This morning I woke up early in very mild AF. I waited a bit to see if it would revert to NSR , then took my trusty 100 mg Flecainide, ate, and went back to sleep. That alone was already significant improvement compared to even 6 months ago - that I could sleep at all and not be utterly miserable, so I was grateful for that.
Then I got up, took my supplements and did my morning yoga, which my kitty, the "real" Nella, really enjoys.
She's an intermittent cuddler. She's never been one to love being held, but has slowly allowed longer hugs.
But this morning...this was fascinating.
Seated on my yoga mat, I picked her up and held her in my lap, stroking her nose and cheeks, and she stayed there calmly for the longest I ever remember her doing that. After a few minutes, I let her go, noticed I felt incredibly calm, and checked my Kardia to confirm that, yes, I had gone into NSR while holding her. 😻😻😻
So it was Pill-in-Pocket Flecainide + Kitty Chaser for a shorter than usual episode. 😹
They say that people with pets are usually calmer than those without and stroking pets is extremely calming. We no longer have pets but we dog and cat sit for friends and family. We are off cat sitting while our friends are off on holiday in the next few weeks. Unfortunately the cat who wants to sit on your lap will sit for quite a long time, will demand to be stroked and then after varying times will just bite! Not really calming. The other charming male cat will sit for ages but rarely on my lap but on my wife's lap! Though last visit he did sit on me for a long time. One rainy Saturday we sat and watched 3 films in a row so could have been nearly 9 hours and he sat on my wife's lap the whole time. No wonder she loves him to bits he is a little charmer and knows how to wrap her round his cute little claws! I also wish I could go that long without having to go to the loo - you women are amazing!
All the kitty lovers have come out of the woodwork, which is great fun. Nella is blushing from all the attention.
Wow, Nella would never sit on my lap for that long, but my other cat, Ella, would have.
I shared a post a few months ago about Ella & Nella. I had Ella for 12 years. 3 years after she died, I happened upon Nella at an animal shelter event over the holidays.
The name connection was interesting enough, Ella, then Nella.
But 3-month-old Nella looked *exactly like Ella*!! 😳🥰
Kitty reincarnation...and now "kitty-o-version" for AF! 🤣
Pussy Power! Mrs Slocombe eat your heart out. I have always found that stroking pxxxies sorry cats has always been very calming. Years ago we had "Queenie" (Sister of Edmund and Baldrick) who seemed to sense when you were ill. and become very attentive. Sometimes we used to joke that she was off getting her funnel and rubber tubing ready with her nurses hat and plastic apron on. Pete is far too busy killing mice to bother rather sadly.
As soon as Nella mentioned feline creatures i was chuckling and knew there would be a comment from you Bob 🤣. Oh dear Mrs Slocombe, where would we be without her.
But yes, stroking pussycats is calming. Decades ago my GP always had her dog roaming in and out of the surgery and waiting room and always in the surgery was her tiddles who usually surveyed the scene from the old leather couch. If a patient was nervous or upset then Tiddles always jumped onto your lap. You automatically stroked her without thinking and half your problems were gone. Being a Scottish GP it was like something out of Dr. Finley.
Really pleased the real Nella came to your aid Nella. I like that, a kitty chaser. 🐈xxx
Thanks, Frances123. I love the scene of the animals in the doctor's office! That makes so much sense, but here in the US, they'd probably be nervous about germs.
Caring she is, though today her curiosity has me a bit concerned, as she ate a rubber band - is that an elastic band across the pond?
We've already been to the kitty emergency room, but a call from my vet saved me from that visit and bill, as he said to wait & see if it passes, so we came home. Fingers crossed it does!
What a lovely post and picture, she is gorgeous, I could do with some cat therapy to knock me back into nsr. I’ll have to keep looking out to see if any of my cat visitors are about : )
Excellent. How lovely. My cat Casper used to do be similar - would bite and claw if anyone tried to pet him but if I was ill he would come sit next to me or on my lap and pet me!
Nella's predecessor, Ella, used to really take care of me in that way, too. Nella will be 3 in Sept, so is still rather young, but seems to be growing into being more cuddly and nurturing. We'll see what unfolds! Cats are amazing, aren't they?
No doubt they make the best nurses! I miss all of my pets, but especially a few in particular that just instinctively knew I needed their care! What a blessing, & pretty 🐱!
May have to snatch the little black and white kitty that’s always strolling around my garden and got locked in my summerhouse for about 4 days while we were away, poor little thing. It survived and hasn’t learnt it’s lesson, was found in there again on another day 😂. My family are allergic so I can’t have one in the house also my daughters little dog 🐶 would go crazy as he thinks my house is his as well as his own 😂🤣
Mike and Daisy woke up the other night with a strange black tom about a year old curled up in bed with them. Not chipped and VERY hungy so currently up the road at the cattery having his pocket picked and being chipped after which we will see if he will integrate with Pete.
A...yes, she's a cutie! Glad she makes you feel better, Jean. She's a curious rascal, for sure. Still on my rubber band vigil here.... 😹
She can open a big sliding door on my closet on her own.
She's also a fan of playing Frisbee, fetching her favorite deli container lid and trotting back with it each time till she forgets how the game is played and just stares at me.
How lovely to hear about her, it made me laugh to hear how she can open your sliding closet door. How lucky you are to have her, she sounds like a gift from heaven. x
Thirteen years ago, my younger daughter was at a really low point in her life. She had a natural affinity with all the cats that we had as a family but lived elsewhere on her own, so when she mentioned she had seen a kitten advertised we drove her there and picked up little Elmo, who is with her to this day. He turned out to be the most attentive little fellow and gave her utter devotion and companionship through a very rough period in her life.
With just the right kitty, there can be quite a powerful connection, for sure. Both my kitties have been magical in that way.
By the way, for fans of the Real Nella who didn't already see it, I shared the story of Ella and Nella, the look-alike kitties who've come into my life, in a post named "AF and kitties" 9 months ago.
I included photos of the 2 of them side-by-side.
You can probably find it through the Search feature.
Nella and I appreciate your kindness and fun comments!
It's a nice diversion from waiting for the rubber band to pass!
I found the post you mentioned, what a sweet story, you and Nella were definitely meant to be. We had to let our lovely 19 year old girl cat go Nov ‘17 it really broke my heart for cats, she was such a dear little soul, you could do anything with her, carefully de-knot her long black coat she would pat but never scratch. I will get an older rescue eventually but at the moment love to see our cat visitors, one is the very young image of my lovely girl but she is very timid (probably a good thing) we watch each other from a safe distance in my small back garden. I speak to her but won’t approach her, she may come over for a pet one day : )
Glad you enjoyed the story. It's so difficult when they go, isn't it? I hope that just the right kitty comes into your life when you are ready. 😻
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Is there such a thing as “medicinal dose of alcohol?”
Alternative medicine for AF/Ectopics
Beta blocker combined with a cold medicine
Individual risk assessment, and the \"art\" of medicine
returning to NSR after taking Flecainide 
