Following up on last night's semi-cryptic post.

Last night, around 1 am, Edward Cat's blood work came back indicative of congestive heart failure with nothing in the fluid from around the lungs (pulmonary edema? i guess) indicative of cancer. There was some chance his breathing difficulties were triggered by fluids he received on Thursday[1]. Given that, there are reasonable chances that he can receive treatment and be better, at least for a while. So he's been hospitalized today with some hope that they can stabilize his breathing, give him some drugs for the fluid build up and to help him eat, and feed him (with a feeding tube) to get his eating started again -- and then he might come home. And it's possible maybe we give him regular meds  and he's OK for a while.

We got home, had a bit of alcohol to sedate and counter coffee, and then were asleep -- my watch says 3:20 am. I was up around 7. I just called and learned they're doing rounds: we'll hear how he is in a few hours.

[1] "Decompensation into fulminant pulmonary edema may be precipitated by a stressful event, anesthesia, intravenous fluid administration or steroid administration. " https://academy.royalcanin.com/en/veterinary/management-of-the-cat-with-heart-failure

After a winter with so many cold spells, i doubted the return of many zone 8 plants and a  zone 9 plant. But to my delight

• not only the dahlias i grew from seed years ago but the new dahlias from last year have all returned
• the Calla lilies i did not get around to digging up are sprouting
• a Jewels of Opar plant (Talinum paniculatum) that came up last year presumably from a scattered seed has returned
• and a  Stevia plant i'd grown from seed  -- the zone 9 plant -- has come back for the second time under both cold and weed pressure!

Most of the bee balm (Mondara) i looked at yesterday had powdery mildew. I'll look again this weekend to see if there's any i can harvest as a herb while cutting back all the tall growing plants to promote branching.

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Wednesday was the monoclonal antibody second infusion. I was feeling good and then the dose of intravenous benadryl hit and i was knocked out of it for the rest of the day. The infusion itself was short.  Dad has COVID aka, as he calls it, Covig, on returning from a Danube cruise with his sweetheart. Nurse said to stay away from him (and my sister and her husband who have been exposed to Dad as they cared for him) for two weeks.

Thursday was a blur with work meetings. I was promising myself a Friday to focus but then more distractions. Plus a new phone has arrived, so ensuring i have all the things i use set up is taking attention.

Meanwhile Edward Cat has been sleeping, not interested in usual companionship, not eating. He's clearly got a cold. We first thought to let it take its course, but Thursday and Friday Christine's taken him to the vet. (The vet urged the appointment on Friday). Blood sugar low, so stopping the insulin, and ordered a glucose testing kit so we can do a better job monitoring without vet trips. We have an appetite stimulant to try.

He wasn't in the bed when i woke somewhat early, so i looked for him and finally found him by the litter box. I assume getting there sapped all his energy.

Christine's sister's two cats died in the past year and i know Christine is almost expecting Edward to die, following Luigi. She's worried about his will to live.  I hope not. He still looks like a hearty cat.