Last week was an interesting one for us, one that Quint would call anything but interesting. Mom came home from her usual 10-hour work day and found Quint hiding in his blanket fort as usual, except the swollen mouth he has was anything but usual. Though Mom had to be back at work in a little over 9 hours, she packed him up and with Dad, drove across town to the only emergency vet clinic available at that hour.

Before leaving she tried calling that clinic, if for no other reason than to learn about their Covid-19 procedures which was not covered well at all on their website, but after sitting on hold for 35 minutes, she decided to risk all by making the drive.

Once at the emergency vet clinic, Dad called and again, we sat on hold. Finally, we were told they were completely overbooked and were diverting emergencies to another clinic down in Oregon and a good 45-to-60 minute drive in rush hour traffic. They wouldn’t even come out to look at Quint’s swollen mouth.

To say Mom was upset would have been an understatement. She was tired from standing all day at work, she needed to be back at work soon, hadn’t eaten or gotten any sleep, it was well past dark, and it was pouring rain. Quint was making little, “I hurt” sounds and both Mom and Dad were in tears. There was no way to make the drive to the other clinic.

So, we drove back home and sat up with Quint for most of the night. Unable to take a day off from work, at 4 a.m. Mom headed to work and Dad gathered phone numbers of an assortment of places that might squeeze in an appointment for Quint. And scheduled a Lyft ride to get there, because Dad can no longer drive.

And at 7:30 a.m. fortune smiled on Quint with an afternoon opening available at our favorite vet clinic! Sure, it was lightly snowing and not so lightly raining when Dad arrived with him and due to Covid-19, he had to sit outside, but he had been told to dress warm and he did just that.

Quint was seen and given antibiotics and some pain medication. His diagnosis wasn’t what Mom feared (broken jaw from a fall) or what Dad thought (abscessed tooth/teeth) but out-and-out bad teeth all around. We knew that about him, having had to have several little front teeth removed a few years ago. He has a dental appointment in April, the absolute soonest one could be scheduled, and as of yesterday, Quint thinks he might like Mom, the evil deliverer of yucky medicine, once more, though she’d be happy just to hear him purr again.

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A Colehaus Cats flashback:

2020 – MultiCat Monday
2019 – No post
2018 – No post
2017 – Friday Fun
2016 – One Word Wednesday
2015 – Ruby Tuesday
2014 – Olivia’s Winter Report
2013 – No post
2012 – Meet the Visitors – First Spring Robin