Feeding Tube

I found out yesterday during Rumble's chemo appointment that if he doesn't gain weight soon, as in the next few days, then we are going to have to put in a feeding tube.  He has a great appetite, something is just not balancing with his enzymes so he's not gaining weight but even still losing weight. 

I feel like I'm failing, like I'm not doing enough or like I'm doing something wrong.  I broke down yesterday while in the waiting room of the vets.  No particular reason, after I had already been sitting there for a few hours.  I just broke down.  I thought I was crying quietly enough for no one to notice and I hid my face behind the book I was reading but within a few seconds, one of the receptionists was in the chair beside with a box of tissues asking if everything was ok.  Poor lady, how does she sit there and watch people cry every day?  She was probably also thinking, "Poor lady" about me.  It just got to be too much.  Chemo, which he hates, and then to find out he's going to need a feeding tube if we can't get his weight under control.  I just lost it.  I felt a little better afterwards.  I think I need to break down every now and again, just wish it hadn't happened in the waiting room, but they have seen it all before.  

So, we are now mixing the Viokase in with some tuna juice and giving it to Rumble by syringe after his meals.  You all know it's not easy giving a cat liquid medicine and these are big doses because it's alot of powder, we are lucky if half the liquid goes in at all.  Our vet also gave us some easy to digest cat food.  Rumble doesn't normally like food that comes in the form of pâté  but he really ate it well last night.  So, I mix half a serving of Viokase on the food and give the other half mixed with tuna juice either during or after his meal.  We need to decide by Friday if this is going to work otherwise, our vet wants to do the feeding tube on Friday.  "Better sooner than later", he said. 

My only good thing to report is that Rumble had not pooped in his box last night or this morning.  That makes me think all the food from yesterday is still in his system and is being absorbed correctly and we should see something small and solid in his box tonight.  I sure hope so!