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Well done, Hopkirk! Better than the vast majority of people this week!
GG: You seem to have the same sort of luck on the lottery that I do!
Susan: Sorry, I somehow missed your last post until now. There was never much doubt about the cause of my problems. My (benign) prostate enlargement initially meant that I had to pee often (and/or urgently) but then it prevented me from peeing at all.
11 days of urinary retention led to my kidneys almost shutting down altogether, along with fluid around my heart and lungs. The hospital got most of the 'knock on' problems sorted out (although I'm still on a low potassium diet because of my kidney difficulties) but the underlying one (i.e. the enlarged prostate gland) still needs to be sorted out. (They're planning on 'reducing' it, rather than removing it). Until then I still can't pee, so I need the catheter in.
I'm not surprised that poor little Frankie's special food is expensive. It costs nearly 40 quid just to walk through the door of our local vet's surgery! It might be worth researching exactly what it is that makes the food so 'special' (i.e. what is has, or hasn't, got in it), to see if there's a cheaper alternative.
Love to Frankie from my feline foursome!