My name is Marnie and I am named for a very brave man.  His name was Capt. Kevin Smith and he was killed in Iraq on December 8, 2005.  He was in the Third Infantry Division of the Army.  The Third Infantry is known as “The Rock of the Marne” because they fought so heroically in World War I, so my name is Marnie, after Marne. 

Please be patient, I have a long story but my story is one of faith and determination.

I was adopted from animal services on Tuesday, August 22, 2006.  Momma picked me out on Saturday, August 19 after her class to volunteer to help get the kitties at the shelter adopted and to have nice homes like mine.

I had been found in a field and brought to the shelter on Tuesday, August 15.  My two brothers were brought there also, but they got very sick and went over the Rainbow Bridge. 

Momma was surprised when Animal Services called her on August 22 and told her I was ready to come home.  When she filled out the paperwork on Saturday, the guy there told her it might be two weeks or more before I could come home.  She had another volunteer class that night and Daddy picked me up and took me home.  When Momma got home, she combed me and got a lot of flea dirt and two dead fleas off of me.  I was also treated for roundworms.  Of course I was spayed. I weighed 2 pounds when I came home.

Momma and Daddy both started to pray for me and I am glad they did.  Momma had prayed that it would be God’s will that I come home to them and when I came home so early, she knew it was a sign from God.

When Daddy came home from work on Wednesday, August 23, I had diarrhea.

I did not look too chipper on Thursday, August 24 when Momma went to work, so she came home from work at lunch and checked on me.  She asked Daddy to take me to the vet and he did.  My diarrhea had gotten worse and more watery and Daddy saw a dead roundworm in my poopies.   I also had the beginnings of a very bad cold and was sneezing.  I was prescribed Interferon to help build my immune system and Orbax.  I weighed 2.4 pounds.

On Friday, August 25, the diarrhea was still watery and green and I passed another dead roundworm.  I did not eat at all that day.

On Saturday, August 26, Momma took me to Dr. Grober because I was dehydrated.  They prescribed Clavamox for me, too.  They also gave me a subcutaneous dose of fluid.  Momma and Daddy went to dinner and when they got back I was up and about.  Momma took some canned kitten food and fed me by hand.  Dr. Grober also wanted me to have steam so after two days of steamy showers, Momma and Daddy bought me a humidifier.  I was staying in the bathroom because I had to be kept away from the other kitties.

When they got home from church on Sunday, August 27, I was very weak.  They took me to the emergency vet and I was tested for panleuk, a very bad disease that is like parvo in dogs.  I tested negative.  I was very dehydrated, so I stayed the over night and Momma picked me up on Monday, August 28, and took me to our vet.  They fed me and gave me another subcutaneous dose of fluid.  Daddy picked me up and he and Momma fed me that night, by hand.  I had AD, which is a food made to help put weight on, mixed with water and they fed me with a syringe.  I fought it at first because I did not like to be held.  The goal was to get at least 60 cc of food in me a day.  They added Flagil to my meds to help with the diarrhea. 

We did the drill on Tuesday, August 29 and Wednesday, August 30, where they got up to feed me at 5:00 am and then Momma took me to the vet for the day and Daddy would pick me up after work.  They then fed me at 7:00 pm and 11:00 pm.  By then I was taken off of the Clavamox and Orbax and given Amoxi-drops and Cyproheptadine.  Dr. Diane suggested it would be better for me if I stayed home.  She also told Momma and Daddy that I had turned a corner.  Momma stayed home with me on Thursday, August 31, and Daddy stayed home with me Friday, September 1. 

I went back to the vet on Friday, September 1, and Dr. Grober told Daddy how important it was that I get at least 60 cc per day.  Momma did not realize how important it was.  I was not eating by myself because I could not smell my food.  I also had eye ointment added to my list of meds.  By this time, Waldo was much better and was back with the other kitties so I moved in the bedroom with Momma and Daddy.  I had lost some weight and weighed 2 pounds.

Momma and Daddy knew it was Labor Day weekend and they could stay home with me and feed me on a very set schedule.    

Saturday, September 2, was a big day – they managed to get over 100 cc of food in me, along with all of my meds.  I began to feel better.  I was moving around a lot more.

Sunday, September 3 was another big day – I started eating tuna.  My diarrhea was better and I only dirtied one towel when they fed me and not two.  Momma had washed a load of at least 6 towels every day starting on Wednesday, August 30.  They still syringe fed me the AD, but I was sitting still and eating like a lady.  I had also started chewing on the syringe. 

Momma and Daddy had been praying for me and Momma had a feeling that I would eat on my own on Monday, September 4, Labor Day.

Well, at my 11:00 am feeding, they put the tuna down on the floor, and I stuck my face in and started to eat.  They both were so grateful, they started to cry.  They brought me some canned kitten food and some dry kitten food, too.

I am a fighter and even though I felt bad, I was very difficult to treat at the vets.