Update

image from fergieonfilm.com

I know I haven't kept up with blogging very well this week. Travel weeks are not good weeks for me these days! I'm ready for the Birmingham house to be sold or rented so we don't have to keep going back and forth there every other week. Now we have to detour through Auburn, Alabama for Phantom on the way back and next time we go we'll be adding a trip to get the Boy, which adds another hour and 1/2 to the overall trip.

It's an endless merry-go-round from hell around here these days!

Phantom looking hungry after the appetite stimulant I gave him.

On a positive note:  Phantom's calcium levels are down so that means the Palladia pills are helping him. The vet said it would not cure him, but if he handles the pills well it might prevent the spread of the cancer to other organs. Right now it is in 90% of his liver so prognosis is not good. I'm going to stay positive though. He's eating, drinking and doesn't seem to be in any kind of pain. At the end of this month he will get to see his boy again when we take both of them back to the ham with us.

The Boy has a doctor appointment to see if he needs to stay on the lexapro (he does!) or some other kind of medication for anxiety and we have our annual appointment with AL Rehab to go over his accommodations for this coming school year. It just so happened to all come together for him because he's finished with his summer internship program and starts his new internship for fall when he gets back to school. Both are paying positions which is good. He needs the money especially since his apartment is more expensive than the dorm, but less depressing for him. He was very isolated when he was in the dorm his freshman year.

Phantom will be very happy to see the Boy and vice versa.

We have to get Phantom's blood tested again that week as well and I may see if I can take him to his regular vet which is nearby, instead of Auburn where he has to be in the car an extra two hours. When we took him Wednesday for a blood test, I thought it would only take an hour, but we got there at 8 am and didn't leave until 12. The Murph and I had another "tour" of Auburn which included breakfast at Chappy's and a trip to Chewacla state park, about 15 minutes away.

Pretty waterfall at Chewacla State Park

We found the park by typing in "attractions' on the GPS. If you are following me on Instagram, you probably saw some of the above waterfall pictures. It was fun climbing around on the rocks although I kept my eyes open for snakes. I'm not fond of water moccasins.

We had already done the fine art museum and Pebble Hill and we're running out of "attractions" to visit in order to kill time as we are waiting for Phantom.

An arboretum came up on the attractions list, but neither the Murph nor I knew exactly what an arboretum was. At first I thought it might involve birds, but that is called an aviary.

image from agadams.co.uk

Now I know it's a botanical garden with trees and stuff.

image from facebook.com

Someone also suggested getting a lemonade at Toomer's Corners. Those are on our "to do" list for next time. After his next blood test in two weeks, Phantom won't have to go back for 4 to 6 weeks.

Next time I'm going to find a vet hospital in Vegas, baby. More things to do to kill time!

Just joking, of course! Auburn Veterinarian hospital is a great place to take your pets. I just wish my cat was healthy and didn't have to go there, but if they can't help Phantom nobody can. Besides, I don't think Phantom would appreciate the plane ride to Vegas any more than the car rides to Auburn although he is a much better traveler than I am. At the moment, he's not very happy with me shoving pills and nasty drops down his throat. The Boy says Phantom would really appreciate what I'm doing for him if he understood. I'll take the Boy's word for it. It's his cat after all.