Everyone else has gone to bed.
It was not the greatest day, really. William got ornery. Of course it was over electronics. We explained it to him again. At some point, I imagine that he'll figure out that he's not getting his way on this. It seemed to be okay by the time he headed upstairs to bed.
It's hard to tell if Tim is doing better. He's done with the steroids and they really wreaked havoc on him. He coughed more than usual today, and I watched this with a sinking feeling. He's exhausted. The medication kept him up at night, and he's been on it for a week. He headed upstairs not long after William. He was pretty tired.
I puttered around.
I went out to the kitchen to dish up Houdini's catfood. I always talk to him while I'm getting things ready. Normally, he watches me intently from his bed. I heat up his dinner for 10 seconds in the microwave to take the chill off, blabbing away, and that take it over to his eating place. He tolerates some petting, grants a loud purr. I shut off the light and leave the room, and at some point, he eats when the house is quiet and dark.
Tonight though, it was different. He got out of bed and came to where I was dishing up his dinner. He followed me over to the microwave. When I carried his little dish over to his feeding station, he walked along. At that point, I did look at him directly, and called him quietly. He stepped forward with a little questioning mew.
I didn't try to pet him, but it was awfully nice to see him moving about instead of hiding.
You are really getting there even if Houdini's behaviour is inconsistent so far.
ReplyDeleteHe is a very good natured beast. This would have been a much bigger challenge if we were trying to tame an aggressive feral cat.
DeleteIt's good to hear of the changes in Houdini. He'll do things in his own time (as cats always do!).
ReplyDeleteIt is good to see a change in him. Slow but steady...a lesson we need to apply to a nearly 12 year old boy. I think.
DeleteYour cat whispering is showing results.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry William was ornery (I think we'd call that bloody minded!). I don't envy anyone having to deal with young people and electronic gadgets these days.
My son gamed. He also had other interests and sports and two jobs. It was not at all what we are seeing with William.
DeleteDon't hesitate to get Tim to a lung doc (pulmonologist.) Maybe Houdini knew you were the last available human to chat with tonight. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteHe was following William around one evening, sniffing at his socks.
DeleteI am worried about your Tim. I really hope he can get something sorted soon.
ReplyDeleteHe is tired this morning, tired enough that for the first time, when I asked him how he felt, he just said 'i don't know.'
DeleteHoudini is his own person/cat.
ReplyDeleteAnd we have no choice but to respect that.
DeleteI think we are all worried about Tim and his cough, hopefully he will get better with the proper medication.
ReplyDeleteI am going to disagree somewhat about children and electronic gadgetry. This is their Age of Exploration, we may think that constant resource to phone or computer is bad. But perhaps that is the way the world is working. My son was exactly the same, then he started to take his computer apart and understand it. He is computer savvy and has been in work constantly. My grandchildren have grown up through this Computer Era, all going to university and working hard along the way. Bend Will's mind to those games that instruct them, was it Sim Earth in the olden days - chuckle.
I don't think anything is harmful as long as there are checks and balances. We do see a change in behavior, sulky, impatient, not interested in anything but getting back to his game. That is what bothers us. He is used to having unlimited time, so this is a change. I am sure we will get past it. It is important for him to learn early on that he is not going to out-stubborn us.
DeleteIt’s an addiction for many, many people…. Maybe he’d take it as a challenge to prove that electronics can’t win over him??
DeleteAs John Denver sang, "Some days are diamonds, some days are stones." (A very useful phrase and one I employ often.)
ReplyDeleteI wish they'd get to the bottom of Tim's cough -- and I know you do too. They're treating symptoms but do they understand the cause?
Here we say, 'some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug.'
DeleteHis doctor is not so much interested in the diagnostics. I would really like to see him seen by another doctor.
The cat is moving along. Kids new rescue is also the timid type.
ReplyDeleteThey can count their blessings for that. I once tried to tame an aggressive feral. It did not work out. He hated kids.
DeleteI hate steroids. I've been given them a few times over the years and they really mess up my sleep patterns leaving me exhausted like Tim. When I tore my rotator cuff, they wanted to give them to me as well and I declined. I'm glad I did.
ReplyDeleteTim is really just terribly worn down. He hasn't been sleeping well for a couple months now. First it was the coughng. Now it is the steroids. He talked with a friend of his today. They've had it at their house. His wife coughed so badly she tore her retina.
DeleteI suppose consistency is the secret for both boys and cats.
ReplyDeleteI think you're exactly right.
DeletePoor Tim. It is difficult to manage when you don't sleep well. Hope he gets another opinion - maybe from an allergist or lung doctor.
ReplyDeleteWilliam is a great kid.
He is. I know that. I think he was a little ashamed of himself this morning.
DeletePlease tell Tim he needs to see another doctor or a lung doctor. My husband's trouble started with him coughing for hours at times. He tried all the things our doctor gave him but was sent to a specialist.
ReplyDeleteYou're the second one to point that out to us, that a persistant cough might be tied to heart issues.
DeleteTim needs to see another doctor. Maybe it's nothing, but it should be investigated.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Houdini is coming along; like most of us, it takes time to trust. And William, I agree, enough with the games already. Life your life instead of watching a life.
The scary thing about these games is the fact that there are so many predators out there.
DeleteI didn't know that. Thank you for the heads up.
DeleteThere was a case. Three children were taken by a predator who made contact thru a roblox game.
DeleteI'm going to echo what many others have said: Please get your husband to a pulmonologist, it seems that there is something wrong in his chest. It also seems to me that his doctor is not that interested other than to just treat the symptoms. You need to find the cause. Good news on Houdini, trust takes time.
ReplyDeleteWe're going to give it a week to let the side effects of the steroids die down and then see what's what. He's not arguing so much this time around. I think he's just worn out and too tired to argue.
DeleteCan you find a lung specialist where you live? A cough that persists this long could be something terrible. Good job with the cat, he's coming around.
ReplyDeleteHe needs to see someone beyond his own doctor. Next week, we'll see how he is, after the side effects of this last medication have worn off.
DeleteI know I said this already, but I really think he needs a chest x-ray. Probably a referral to a pulmonologist, as well. Has he ever worked around asbestos?
ReplyDeleteNot that we are aware of.
DeleteThrilled to hear positive Houdini news! 😊
ReplyDeleteHas Tim been tested for pertussis (whooping cough)?
Easy sputum test. Easily treated.
Adults generally don't exhibit the "whoop" many associate with whooping cough.
The reservoir for the pertussis causative agent (bacteria) is in adult humans.
Poor you. I'm glad the cat had contact with you!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely x
ReplyDelete