Asheville, NC
We spent the weekend in Asheville, NC with family who drove up from Florida. Or, to be more precise, we were collecting our cat back from family in Florida who had been caring for him there after a round of radiation therapy in Atlanta to treat his hyperthyroidism.
Why that treatment instead of something local to DC? Second, there aren't that many places doing that kind of treatment for cats. For starters, this was one of the only treatments that required zero maintenance after completion. Being in the Foreign Service requires answering some rather interesting questions like: "When we're overseas, will we be able to get the cat's medicine in-country, find someone to give him that medicine if we have to evacuate, or find a local vet to treat him if his condition deteriorates?" These are all somewhat challenging questions, but fortunately the Department of State has lots of information about life at post for inbound personnel.
But there's always a catch, right? My particular job and future assignments aren't known all that far in advance because of variables like congressional funding approval and contractual qualification obligation. So, we have no idea where we'll be going next which makes all that reference material about the post somewhat irrelevant. Which is why we went with the nuclear option to irradiate the cat. He had to be in isolation for about two weeks, which we were about to do with the assistance of Kacey's parents and their second house which they are renovating. It would have been nearly impossible to keep our kids away from the cat, but we probably could have used this link (explaining radiation from Fukushima).
Anyways, that was why we ended up in Asheville, the approximate midpoint between the cat's recovery location and his usual residence. We made the most of it by going snow tubing (but the cat wasn't interested in participating).
Why that treatment instead of something local to DC? Second, there aren't that many places doing that kind of treatment for cats. For starters, this was one of the only treatments that required zero maintenance after completion. Being in the Foreign Service requires answering some rather interesting questions like: "When we're overseas, will we be able to get the cat's medicine in-country, find someone to give him that medicine if we have to evacuate, or find a local vet to treat him if his condition deteriorates?" These are all somewhat challenging questions, but fortunately the Department of State has lots of information about life at post for inbound personnel.
But there's always a catch, right? My particular job and future assignments aren't known all that far in advance because of variables like congressional funding approval and contractual qualification obligation. So, we have no idea where we'll be going next which makes all that reference material about the post somewhat irrelevant. Which is why we went with the nuclear option to irradiate the cat. He had to be in isolation for about two weeks, which we were about to do with the assistance of Kacey's parents and their second house which they are renovating. It would have been nearly impossible to keep our kids away from the cat, but we probably could have used this link (explaining radiation from Fukushima).
Anyways, that was why we ended up in Asheville, the approximate midpoint between the cat's recovery location and his usual residence. We made the most of it by going snow tubing (but the cat wasn't interested in participating).
Hey Y'all, watch this:
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