This weekend, my brother told me I should start seeing a psychiatrist.

Now, you might think it’s because I have control issues. You know, how I just think everyone should do what I think they should do when I think they should do it? No . . . not that.

Maybe it’s because of all the issues I am having with my brother. Yeah, that has caused a lot of depression, problems in my relationships and pretty much I am going through the stages of grief. No . . . not that.

Ed thinks I need to start seeing a psychiatrist so I can prepare myself for the fact that, one day, The Gray might die (that’s right, I said might). It’s pretty much an accepted fact that if anything ever happens to that cat, I will have to be institutionalized. Ed thinks it would help if I started preparing for it now.

Last week, The Gray and I were wrastlin’ (that’s how we play) and I immediately noticed something was off. I looked in her mouth and low and behold, her 2 big, bottom teeth were gone. She would have HAD to lost them sometime that prior week, because we wrastle all the time and I notice those fuckers when she bites me (always play bites-she is a very good wrastler). I freaked the fuck out.

I called Michael, almost inconsolable, to tell him what happened. He made a vet appointment. Which was good, cause she was due for her Old Lady Cat check-up next month anyway. We took her in last Saturday. We came prepared with fresh poo (do you know how hard it is to get the right fresh poo when you have 3 cats?) and The Gray also had to give up urine and blood. It was great day for the poor Gray.

The Vet told us they would have to do X-Rays to find out if the teeth fell out or if they broke off (meaning, they have to see if the root is still in the gums). It’s very strange that both of her big teeth were gone at once and it could have happened if she hit her mouth (like when, sometimes, she tries to jump to the other counter and she misses). He teeth are extremely healthy for a cat her age (because her favorite food is Dental Diet-no joke, she goes crazy for this food. She’s eaten since she was a youngin’), but they still wanted to do a cleaning with the X-Rays. X-Rays, cleaning and Old Lady Cat tests? Over $1,000. I would give up all my shoes to pay for it (although, thankfully, I have to do no such thing).

Yesterday, the vet called to give me her test results. Her blood cells are normal, her thyroid is normal, she doesn’t have a heart worm and she is VERY healthy considering her age (the Vet’s words, not mine. I consider The Gray spry and youthful). HOWEVER, there is a slight concern regarding her kidneys. Her creatinine was at 1.7 and 1.6 is the high-end of things. Her BUN (blood urea nitrogen) was at 38 and 36 is the high end.

Did you know kidney disease is the leading source of death for cats?

The vet said that their first step is to look at the cat’s mouth and that whatever is going on with her teeth could be what is making her levels slightly elevated. She said that we are already planning on doing the first step in getting those down, so that’s good. After her teeth are cleaned (next Thursday), we’ll do another kidney test to see where her levels are at and go from there.

That still doesn’t make me feel that great. I have has The Gray since I was 15. Every big life milestone, she has been there for. I don’t work without her.

Which is why my brother thinks I need to go see a psychiatrist.