A Christmas Miracle: Poet
Today, Poet is celebrating his very first Christmas and after a very long medical journey, is considered healthy. Poet is truly our Christmas Miracle.
We are so thankful to Dr. Vernau and the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Companion Veterinary Clinic, and our incredible supporters for not giving up on Poet. We couldn’t have a better team by his side!
Poet was found in a bush outside of the Lincoln Post Office in July. He was lethargic, uninterested in food, and not moving. His back legs wouldn’t work! We stabilized him and brought him to Companion Veterinary Clinic. He appeared OK, but it was very unsettling that he wasn’t walking! We then made an appointment with UC Davis, but even after multiple tests, they too could not pinpoint what was leading to the paralysis! So, we agreed to take him home, let him rest, fuel up, and see what happens. Through it all… he purred. He gave us a reason. This holiday season, Poet is our mascot for everything!
Over the next few weeks, Poet began to improve with physical therapy, Reiki, good nutrition, and TLC. He was even blessed with a Fairy Godmother who was taken with his story of resilience. She utilized @prideofkittycats to raise awareness and money for Poet through her community of cat lovers.
Then, everything changed.
Poet crashed. We worked around the clock to figure out what was going on and why.
He was hospitalized once again at UC Davis with an unknown neuromuscular condition for which the neurologist was not able to find a cause.
Poet remained one of the most determined fighters we’ve ever seen. His weakness didn’t subside for weeks. He couldn’t raise his head or hold it up without support. He was unable to roll over, so he had to be turned over several times daily. Eating required a spoon held up to his mouth while gently supporting his head. He remained in an oxygen tent, but he had a great appetite and a sparkle in his eye. We could not give up when he had such a zest for life.
Our neuro team at UC Davis worked hard to find a diagnosis. One possibility was that he had congenital myasthenia gravis, a very rare condition in kittens. He tested negative for it, but it was our only hope, so we started him on medication for it.
We were hopeful and cautiously optimistic. He kept fighting; so, we did, too. He was not in pain or discomfort. We considered his quality of life every day.
In September, he began to take strides in improvement. He could once again sit up unsupported! He was alert, wide-eyed and loved interactive playtime!
This trend continued for another month… and the one after that. Finally, Poet was thriving.
Poet has now been weaned off the medication. Just recently he was stable enough to be neutered!
Poet is a medical mystery and a medical marvel, but the fact that he is now 100% a normal kitten brings us so much joy. Even better, Poet’s foster family, who has been by his side since the beginning, is making it official—Poet has a home!
Stay tuned, because we’re working on a special video showing just how far Poet has come and we’ll debut that soon. We couldn’t ask for a better gift!
Poet is our Christmas Miracle, and today, we are sharing his bright light with all of you. Merry Christmas, from our family to yours!
P.S. Our hearts are full because we can give Poet this chance. We can only do this because of you, so thank you for bringing so much peace and joy to Poet throughout his journey and this holiday season. If you have already given, thank you, and if not, you can still make a holiday gift to kittens just like Poet right here, right now.
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