A Big Deal...

Just carried in the bag of kitty litter from my car. Planned to washout all the poo boxes and pour fresh litter in them---tomorrow. Well, I decided we needed a little refreshing in the meantime. Cat lovers—you’ll know what I mean. So I go get the bag of litter. Big deal right?

Consider it’s 11:15 pm and the bag was 50lbs. PetCo had great deal—50lb bag for $6.99—if you had your PALS card. I did. Back to why it’s a big deal. In late 2005, I was ill with endocarditis—didn’t know it, more less ever heard of it, Movie Man let me use his Sam’s card to buy 40lbs of kitty litter (yes, even then).

When we got back to my place, he carried the litter up my steps and set it in my apartment. Sometime later, after Movie Man left, I decided to move the bag to another part of the apartment. When I tried to lift it, my heart pounded against my chest as it never had before. I immediately dropped the bag, and couldn’t seem to catch my breath. The thump was so loud; I just knew my downstairs neighbor could hear it. Had some discomfort, yet not really pain. I was scared my heart would burst from my chest ala the Sigourney Weaver classic, “Aliens” (the 2nd one, because it still makes me jump). Sat on my couch, then went to my bed—and just lied there. I wasn’t sure what to do. I’m sure it was only minutes, yet it seemed like hours before my heart calmed down. I remember asking out loud, “What was that?” To look back, I wonder what my blood pressure was at that moment. My breath eventually evened out and my heart eased its bang a gong through my chest.

So what did I do? Did I call a friend or even 911? Of course, not. I went to Wal-mart.

The big deal tonight was being cautious as I carried the 50 lbs of litter, with both hands, into my house. No pounds in my chest. No shortness of breath. Every time I carry large bags like that, I get a little antsy. I still recall being ordered to not carry anything heavier than a milk carton—and here I was cradling 50 lbs of litter.

Now the refreshing is done. I have cats to pet, a couple spoonfuls of ice cream to savor while I read a few pages of an entertaining book by Lydia Adamson, where the cats help their human solve a mystery—yea, yea…I love cats…all this before I thank God for this day He made and for the one I pray He blesses me with tomorrow.