Welcome to Sylvia's

"Photo Friends"

This is the special place at Sylvia's Kitty Condo where we are pleased to be able to share with you some of the very special furry friends who we have met along the course of our dear girls journey. As our "extended family" of friends grows, so too grows the love which fills our family's hearts.

This furry green eyed friend of our family is Ginger who after a valiant battle with the sarcoma monster has now made that heartfelt journey to the land of love and comfort.
Dear Ginger was truly blessed in that even though she and her family had to experience this difficult part of their lives journey, her parents never lost focus of the most important factor of all, that of the "quality" and "comfort" of their dear girl's life.
Ginger's family is also to be commended for their continued commitment towards helping to carry forth the "effort of education" in the battle against this terrible disease.  If just one other feline loving family is spared the heartache associated with the sarcoma monster, then Ginger's heartfelt battle will not have been in vain.
Please send your positive and loving energy to Ginger's family in the hope that they are able to find comfort in knowing that their dear girl's loving inspiration will continue to live on to help prevent others from having to share in the heartache associated with VAS. 
Ginger's Mom composed the following tribute to their dear girl before their dear girl made her heartfelt journey across the Rainbow Bridge so that she and her family could share not only how their hearts and lives came to be joined, but also their loving commitment towards helping their beloved baby during this difficult part of her nine lives journey.

In loving memory of dear Ginger:

Ginger was born in May of 1987. Smokey (1981-1986), our family's first furry member passed on a year earlier. We weren't really looking for another kitten so soon after our Russian Blue's untimely death (coronary thrombosis) since she had left behind three "sisters", Bandit, Patches and Cinnamon who still demanded much attention. But............when we saw her, it was love at first swat. Yes, I said SWAT. My husband, son, and I were walking from a parking lot to Tiger's Stadium (now Comerica Park) to watch the Detroit Tigers play early one evening, and in the backyard of one of the homes we passed, were several kitties frolicking with one another. One of the calicos stood out as she battled with a newly blossomed Marigold. She stalked and pranced and pounced at her enemy who kept popping up between her paws. She had the sweetest face we had ever seen. We could hardly contain ourselves during those long nine innings at the ballpark (I don't remember or care who won!) thinking about and talking about the furry little ball of excitement who had caught our eye and, of course, our hearts! After the game, we returned to the sight of the "Marigold Battle" hoping against hope that the little ball of fur was "adoptable." Miraculously, her human mom was sitting on her back porch steps as we stopped once again to watch the kittens. The first thing she said to us was, "Do you want one?" We all exchanged glances as our hearts leaped into our throats!! Of course!!! Where was the calico (there was more than one in the litter) who had so bravely fought the flower and finally won??????? 
Brave warrior or not, her first night home was a frightening one I am sure. The family she had known and the yard she loved to play in for the past six weeks were gone! She spent the night behind a bookcase, and it took most of the next day to coax her out! After exploring her new surroundings and her new family (two adults, one ten-year old boy, and three four-legged "sisters,") she decided to relax and accept it all. 
We couldn't decide on a name right away. (Marigold just didn't seem quite right!) But, as we watched her hop along the back of the sofa, her tiny nails clinging to the fabric, it came to us. She was like the ever-moving bubbles in a glass of ginger ale. Thus...Ginger. Since one of her sisters was named Cinnamon, we all agreed that this was the perfect name! 
We all had such a wonderful happy life together until sister Cinnamon passed away and I discovered Ginger's "lump." It wasn't even the size of a pea, but I decided a trip to the vet was necessary. The mass was removed and found to be malignant. It was in the same area on the right hip where Ginger had received antihistamine injections when she was suffering from a case of the "itchies." After the surgery, I was very vigilant. Nightly, I petted her for my own piece of mind (and her delight), searching for the slightest variation in skin texture. 
Then, one night, just two short months later, I found another lump at the site of her incision. Scar tissue I assumed. Back to the vet for reassurance. Not quite. The cancer had returned. We decided to try to stop the spread of this monster one more time. This time, surgery was more invasive, but Ginger handled it and the dreaded "collar" with seeming nonchalance. But, unlike the battle with the marigold fourteen years earlier, Ginger was not to be the victor. The cancer returned for a third time with a vengeance, growing steadily to its present size -- that of a large orange. 
The tumor keeps her from frolicking as she once did, but she continues to eat and appears to be pain free. I know she will tell us, eventually, when it is "time." It won't be easy, but at least we know she will have company when she crosses that Rainbow Bridge and she is able to hop and play and battle marigolds once more. 
She will leave us knowing that we will continue to spread the word about PVS to other feline families. 

Scratches behind your ears and much love, 
Ginger's family 

This handsome fur boy is Ekimore, a special  friend of ours who cuddles with his family in California.
After a scary brush with the sarcoma monster, we are very pleased to say that dear Ekimore is one of the very lucky fur baby's whose post vaccination lump turned out to be non-malignant.
The first step that one takes towards attempting to diagnose or treat a suspected case of VAS is without a doubt the most important step.  Ekimore is truly blessed in that his family acted so proactively towards seeking to make the most educated decisions for their dear boy.  
Ekimore's Mom composed a furry family history so that we could share it with all of our feline loving friends:

"We lost our dog about ten years ago and soon thereafter luck brought us Ekimore. He was an adolescent, wild, stray cat who suddenly appeared from no where. My ten year old son started feeding him, and he would come for the food but would not allow anyone to touch him. Several friends told me he would never learn to trust humans or become domesticated. My son persevered and although it took time, Ekimore has became a very affectionate, treasured member of our family. He comes in and goes out as he pleases; so, I suppose one could say he has retained his free, wild side. He gets mad at me because I will not let him out at night -- we have lots of coyotes in the Santa Monica Mountains of Los Angeles. 
Last year I noticed that he had a lump between his shoulder blades. It was small and the vet and I decided to let it be. Last week I noticed that it had more than doubled in size. I found Jeff and Coleen's website and took Ekimore to the vet immediately. The lump was removed and I found out yesterday that it was benign. We are one of the fortunate families. We had only the initial concerns and fears of this disease. For those of you with less positive results, please know our thoughts and prayers are with you."

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