10 Day Traveling Cross Country: Day 3

We hit two states on Day 3: Idaho & Montana!  We left Ogden, Utah and spent the night in West Yellowstone.  

This was an interstate sign & the construction workers stopped to watch our photo session. 

Then we saw this Idaho sign & had to stop & take more photos.  We crossed the Continental Divide!!

We checked into our hotel around 3 p.m. and settled Vante down.  Then we went to explore Yellowstone.  It was a win-win because Vante was able to catch up on some lost sleep and we were able to leave the car, walk around, and see some sights without worrying about her. 

Pillow Fort!

Here are a few out-takes.  Vante would go from being a ham for the camera to 'DONE' in seconds.  

10 Day Traveling Cross Country: Day 2

We left the North Rim of the Grand Canyon & headed north.  Our destination was Ogden, Utah.  So we didn't cross any new state lines.  We were able to make some room for Vante in the back seat in between our luggage & plants.  She ignored it completely.  She stayed up front in our laps.

Every stop we made for food, gas or bathroom breaks Vante took full advantage of the open seats.  Every time we came back to the car, there she was, stretched out on one of the front seats. 

 It was a good 2nd day of traveling.  More state lines tomorrow, so check back for Day 3 photos!

10 Days Traveling Cross-Country: Day 1

In the days leading up to leaving Las Vegas we gave away almost all our furniture and were left with an air mattress and Vante's cat furniture.

We spent 2 nights in a hotel in Las Vegas and my mother and sister flew into town to help up do our final packing.  They helped us drive and took a mini vacation with us.  Vante helped us pack!

Then on July 17th we drove away from Las Vegas!  We enjoyed living there for 5 years (Vante 4) but it was time to move on. 

 

Vante had a hard time getting settled that morning.  We had not been able to make any room for her in the back of my car, so she had to stay up front with us.  She got creative in her napping positions.  

After about 4 hours we finally reached Best Friends Animal Society. 

I had arranged with Bob, her former caretaker to meet him at her old home, Colonel's Barracks. 

Vante & Bob

There was a welcoming party waiting for her & it was awesome!  Mike worked at Colonel's Barracks when I adopted Vante & gave me lots of advice and good information about her background. 

Vante & Mike

Vante & Mike

 Cathy even came out on her day off, and her birthday, to say hello to Vante!

Cathy & Vante

There is a great painting of Vante up in her old room, Sammy's Room. It looks like it is signed "Mona '05"--If anybody knows Mona, I would love to get a copy of this painting.

We hit up the Best Friends gift shop, grabbed some lunch in town, then hit the road.  I decided to have some fun & try to take a photo of Vante at every state line sign we passed.  A few were too dangerous to stop at or the sign was in the middle of a bridge & we couldn't stop.  However, we did pass through 16 states & 4 National Parks driving from Las Vegas to SC.

 

We spent the night near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon & I highly recommend it as a must see.  It's very different from the South Rim: less tourists, forested, and populated by wild elk, deer & bison.  There aren't as many driving or hiking trails, but the view is just as magnificent and it's cooler than the South Rim. 

Look for Day 2's photos tomorrow!

Au Revoir Las Vegas!

Vante, my husband, and I are about to set out on a cross-country drive from Las Vegas to our new home in SC.  Our first stop will be Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, where we've coordinated to meet with Vante's former caretaker, Bob, and a few others.  I hope to get lots of photos to share with everybody about their reunion.  We're all very excited about the trip. 

Vante's I-131 3 month check-up is tomorrow and if the test results come back good, which they most likely will, then it's considered a success! 

We've been teaching Vante to sit with her daily treats and it's going quite well.  Enjoy this little home video of her showing off her new skill. 

Jailbird Vante

Vante took a road trip to Phoenix this week to visit my husband.  On the way back I just had to stop and get our photo taken in jail. 

Last month Vante had her 1 month post-I131 treatment bloodwork done.  Her thyroid levels and kidney function tests came back normal.  So treatment was a success and she's doing great!

Let the Kitty Kissing Commence

When I woke up Saturday morning, Vante's 10 day post-treatment restrictions were lifted!  So you know what that means... she was smoothered with kisses Saturday, all day.  I'm not sure she appreciated the intense kitty cuddling, but I sure did!

It was also nice to not have to wash my hands after I pet her every time.  I had to invest heavily in hand lotion to survive.

I'm also VERY happy to report that Vante isn't limping anymore.  So whew!  No trip to the vet over a hurt hip/knee/ankle. 

It's been very nice not to worry about giving her pills every morning and night.  I'm completely enjoying that and I know she is also. 

I was sick this week with a pretty bad neck and back ache.  So she and I got our quilt on.  Here she is offering up her opinion on a quilt lay-out.  I took her sitting upon the corner, as the equivalent of a kitty thumbs-up. 

Vantedecided that this quilt needed some work.  It did not meet her exacting standards.  So I pulled some blocks and it's still in progress.  Hopefully she'll approve of the next iteration. 

She also watched a little TV with me and 'helped' me surf the web.

The folks at the Feline Hyperthyroid Treatment Center gave Vante an adorable pink mousie as a parting gift.  She enjoyed playing with it immensely.  We may have a new favorite mousie toy!

Vante says thank-you for the mousie Bobbi.  She loves it! 

Saturday Update

Overall Vante is doing very well.  She's being her normal sweet, ornery self.

 

 I am keeping a close eye on her for several reasons.  She sneezed the entire first day she was home, but hasn't really since then.  (Although I wasn't home much of yesterday.)  She also seems to be favoring her back left leg and a bit less sure-footed than normal.  I'm guessing those last two are related.


As far as post-treatment care has gone I've learned a few things.
1-Hand Sanitizer is not the same as washing your hands.  I MUST wash my hands (even though hand sanitizer is SOOO much easier.)


2-Don't pull too hard on the gloves, they rip.

3-Use only clumping cat litter.  You can't clean the non-clumping kind well enough & you'll end up throwing it all away.

4-Don't be lazy.  If you throw away all the non-clumping litter, immediately put litter back in the box.  (Apparently the empty litter box pissed Vante off and she clearly expressed her anger quite literally.  Luckily it was on a bag on the linoleum.)

5-I touch Vante way more frequently than I thought and my hands are getting quite dry from all the hand washing. 

This video was taken Thursday, just a few minutes after we got home.  Vante sprawled on the floor as big as she could get and enjoyed some serious back scratching.

Ya'll have a great weekend!