In any case, for the moment she has no treatment (unless it turns out that she has too much blood pressure), but she will have to be checked annually.

Josie is doing well health wise.

The dynamics have changed now Mercedes isn't here. Josie has become more dominant. Raphael wants to rough play with her like he used to with Mercedes, but she won't allow it. And she and Raphael have started to become enemies.

My camera phone is not as good as it was. My other cameras are in storage.

I hope to get a new phone soon. I am reluctant because I do drop my phone. My things are in disarry due to moving all the time. I have a nice little camera in storage, and I will try to get it next time I get to my storage. It's far away from me.

After losing sweet Lilith, I thought Leonardo was grieving. Leonardo was only 7.5 years old. My dearest boy was going into heart failure. I sadly had to say goodbye to him as well on the 15th. He had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. I had him at a well visit last October. His life was stolen from him. I have a huge hole in my heart for my angels I have lost. ❤️❤️

She starts to do well and I lower her diuretics, but then the problems with the toxic fumes from the neighbours will get us and I"m too slow to get her inside. And she deteriorates immediately.

I have now relocated all the cats to a temporary home until I can find us a home to move to. I sleep there and feed them but I don't have internet access. I only moved them last night.

I had Josie's blood tested on Saturday. The results will be available on Tuesday. Today, Monday, is a public holiday (labour day).

Sammy holing up.

She is happy and adorable and loves getting attention. She pesters me a lot for attention. Despite her diagnosis of cardiomyopathy in July 2016, she is doing very well. The vet is pleased with her on her recent visit. She gets a blood test in December to check her thyroid is still normal. She underwent radioactive thyroid treatment in July 2016 for hyperthyroidism. It has cured her thyroid so far.

My Prayer to God.

Dear God, thanks for putting people around me with big hearts and great compassion. Without all the horrible things in my life recently and the treachery I've had to endure, I wouldn't have experienced your great love through these people or understood the depths of compassion and your far reaching forgiveness. God you have erased all anger from my heart and delighted me with your unconditional love. I am astounded by you God. "A bruised reed he will not break". You are my "alpha and my omega". I am silenced I cannot speak. God you are my rock. You will raise us up in your arms. I am humbled I cannot resist.

Jake just came back from the Vet.

Mostly "Good" News: His lung xray was better than last week.

Pulmonary edema still slightly present but less.

Wheezing from asthma still there but also less. ;-)

update Nov 23 @ 1130 from cell phone.

Jake's breathing is BETTER even with the reduced meds. He is purring and interacting.

I am wondering if he has a sore throat or something, as it appears like he has an appetite, but he just takes a few mouthfuls and leaves the rest.

1745 UPDATE.

Jake just ate some angus beef, I cooked up for him topped with Rebound electrolyte juice. (chicken flavoured)

His temperature is 39.2 or 102.6

He has been fed small quantities more frequently. At lunch he drank some tuna juice and spit out the tuna on the floor?

I'll have to try to check his mouth and teeth for sores. He also ate about 15 dry kd food. He seems to be off the wet food which he used to enjoy.

Thank you all for your nice comments, get well wishes and helpful suggestions.

I am WORKING day shift, then spending time with Jake prob. won't be really online until I'm off work this weekend.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OUR AMERICAN FRIENDS!!!!! ;-)

JAKE TURNED ON MY LIGHT AT 4 Am TODAY TO WAKE ME UP FOR BREAKFAST!

Josie doing her signature sleeping position and Matilda at the door.

She starts to do well and I lower her diuretics, but then the problems with the toxic fumes from the neighbours will get us and I'm too slow to get her inside. And she deteriorates immediately. I was on the phone when it happened about 4 days ago. She is back on maximum dose diuretics as a result.

I have now relocated all the cats to a temporary home until I can find us a home to move to. I sleep there and feed them but I don't have internet access. I only moved them last night.

I had Josie's blood tested on Saturday. They were good. Her thyroid is 35. Over 60 is hyperthyroid. Her T4 in march was 87. She still needs her heart medication. I'm hoping that in the new environment, her heart thickening may reverse. (it is unlikely)

Ideally her T4 should be under 30. There is a chance that over 30 is pre hyperthyroid.

She has just started to drop some fluid. I am praying it will continue to drop. As a result she has started to become active again.

She has passed the 3months she was given to live. I owe that to the CoQ10 and other supplements and of course the vet medication.

She has survived the move to the new house.

Munroe a one year old Western Lowland Gorilla is trying to get his mother up to play at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido California.

The western lowland gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that lives in montane primary and secondary forests and lowland swamps in Angola Cameroon Central African Republic Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is the gorilla usually found in zoos. Adult male Gorillas are prone to cardiomyopathy a degenerative heart disease.

I turned this photo into a fridge magnet. Maude was a lovely, beautiful and intelligent girl - the darker cat - and she had a cardiomyopathy in January 1984. We had her put to sleep on January 20, 1984.

Her sister, Timothy, the light colored cat in front lived to be just over 17 years old. She had kidney disease and we had her put to sleep November 25, 1994.

They were both lovely pets and I still miss them both.

I TOOK TWIGA TO THE VET LAST NIGHT (10JAN08) and just got test results - after eliminating everything negative, she probably has cardiomyopathy . Heart disease. I will know to what degree next week when she goes in for x-rays - please think happy , positive thoughts for her.

She is only 7 yrs old.

TWIGA UPDATE: Test results from the specialist on Monday.

Well it's good news and bad news.

Good news (I guess) is there is only a small opening in the left ventrical of her heart causing a small leak, but it is not serious. The bad news is, this is not why she is losing weight and they want to do an abdominal ultrasound on other internal organs, and possibly more blood work.

My vet is on vacation this week - how dare her :-) So I will wait to talk with her next Thursday for her advice - I hate the waiting stuff.....

You always wonder just how far to take these things and how much to put your beloved pet through. Any advice you have would be appreciated. The cost will also become an issue........

Thank you all so much for all the comments, emails, kind words and prayers. I just cant express how much I appreciate it. So until next week, Twiga seems to at least be feeling a little better. xxoo

Highest Explore Position #439 ~ On Saturday June 12th 2010.

Western Lowland Gorilla - London Zoo - Monday June 7th 2010.

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Well, the World Cup's up and running and it looks like some of us are already hitting the bottle, lol....Yup, our furry cousin may wish he was actually in Africa, but I am sure he'll be Bigging up England for the next 4 weeks, he's already got the drinking down pat...lol..:))....So all together...COME ON ENG-GER-LAND!!! against the USA tomorrow..:))...

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ~ The Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) is a subspecies of the Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) that lives in montane, primary, and secondary forests and lowland swamps in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is the gorilla usually found in zoos. Adult male Gorillas are prone to cardiomyopathy, a degenerative heart disease. Babec, a Western Lowland Gorilla on exhibit at the Birmingham Zoo in Birmingham, Alabama (USA) was the first gorilla to receive an artificial pacemaker. Binti Jua, who resides at Brookfield Zoo in Illinois, saved a three year old boy who fell into her enclosure in 1996.

Behaviour ~ They live in family groupings of one dominant male, five to seven adult females, children and adolescents, and possibly a few non-dominant males. Gorillas reproduce slowly because females do not begin reproducing until the age of nine or ten and usually only produce one baby approximately every five years.

Size ~ A male Western Lowland Gorilla can stand 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) tall and weigh almost 200 kg (440 lb).

Diet ~ The Western Lowland Gorilla eats plants (including bamboo) and occasionally insects. Males eat up to 9 kg (20 lb) a day.

Conservation ~ In the 1980s, a census taken of the gorilla populations in equatorial Africa was thought to be 100,000. Researchers adjusted the figure after years of poaching and deforestation had reduced the population to approximately 50,000. Surveys conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2006 and 2007 found more than 100,000 previously unreported gorillas have been living in the swamp forests of Lake Tele Community Reserve and in neighboring Marantaceae (dryland) forests in the Republic of the Congo. With the new discovery, the current population of Western Lowland Gorillas could be around 150,000–200,000. However, the gorilla remains vulnerable to Ebola, deforestation, and poaching.

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I've posted photos of this kitty before, with some comments about his diagnosis a year ago with heart disease (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy). He had a check-up yesterday, and the vet was amazed at how well he is doing. His condition has actually improved greatly, due to the medication he has been taking! Very good news for a sweet kitty:)

There's a lineup. (That's Queue for my British friends)

Rosie (a-k-a- Rosebud). I thought I was going to lose Rosie a few months ago when she was diagnoised with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. (heart disease).

All is well now that she is on medication for life.

2006 -2014

Little Ricky died yesterday, February 10, very unexpectedly. Cardiomyopathy -- a heart disease that can be inherited by cats. Male domestic shorthairs 5-7 are especially at risk. He was healthy, happy and fine until the evening of February 9, when he was solemn and subdued. Wanted to share with all of you.

Winston succumbed to heart failure this morning. He died at the clinics doorstep.

We are terribly sad, but he had four years of good life after his initial diagnosis at three years old.

He joins his good friend Sammy over the bridge.

Love you so much baby boy.