sigelphoenix

I should say, because I didn't in my last post, that ratzeo and I are really grateful about how lucky we were. I mean, if you're going to have catastrophic leaking that's so bad that it requires the loss of your floor and ceiling, this is the way to have it. We didn't lose any furniture to water damage, and I don't think any of our books got damaged.

I think the lack of irreversible damage is part of why we're managing to be pretty calm about all of this. I mean, for ratzeo to be un-stressed is impressive, but for me it's downright unheard of. There was a point at which this kind of situation would've prompted me to rail at the heavens or whine a lot or cry or something. I feel like I've made progress, and I'm glad for it - this, plus our relative luck, means that I'm not wasting my time stressing and can just concentrate on taking care of things as they can be taken care of.

For now, we've been given access to a vacant unit in another part of the apartment complex. This is helpful, so we don't have to fall asleep to the nighttime serenade of VVVRRRRRRR from the various fans and dehumidifying machines filling our apartment. :Db

Our apartment is still habitable, in the strict sense of the word - it's just that we've got about half a dozen of those machines going and filling up the place, and to make room for them, most of our furniture has been shoved around and all the doors in our apartment have been removed. Also, in the affected area, the carpet was taken up and the padding removed, and the first layer of the ceiling was torn off. Since the living room wasn't affected, the water damage specialists put in a giant plastic sheet, cutting it off from the rest of the apartment, which provides a visual (if not audio) barrier. So, as you can imagine, it's not a terribly pleasant place to be right now.

And poor Kershach. T_T The specialists 'trapped' him in the living room, rather than on the side of the plastic barrier with the machines (there's a zipper opening, which of course he can't use). So he was confined to about 1/4 of the space he's used to, with about 1/2 of our furniture crammed in, and monstrous machines blaring all around him. Our manager, who was present when the specialists came in, said he seemed fine - cautious but curious. And it's true that he wasn't traumatized or anything, but this is the kind of behavior he displayed when I met him at the shelter: exploring rather than hiding, but staying quiet and unobtrusive, rather than the cheeky chatterbox he became after we adopted him.

ratzeo came home before I did, and Kershach was very glad to see a familiar face. He also told his daddy all about it at some length. XD But after he was done chatting, he demanded lots of comforting petting. He also kept licking ratzeo's face when they cuddled. T_T (I tried to get a video of it, but it was too dark.) Basically, he was as affectionate as usual, but in a more needy manner than usual - instead of walking around the petting person, he stayed down in a loaf or rolled over; he submitted to pets without engaging by attempting to wrestle; and he purred as much as usual, but I suspect it was self-soothing as much as happiness. Also, whenever he was left alone, he hunkered down into a loaf at the far end of the living room away from the machines. And every time I came back into the partitioned area, he met my eyes and vehemently declared, "Myaa!"

We decided to bring him to the vacant unit, and he was worlds better - still a bit cautious as he explored, but far more mobile and vocal. (I'm sure he was telling us about everything he was finding in the new place.) He ate all his food, too, when before he'd only managed a bit of his beloved kibble and freeze-dried chicken treat.

So we're managing decently right now. Thanks to everyone who gave us well-wishes and offers of help. Here's hoping that the repairs go smoothly and we can go back to living in our home soon ...