Saturday, August 15, 2009

Prayers for Shamus

Many of you know Shamus the Wonder Cat. He travels with us on our T@B camping adventures and has visited most of the Missouri State Parks. He has been to several T@B rallys, and has just concluded a two week trip around Lake Superior into Canada where he has made many new friends. People love to meet and pet the cat who walks on a leash. He is the unofficial mascot for Cedar Hill Lutheran Church and loves to play with the children.
Shamus doing what he does best.


Friday night, Shamus the Wonder cat didn't seem to be doing so wonderful. We found him sleeping next to the litter box (never a cat's first choice for sleeping accommodations), lethargic and wheezing a little when breathing. Not a lot, we weren't even sure at first if he was doing really bad or if we were reading more into than there was. While we were trying to decide if his behavior merited a trip to the after hours, emergency vet, Shamus helped us decide by vomiting blood. After a 24 hour kitty ICU stay, x-rays, blood work and a heartworm test, we learned tonight that Shamus has heartworms.


With IV fluids, antibiotics and medicine to get the fluids off of his lungs, Shamus got to come home Saturday night. When the heartworm test came back Sunday afternoon, we've added Prednisone and heartworm preventative to the tools to combat these nasty little parasites. Unlike dogs, cats cannot survive the treatment that would kill the worms & rid them of the heartworms. The prednisone can help with the inflamation and the heartworm preventative will make sure no new worms infest him, but we have to wait & see if he can fight this off until the heartworms die & get out of his system.

Shamus, and his people, would appreciate your prayers, especially during the next weeks. We would love to continue to share our travels with Sputnik and Shamus the Wonder Cat.


I can't end this post without thanking God for all of the good in the midst of a bad situation - awesome caring staff and vetrinarian, Dr. Swanson, who treated Shamus & us like one of their own, the caring staff at our regular vet's office, my dental credit card which is also accepted at the vet's office, and the fact that female heartworms were present so that the heartworm test could detect them and we could begin treatment.



Shamus sporting a smiley face bandage over his catheter site


There's no place like home


They couldn't get the IV in his right leg so they had to shave his left leg too. I'm not sure Shamus appreciates having a "poodle cut"



Every kitty loves a nice basket :)

Friday, August 14, 2009

Washington County, Missouri; September 2009

Mike and Gina invited us to camp on a 4000 acre ranch.
Our campsite was on the Mineral Fork River.
Mike took us on a tour of the ranch. It has lakes, bluffs, rivers, and creeks.

It is criss-crossed with many dirt roads made by the mining company.


The Mineral Fork runs through the ranch.
Our campsite is in the trees below the bluff.
A herd of buffalo.
Katelyn and a lizard.

A full moon on a foggy night.

The rock at the swimming hole.

Annie takes a dip.

Some of our native wild flowers.


Shamus, Katelyn, Miss Elaine, Nick and Matt.

Lake Superior Circle Tour; Keweenaw Peninsula

The Houghton- Hancock lift bridge.
Shamus the Wonder Cat
Follow the Circle Tour signs.
Cat Harbor- Population 3
The Jampot. A fantastic bakery run by monks.
The Eagle Harbor Light House
The rocky lakeshore at Eagle Harbor.
It was Christmas in July at Baraga State Park
Some campers went crazy!
Saying good-bye to Lake Superior at dawn.
We will be back.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Lake Superior Circle Tour; Pancake Bay, Ontario to Baraga State Park, Michigan

Crossing the International Bridge
Welcome Home!
We can't go through Sault Ste. Marie without a visit to the locks.
It was a beautiful day.
Shamus continues to make friends.
Hotels along the strip.
Making pizza from scratch.
The finished product.
Our campsite at Baraga State Park.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Lake Superior Circle Tour; Obatanga Provincial Park to Pancake Bay Provincial Park




The Geese of Wawa, Ontario


A waterfall at Sand River.



Hiking can wear out a cat!

Old Woman Bay


Shamus loves to roll in the sand.

An evening fog bank rolling in.

A quiet walk along Pancake Bay


There were many intricate sand castles.