Murphy Jane Lorraine

Murphy Part 3-----------------------

For Murphy Part 1 click here

For Murphy Part 2 click here

If you're tired of reading about Murphy and want to read about another cat click here

Okay back to Murphy Part 3

After Murphy's first visit to the vet there were plenty of other times that I took her over there.

Remember how I said I was a nervous wreck. Well, its true. I was.

She threw up, I took her to the vet.

She looked sick, I took her.

In the first few months I had Murphy's side of the medicine cabinet and mine.

Every time we went, it was more expensive then the last. 

One trip to vet sticks out more than the others in my mind.

I was waiting tables at the time. Just after I had finished undergrad. There was a six month period of time before I started graduate school that I filled with table waiting. This is actually when I met my husband, but I'll save that story for another day, another time.

Anyway, one Friday, I was working a double, meaning I was working all day and night. It was a super busy weekend and I ended up making the most I had ever made working a double. I was so proud of myself. It seemed like the perfect way to start the weekend.

On Saturday, I worked the morning shift and made it home about  two or three in the afternoon. As soon as I got home I had planned to change and the rest of the day was mine to do whatever I wanted.

Or course, that wasn't the case.

When I walked in the door, my roommate came out of her room and said that she thought something might be wrong with Murphy. She's been laying down all day, she said. And her stomach is huge. She cries when I pick her up.

Oh man.

So I found Murphy in the living room laying on the floor. Big belly Murphy. Crying when I pick her up Murphy.

Then I thought what someone like me would think. The worst.

She must have swallowed something, I wondered out loud. It must be stuck in her tummy. My roommate agreed.

But what?

I rushed her to the emergency vet. There was no time to lose. Murphy could die if something is stuck in her. I can't lose her yet.

I hightailed it to the vet. Big belly Murphy clawed into the headboard of my seat. (I never learned from our first vet visit to bring a cat carrier)

With Murphy clawed into my head I ran into the vet. Obviously Murphy was bigger these days so the weight of her made me have to tilt my head to the side. Walking up to the desk, I explained that Murphy must have swallowed something. She's stomach is horribly big and she cries a lot. Please look at her, I'm worried. Please remove her from my scalp.

The woman sympathetically takes Murphy back and I sit down in the seat worrying what surgery might cost is she can't throw it up. Or pass it. Gross.

Was it money she swallowed? Her favorite purple ball? I haven't seen it a while.

Minutes turn into an hour and I'm waiting and waiting.

And waiting.

Finally someone comes out. The doctor. He says it looks like Murphy may have something in her stomach. I did an X ray, he tells me.  (In my mind, I'm wondering how much X rays cost these days. Whether I'll have to take out a loan.)

What will you have to do?, I ask him. I don't really want to know the answer. I know its an answer that costs a lot.

Surgery. He says.

I'm sweating. 

And Surgery, um, what would that run me. I mean, a thousand bucks, several hundred....my left arm.

It could be close to a thousand, he tells me. 

I swallowed hard and nod my head. I need a minute. I walk outside and he walks back to where ever Murphy and the X ray machine are. I guess prepping for surgery. It was all such a blur.

Outside, it didn't help that it was a beautiful day outside. I was sweating, nervously pacing. Dialing my mom's number on my cell phone.  Please mom pick up. She did and then I lay it all out there for her. Murphy has to have surgery, I say, She swallowed something. It could be a thousand dollars. I think I'm going to throw up. I'm crying and she tells me to calm down. Talks me through it like she always does. Don't worry about she says. I pull myself together (I seem to do that a lot in these blog entries. I hope I don't sound like a basket case.) and  I walk back into the vet waiting room.

I sit down in the chair and wait. I'm not sure for what.

The doctor comes out.

Mam, I'm sorry, he tells me. We won't be needing surgery. (I perk up) You see we thought something was in there, but it turns out that there wasn't. It was.....

It was just gas.

Just gas.

Gas.

Just gas?, I ask him.

Yes mam, I'm sorry.

I'm not. (me-- Carrie-- the one who almost spent a thousand bucks on Murphy surgery)

I want to hug him but that would be weird.

They bring Murphy out and she crawls up on my head. Little belly Murphy. I guess I can figure out how they came up with that prognosis.

I walk over to the counter and I ask how much her x ray will be.

The woman gives me an amount. The exact amount I made on my Friday. Sigh.

I pay her and leave. Balancing Murphy on my head. I slide into my car and let her sit on my headrest.

Sitting in my car, I had an epiphany. I will give it a few days. Whenever she gets sick I won't take her. I'll just wait. You know what? It worked out. Murphy saw less of the vet in the years following and we both seemed to do okay.

But one day Murphy really did swallow something. But more on that later. :)