Friday, April 19, 2013

Colour Theory & A Biscuit Update

I mentioned a while ago that I started a Colour Theory course.  

Last night was the 3rd session and I'm enjoying it (apart from the idle, vague chit chat about colour for the first hour).  My favorite part of the class is when we discuss and learn colour terms and then view a slide show to illustrate the application of the terms in famous old paintings and also contemporary works of art.

We also have homework each week!  The first week we had to do a colour wheel with all the colours having the same VALUE.

"Value" is the lightness or darkness of a colour:

We had to follow the triangle format, by taping lines on the canvas and then painting the 6 colours of equal value - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet.  Mine was pretty accurate except my yellow was too light.

We used acrylic paints in the primary colours - Red, Blue, and Yellow - and mixed them to produce the secondary colours.  Then you use white or black paint to lighten or darken the colours.

Biscuit helped with my project by sitting on the chair next to me and meowing when he liked the colours:
The left side of his neck was shaved at the vet (for blood work) so he looks a little scruffy.

Unfortunately Biscuit is not feeling well at all.

His ultrasound showed that the lymph nodes in his abdomen are moderately swollen.  

The ultrasound vet and our vet think he either has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD -which can cause the lymph system to react) or intestinal lymphoma (cancer).  It is impossible to know which it is without exploratory surgery (via biopsy).  An endoscope could be used for biopsy but it might be inconclusive too.

So we decided to put him on steroids, in addition to the thyroid drug he's been on.

The steroid, prednisolone, is supposed to suppress the immune system and improve the IBD, if that's what he has.  He's been on the steroid 6 days and still no change in the diarrhea.  He hasn't had nausea, but today for the first time he has vomited about 20 times.  

Luckily I am home today, so I am on standby with paper towels and carpet cleaner and have called the vet and await a reply.  He threw up all over the seat of our new linen sofa (which I am regretting I didn't Scotch Guard).  Poor little guy.

He seemed quite okay this week and seemed to be coming back to himself, including some lovely naps during the day (previously he was restless and meowing non-stop):

I guess we will know in the next couple of weeks what's happening.

My heart goes out to our friend Renae who had to put down her 17 year old cat, Schmoo, today.

I hope we will have Biscuit for a long, long time (he is only 11) but I am not hopeful after today.  And it is very hard to get him to take his pills.  I hope the vet calls back soon. 

In the meantime, I am glued to CNN watching the events in Boston.  It must be surreal and a bit scary to be living there right now.    

15 comments:

  1. I'm watching the news a lot today, too. So sad.

    Your color theory class sounds interesting. Color has such an influence in our world.

    I'm sorry about poor Biscuit.

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  2. I am so sorry Biscuit is not feeling well. My cat Tencents is 16.5 years and she just started having renal failure issues. I go to the Signal Hill animal clinic - the vet there is good and he put her on a low-protein diet. So far she is doing very well, but she is 16 1/2 so we just enjoy every day. She is now also howling in the middle of the night and drives us crazy - happy days. At least it's sunny in Calgary and has not snowed for a few days lol!

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  3. Your post brings tears to my eyes and sorrow in my heart for your sweet guy Biscuit. He does look on the thin side, very much how my two kitties were as they aged. Our Sweet Pea ended up having cancer, at least the vet thought it was that. I didn't do exploratory surgery, it would of been too much for her. She left us very quickly which I am grateful for since she didn't suffer for long. With things they way they are in Boston (I lived there for 6 years) it just makes one wonder what this world is all about and why these things continue to occur. My heart is heavy today but I'm looking for my rainbow, nonetheless. Hugs to you and Biscuit. Cheri

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    1. I feel exactly the same, cheri. thanks for sharing your story about sweet pea. i agree that the exploratory surgery is too much.
      xo terri

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  4. Sweet little guy. I'm joining you in hoping that the vet calls soon. Don't watch too much of that news now, though it does look as if something big is happening right now. Such a challenging week all around.

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  5. thinking of you with a internet hug... pats for Biscuit...x

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  6. I"m so sorry about Biscuit. This kind of thing is just awful. You wish they could talk for just a minute to tell how they're feeling and what's going on. You may want to add some covers to all the furniture until thing are resolved. Hoping and praying the steroids will kick in and things will settle down.

    Glad you're enjoying the color class. I'd love to be learning something creative. You may want to pursue some more classes once you get a taste of this.

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  7. 20 times? Not good! Did you hear back from the clinic? Has the vomiting settled?

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    1. Yes it stopped around 3pm. We are seeing Lise tomorrow. Xo T.

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  8. I am hopeful that Biscuit will rebound- what a sweet face he has. Poor little guy.

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  9. Anonymous10:28 am

    Hi,

    Just a note I follow Marie on 66 square feet as she is a homey from Africa like me, with a love for cats. Have a look at her cats blog Estorba - he too has "typhoid" (hyperthyroidism). But Marie has been through the treatments and it may be of some help to you. http://estorboloco.blogspot.co.uk/ plus her blog is a joy to read - not interiors but beautiful gardens and yummy food.

    Hope Biscuit feels better soon.

    Lisa H in London.

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    1. Anonymous3:57 am

      If he is unable to take the pills Marie has been using a cream on the back of his ears as he too stopped taking the pills.

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  10. Oh, I'm so sorry to read about Biscuit's health. I know how worried you must be. Poor kitty. I will hope for the best and keep you both in my thoughts.

    Such a sweet photo of him all curled up, asleep. He's precious.
    Claudia

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  11. Terri,
    I'm so sorry to hear about Biscuit. Tom, Panda, Mocha and I are all sending little Biscuit our very best. A couple months ago, Mocha was in really, really bad shape. She didn't eat for almost a week!! We thought we were going to lose her. But after proper diagnosis and medication, her pancreatitis and liver attacks are under control. We are all rooting for Biscuit!
    Take care,
    Loi

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  12. Mocha will not take her pills, so we hide them in pill pockets. Maybe try for Biscuit?

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