Kayla and Cats

One week day this past summer I was up at the clinic putting out new books and straightening the shelves. Hardly anyone was around. I always try to go after clinic hours because the clinic is very small and I could easily be in the way. A young woman came up to the books and said to me how glad she was the books were there. After we talked for a while she found out that I was the one bringing them, and she thanked me. I thought she was a patient’s sister, but it turns out she is Kayla’s mother. Kayla had just gotten out of the hospital where she had been staying for 2 ½ months and she was in a back room in the clinic in isolation receiving her day long treatment. The books were a wonderful distraction for her and her mother told me Kayla especially loved books about cats. She has a white cat at home and I know she is glad to be out of the hospital and able to go home to her. I went back and met her from the doorway. 6 years old and looking small, bald and tired. I waved and told her I would look for more cat books. Because she has been sick she has not been able to start school. These hospital rooms have been her school. I went to the store and found a small, soft pink backpack and put one of Sue’s white cat Beanie Babies and some small cat books in it and took it to the clinic for her the next time she came in. The nurses told me later she was thrilled with her gift. Later this summer I was in again and Kayla was there looking much healthier and happier and she left the clinic with her pink backpack on and another cat book under her arm. She is another special friend and lets me know how important these books are.

Our 17 year old cat, Alice, died in June. She used to love to sit with Karl and knew how to get his attention by sitting on the comics or book he was reading. Dr. Gold’s cat died that same week. Our friend Margaretta lost her 20 year old cat, Marmalade, recently and I like to think that Karl has some good cat company now. He wrote in his 7^th grade journal at school: “If I had to describe myself as a dog person or a cat person I would probably say a cat person. It’s a tough decision for me since my family has 2 dogs and 3 cats. I chose cats because dogs get smelly and cats hardly ever do.”

Cats can be a comfort and a pain. Our cat, Purple, brought a live bat into the house last night at 3 AM and it is still trapped in our hall bathroom. Catching it will be another story.

Phil Holmes, the principal at Ephesus Elementary School where Karl attended for 6 years is having a book drive for us Oct 17-24. We thank him for his help and interest.

Thanks for your support.

Love, Kathy