My poor cat is sacked out. He's doing fine now, but had to see the vet. It wasn't anything serious luckily. I'm very fortunate to have a vet who makes home visits so I don't have to pay someone to help me take the cat there. I highly recommend using a vet service like this if you have a disability.
I do have to change my cat's diet and routine a bit. One thing that is always time intensive is when new tasks get added to the schedule around here. I have a limited number of care hours. Anything that goes over those hours gets added to what I have to do with adaptive devices. That can drain energy I need to work.
So I start by trying to figure out ways to do the new tasks using assistive devices. If I can't or if the energy it will take won't work, I add it to what others do and have to pick out something they are doing that I can take on. There are only so many care hours and since I also use them also to help me get my work done, it takes a lot of planning and resourcefulness on everyone's part.
I'm very grateful that the people who help me are so flexible. However I don't like to take advantage, so when anything new comes up I do my best to try to do what I can. So I'm spending a bit of time figuring out what I can and can't do with the equipment I have. So far I can use the Cripper ( a reacher) to do some of it independently but think I may have to ask someone to help me prepare ahead of time. Now to get that help down to as little time as possible!
But it's all worth it to have a pet. They give back, for what little we do for them, so much unconditional love.
Image description: a photo of my longhaired fluffy tuxedo cat sleeping in my hospital bed.
1 comment:
I don't think some people realise how important pets are to some disabled people. Some people are too ill to have another person with them for long periods (like those with severe M.E.) but they can have a cat to keep them company (and they keep nasty rodents at bay too). Not to mention the tasks service dogs can do for them, for quads and others. I wonder if there is some organisation that helps pay for the needs of such animals or if they are covered by insurance.
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