Clementine Gets Vet Care

I called her Blessed, the old muted torti, a mess when she came here from Mountain Shadows trailer park.  I tried to clip off all that dirty hair.  She had mats and cakes of dirt and fleas so bad, and a URI and was drooling puss from bad teeth.

I got her partially cleaned up and on to antibiotics and then Chelsea adopted her, with the knowledge I'd gotten her an appointment for further care, particularly blood work and dental, at the coast on the first of August.

Chelsea renamed her Clementine.  This is a wondrous cat who immediately hugs you, wraps her front legs around your neck and just hangs on.   She's old and sleeps a lot and other than that, likes to eat and get love.  She's an easy cat, a lover and very grateful.

Yesterday was the day for her vet visit.  Chelsea came along and brought her two big dogs.  We took the old Catmobile as Chelsea was going to help drive and doesn't do stick shifts.   I had no doubts taking it.  I knew it would be ok despite its age and miles.

I didn't get enough sleep.  I almost never do when I have to set an alarm for so early.  I had to be up at 3:30 a.m. after all.   The dinging alarm seemed to spark a dream long before I woke.   I was ready to go by 4:30 a.m. and Chelsea arrived with her dogs and with Clemmie in a small cage, with a carrier along for her to be in at the vet clinic.  Off we went, into the lightening morning.

I knew it would be very very hot in the valley yesterday so I didn't mind heading west.   I handed Clemmie off to a very kind vet with no qualms after the three hour drive over, from where I live in the mid valley.  I like that clinic.  Not only are they affordable but They are practical.  You can say, "do what needs done" and they will do what needs done but not more than needs done.

I was already worn out by then, but we drove down to Oswald West state park and parked in one of the many parking lots along highway 101 and then walked the beautiful short trail in to Short Sands beach, popular with cold water surfers and also with tide poolers.  We hoped to find exposed tide pools and we did.

Everywhere along the coast was crammed with people, escaping the valley heat or on vacations.   Short Sands was a little less crowded early because of the need to walk in, I think, but by the time we left it too was getting populated.  Other beach parking lots were full to the brim with people overflow parking up and down the highway near the beach access.

Chelsea's dogs had a grand time, running in circles and chasing one another.   Large Red Rock crabs could be seen just under the surface of the water.  I saw four in one spot within feet of each other and tried to get a photo through the water but didn't do very well.  I think they were after the millions of Sand crabs that were everywhere.

Two crabs can be seen in this photo, under water, but only if you know where to look.  that's my shadow on the right.   

One of Chelsea's dogs

We left Short Sands and got lunch at a drive through Fish and Chips place in Seaside, then drove on up to Fort Stevens state park and out to the south jetty beach where I've often spent the day when waiting on cats at the clinic.   There we ate lunch and Chelsea took off to the beach with her dogs while I pulled the dog's blanket from the back of the car and drug it under a pine tree and laid out on the marsh grass for a nap.  I was sooooo sleepy.

The gentle upward slope under the pine coupled with the soft sand beneath the grass was too perfect a bed and I was soon asleep.  The breeze off the ocean, and flickering light created by branches waving in the breeze, blocking and unblocking the sun, calls to me now, as I want to nod off again and think of that soft sand bed and the salt air on that breeze.

We picked up Clementine not long after that.  Her blood work came out normal.  I was happy. I'd worried she had hyperthyroid.  She is still so thin.  The vet said to feed her all she wants.  She'd had to have all the rest of her teeth pulled.  They were rotten and infected.   At least 11 teeth were extracted.  Total Vet Bill, including take home antibiotics, pain meds and antiinflammatories:  $310.

I drove for awhile on the trip home but then let Chelsea take over as I was too tired.  We headed south instead of over the coast range back into Portland.  We could not tolerate the idea of sitting in a Portland rush hour traffic jam in 100 degree heat.  So we cut east across through the coast range back to the valley on highway 18, north of Lincoln City, that then turns into 22 into Salem.  Got home about 9:00 p.m.   Chelsea took Clementine home again.

It was a promise fulfilled to finish out the help Clementine needed to get on with the happy rest of her life.   I'll be worn out for a few days and brushing sand out of things.  Today the temperature here may reach 108F.