Just got the shipment notification for the new Kindle. Yay!

Google Chrome

I have been trying to use Google Chrome instead of Safari on my Mac for the past couple of weeks since it feels speedier for many things. But, the user interface can be so painful. I’ll give two examples.

There is no built-in RSS reader or any option to send RSS links to an RSS reader that I can find. Amazingly, Google Chrome doesn’t even let you open an RSS feed in Google Reader as far as I can tell.

Also, if you download a file, the browser window grows larger at the bottom with a file download display. And, if you close the file download display, the browser window remains larger.

Perhaps there are browser plug-ins to address these issues. I haven’t had time to research that.

I love the speed of Google Chrome, but I dearly miss Safari’s interface and may have to switch back.

Simon Update

Due to Simon’s worsening condition, I took him to an emergency vet this afternoon for an ultrasound. He has a large mass around his stomach and liver that is likely cancerous. It is the cause of his nausea and vomiting. His liver tissue has uneven textures, meaning cancer has spread there or fat has gathered there due to his digestive issues. Some of his lymph nodes are also enflamed and cancer may have spread there.

I’ve cried a lot today and spent time pondering whether to put Simon to sleep. In the end, Francisca convinced me to put Simon on pain and nausea meds to see if he can enjoy life a bit longer. The pain medication is an opiate and a controlled substance. So, Simon may finally become a laid back cat in his final days after 13 years of being tightly wound.

This will likely only buy us a few days or weeks. But, I hope we can make a few more good memories with Simon and have a chance to say a proper goodbye.

Many thanks to those of you who have written and called. This has been a horrible week and your support is deeply appreciated.

Simon

We’ve noticed that Simon has been dropping weight lately and that he has been throwing up even more than our three cats usually do. (Which is a lot. It’s disgusting.) I had chalked it up to old age and changes we’ve made to corn-free cat foods. Really, I think I just didn’t want to see that something is wrong with Simon. He’ll be 13 in November. How time flies.

Yesterday, I finally clued into just how skeletal Simon has become. He now weighs 8.5 pounds, down from a high of 14 pounds three years ago. I feel like a horrible pet owner for not seeing how much weight he was losing. It was just so gradual.

I had to force Simon kicking and growling into a kitty carrier yesterday to get him to the vet. He does not like the vet. It took three people in Kevlar gloves to hold him down while the vet took blood and did an exam. Simon screamed the whole time. It was simply awful.

The blood work came back today. Simon likely has an enflamed liver, an enflamed colon, and/or some type of cancer, such as lymphoma. We now have to do an ultrasound with sedation on Tuesday to find out which one(s). That will mean another fun visit to the vet for both of us.

I’m actually hoping for an enflammed organ, since those are fairly treatable with oral steroids. Many cat cancers cannot be treated very well. So, a cat owner has to judge when a cat is in too much pain to enjoy life and have them put to sleep.

Francisca is encouraging me to be optomistic. And, I really want to be. But, I have a feeling of dread that I cannot shake. Somehow, I know this will not end well.