What's happening is that his immune system is getting overpowered
by the cells invading the bloodstream
and he is developing liver toxicity.
If that weren't bad enough,
Mark felt a small mass in his abdomen in the area of his liver.
So he's considering whether to do an exploratory
in hopes he can remove the mass intact.
If the liver is already involved then of course he can't.
I am going to go down in the morning
and we'll try to figure out where to go from here.
Poor Connor hasn't got a clue, he just got tired of the messing today.

What I expect Mark to do is go ahead with surgery
and remove whatever this is.
It hasn't been there long enough to involve a major organ.

His leg is okay, the irregular cells developed
in the bone marrow above the shoulder injuries
and are in the blood stream.
It happens the same way in humans (myeloma)
and usually tumors develop throughout the body.

It's a terminal cancer.

Since his cast has been off, the leg hasn't gotten better or worse.
He's cute the way he just moves it out of the way
and does his rabbit jumps.
I wish I'd seen him before he was hurt,
I'll bet he was a 'super-cat'.

I will let you know what's up when I get home tomorrow!
I'm so glad we've got Dr. Mark,
he has an undergrad degree in cellular biology
and I know he is trying to work out a treatment regimen
to slow this down."

Connor had a temp, I had him wrapped up tight in a towel
or he would have have bitten my nose off I think.
He's never had a thermometer up his butt
while he's been awake before.

When we got home it was like he was telling the rest of them
and they were saying 'Yep, been there, done that'.

So that's where we are,
and Mark said the worst part is that if Connor hadn't had the injuries
he would be 100% healthy."

In any case, the only biting this past week was destroying toys.
When he was getting his blood drawn
he gave a couple of hisses that were spectacular.
Mark and I were talking to him
and being very careful."

I wasn't going to watch the surgery but I did since
I can deal with things better if I see them.
Mark cleaned out areas of abcess
and the retired vet examined the liver.

It is already taking on the copper color of jaundice
and is thick and not very pliable.
He said in a human, they would be on the list for a transplant.
The other visible organs look fine,
no tumors present.

They are going to use a stepped-up antibiotic regimen
to help the liver, Connor's immune system is already stretched
fighting the infected bloodstream.

Being such a young strong cat,
Connor has never shown any ill effects from medication.
In fact, he has been on meds since the day I got him.

And believe me if there was a liver transplant for a cat
he would be having it.

I'll pick up my sweetheart this afternoon,
he needs his own medicine chest.
Elizabeth has worried about him being gone overnight,
she loves to be nursie.

BTW Mark took Connor home with him last night,
so I imagine Connor had a nice evening!
Mark likes to wrap cats up and rock them,
he also sings to them and plays his guitar."

Uh oh, here's comes trouble,
Connor got into Dusty's basket and went to sleep,
he always just runs around the corner and leaps in.
It's a laundry basket now,
he outgrew the other two.
It's a surprise to me how well they all get along,
it's 5 generations plus Connor."

What is that on his head???

YES!!! Connor has joined C.L.A.W.!!!

I hope I can get some extra strength when I need it,
first losing Methos was such a shock.
I knew this was coming with Connor
but I haven't thought about it much.
I've just tried to enjoy the happy stuff,
he is really one of the gang with the rest of the cats,
they all act now like he's always been here.