For the second Christmas in a row, I’ve been off my game.
I recently had surgery, which ended me up in ICU for three days and then two days in the cardiac ward.
First off, after surgery the medical team thought I’d had a stroke because I couldn’t answer questions and when I did talk it was gibberish. The anesthesia? Perhaps.
After that was sorted out a marker that predicts heart attacks was elevated. My arms were riddled with poke holes from blood tests. Fortunately that marker went down so after two days I was released. Woohoo!
From the hospital (in a different county), I went directly to my friend Mabel’s house. She and her husband Bart did everything to make me comfortable. They have a great meadow behind their place and one morning there were over 30 turkeys all gobbling amongst themselves. The males fanned out to look their best. I actually walked down to the fence line to take photos. That’s when I knew it was time to go home. See my kitties.
Speaking of kittens…a neighbor recently abandoned three kittens, maybe about 4-months old.
I don’t understand people like that. My other neighbor (who has four dogs) and I have been feeding them. At 6AM when I feed my own cats, I place whatever leftovers my cats don’t eat into a bowl for the new kittens along with dry kibble. The little ones run so fast through the leaves in my front yard and gobble the food down. My neighbor feeds them at night.
Neither of us have the funds to get them spay and neutered. We both have checked for free clinics but those are nonexistent right now. We certainly don’t need more young kittens trying to fend for themselves.
I bundle up and sit out on the porch and talk with them. They all love to cuddle. I have to hold myself back from letting them inside. It actually hurts my heart to leave them outside. Again I wonder how people can abandon them? The woman who moved told me, “Not my problem.”
What’s a girl to do? Start a GoFundMe to get them spay and neutered? Beg for help? I’m posting pictures on Facebook and hoping someone kind wants to adopt one or all of them.
My good neighbor is also recovering from surgery and so we are each doing what we can for the kittens. Recovery from surgery is no joke. In my case, I’m banking on this being the last procedure that will help my back. I hope to at least be part of the holiday season.
So what is a girl to do?…hope for happy holiday homes for three darling kittens, my little porch babies. Check my Facebook for photos.
Lucy Llewellyn Byard is currently a columnist for the Record-Bee. To contact her, email lucywgtd@gmail.com
