Friday, August 1, 2008

The Double Whammy


I'm so sorry that I haven't had time to visit your blogs since the other day, so please bear with me. I'll get caught up, hopefully, over the weekend. I have been working with a diabetic cat all week, plus this is my deadline week on both jobs! It's been like the double whammy hitting me! There's nothing more I'd like to do than read blogs and leave comments, but Daphy and my work have to take precedence over everything else for the moment.


I really haven't had time to post anything since the other day, as I am still working with Daphy, one of my diabetic cats. She's been a difficult one to get regulated again! I had her to the vet on Tuesday and left her there all day while they did glucose checks on her. Her initial glucose reading that morning was 494, even after her insulin injection. At 4:30pm, it had only dropped to 304, a far cry from normal, which for cats is in the 120-160 range.

Well, then Wednesday my friend Diane came to help me with her. Daphy can be a cantankerous old gal to get blood from unless there is someone to hold her, as she has bitten me before. At 9am, her glucose was 172. After feeding her, I gave her the insulin shot. I rechecked her again at 3pm, at which time she had dropped way down to 45...not far from going into seizures! My vet's instructions were to feed her again and give her some honey or Karo syrup to bring it back up.


That evening I had to go out and buy a new glucose meter, as my pharmacy did not have a solution I needed in order to check the accuracy of the present unit I was using. I was late getting home and then had to get the new meter set up with time and date, get it calibrated and all that technical jumbo they put you through! This new meter is much different from the other one. So it was 11pm before I could even get to drawing blood for another check. I was on my own this time (no Diane here) and had to do another blood draw, which revealed her glucose to be 376! Insulin shot given! I was surprised that the cat just laid there and let me draw blood from her front leg. Maybe she knows I am trying to help her. She really is a dear old cat, but she can be kind of crabby at times. I guess we may be crabby, too, when someone pokes us with a needle so often when we're her age. My chart states 14 years in a cat's life is equal to 75 human years.


Thursday morning, Diane had A/C problems, so I was on my own again. Daphy behaved herself and gave me no trouble getting blood. It was 106 at 10am. Vet said to feed her, but no shot, and to recheck her at 12 noon. It was 288 at noon. Still, no insulin shot to be given! I was told to do another blood draw at 10pm, and if it was under 200, give no insulin. If over 200, give the insulin. Well, it was 297 at 10pm, so I gave her the 6 units of insulin as instructed, which obviously was too much. She'd been getting 6 units for quite a long time, though.
This morning, her glucose was 137, so no insulin to be given as it was under 200! I was told to let her eat whatever she wanted during the day today and to recheck her at 4:30pm and to call the vet with the results. Her glucose reading was 396! So the vet said to feed her at her regular 9pm time and give her 4 units of insulin instead of her usual 6 units. No bloodwork this time as she was already at 396 at 4:30. Diabetic cats can only be fed twice a day, 12 hours apart, and right after they eat, you give the insulin. So she has been fed and given her shot. And I have instructions for the morning and then have to call my vet with her glucose reading before giving her any insulin. I do have a wonderful vet, and he's been so good to put so much time into this dear old cat, when she's only been in his office once this week. But she's been a real nightmare trying to get her regulated this time. I go through this every now and then with both diabetic cats.
It seems as if there is no end to it all! I will have to go through this same thing with the other diabetic cat, Cleo (Daphy's littermate), once we get Daphy regulated! I really have compassion for anyone with diabetes, as I just couldn't imagine going through this myself. Diabetes is a terrible disease for both humans and animals.


I'll try to visit you all over the weekend. I tried to access some of the blogs earlier, and I don't know why they wouldn't open, something about Internet Explorer not being able to access them. So if you don't receive a comment from me, that's the reason why. Hope you all have a great weekend!

23 comments:

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Blogger's had some issues today, but I hope they're fixed now.

Poor Daphy, and poor Nancy! I hope you can get her regulated soon. It's bad enough trying to get sugar regulated on a person who can tell you when they feel bad, it's got to be much worse for an animal.

Hey, you do what you gotta do! Work and taking care of your furkids comes before blogging: that's a given, or should be.

Have a good weekend if you can, Nancy. :o)

Love and hugs,

Diane

Lib said...

Hi Nancy,
Hope things are going better for you and Daphy!
Hope you catch up soon, and relax!
Have agreat wk.end!
Blessins',Lib

Mrs. Mom said...

Hang in there Miss Nancy and Daphy!! Hope she gets her insulin levles to behave SOON for you Miss Nancy!

Off to try out the bread machine now Miss Nancy- will email you with the results. Feeling BRAVE today- am also going to try and make donuts from the "whomp biscuts"...LOL Wish us luck! ;)

Gigi Ann said...

My, what a busy week you have had. I hope the kittens are doing better. So much is involved in taking care of our pets. But, when we take on the responsibly of having a pet, there is much work involved, and many people don't recognize that. But, when we care about our pets we do our best to keep them healthy and happy.

Have a restful week-end if possible.

Renie Burghardt said...

You sure have had a double whammy, Nancy. I hope things have gotten a little better by today. Cats are difficult when they're sick, at least mine are. Giving them medications can be quite a challenge, and a suit of armor would come in handy in that situation.

You are right, diabetes is a nasty condition. I know from personal experience. I am fortunate to be able to still control mine with diet and exercise, at this point. It's not easy though, and one has to be ever vigillant.

I pray Daphy is now stabilized and you won't have to go through it all again with Cleo, too. You are to be commended for taking such great care of your fur kids.

Hugs and prayers,

Renie

PS. Oh, and Felix is one of my cats. He had been abandoned and I found him in 2005. I have 5 cats.

Pumpkin Country said...

Gosh, you sure have had a time of it with the kitty. :(
I love visiting your blog. No need to visit all too often, you are a busy girl, we do know.

Merle said...

Dear Nancy ~~ I hope your Daphy soon gets stablized, you have both had a long battle with it. I have diabetes too, but only have tablets, not injections. Blood tests, of course.
Thanks for your comments, The birds didn't come near my bird hotel for weeks and weeks, but they do now. It has a small solar light near the top of it. Maybe the birds see your cats and don't come to your feeder. Glad you liked the jokes. Keep on smiling my friend, Love, Merle.

Patty said...

Hope everything is all well soon in your household. It makes for a hectic week when the pets aren't feeling well.

Hang in there, it will get better. Have a restful and relaxing Sunday.

Diane said...

You've certainly got your hands full. I'm glad that I could help you and sorry I couldn't be there the next day. Hope Daphy's glucose stabilizes soon.

Look forward to seeing you tomorrow for some "kitty grooming" and pizza!

Hugs,
Diane

Talk..to..Grams said...

I am so sorry that you are having such a hard time with the cats. I know how bad diabetes is firt hand! I take two shots a day. Nancy takes 5 shots a day and I check her blood sugar 5 times a day!! Before she was in the hospital in June we only did 2 shots a day. Now we do 5!! This is when I said "HOLD the Phone"!!! I can't post and visit like I am used to doing!! So I don't post as often or visit as much as I would love too!! I hope you can get some rest and the Kitty Cats get better soon!! Love and hugs Grams

Dawn said...

Thanks for taking time from your very busy life to come over and visit me for S&T, and for your kind comments. I hope things have settled down for you and the kitty - what an ordeal!

Please feel free to come back whenever you have time!

Anonymous said...

ought to be the best hope. I wish you all the best

BClark said...

When ever you can visit it is a treat, so please do not stress yourself. With two jobs and a kajillion cats to take care of you amaze me. Hope you find the magic formula for the kittys. Best to you, Barbara

hippo chick said...

Wow!! You sure do have your hands full. I think diabetes is a terrible disease. My friend's daughter has type 1 diabetes. It is really scary.

I hope this coming week quiets down a little for you.

I'm back from the mountains and hopeing to read blogs and maybe even post tomorrow. I'm finished with my little summer job now so hope I can get caught up on lots of things.

Take care of yourself and your little patients.

~hippo hugs~

Jess said...

Finally making it around...I have been so busy too! I'm so glad that Daphy is doing a little better, but i would be cranky too if I had to have blood drawn that much!!!

Hope all is well with you and that you met your deadlines...

I will talk with you soon and we will catch up a little.

Love Jess

Sam said...

Poor Daphy! You really have a full time job on your hands with all your sweet kitties.

My sister's cat is diabetic and she had the hardest time regulating the insulin. But they finally got it all figured out and her cat is doing great!

I'm curious, how do you go on vacations with all your cats? Do you have a pet sitter?

I hope you're well, Nancy. Have a wonderful week,
Sammy

Monogram Queen said...

Sending Get Well wishes to dear Daphy!

raccoonlover1963/Lisa Myers said...

Hi Nancy. I sure hope your kitties start doing better. Thank you for stopping by and for your prayers for my mother. She does not know when she will be starting chemo yet. They had postponed it while she was in the hospital. She had her pet scan done yesterday. Have not heard from her yet.
Lisa

Cecil said...

Hey Nancy... Bless your heart! And Bless Daphy's heart! It is really, really difficult to get them regulated, too. And you've both been through the ringer.. Hope she is settling down and you can get some rest. And Buster seems to be doing very well with the chemo... And Sweet Pea is doing so well! That's great! My kids seem to be doing fine.. there is one asleep on my foot and 1 on either side of me... Guess we are settled for a bit... lol.. I can't move! Hugs to you ... Cecil

Sapna Anu B.George said...

cool......great to meet you too here, wonderful cooking pages too

Hootin Anni said...

Oh My Goodness Nancy. This is so sad, poor kitty...poor you. What a dilemma, and the sad part is, they can't tell you how they feel, or what is going on inside of them. You're a blessing for her, and I hope all will be well and her blood will soon be more regulated. I have no inkling of diabetic stuff, but I'm assuming that this can be regulated somehow, once the dosage is figured out? Right? Maybe not, but god has given you these wonderful furbabies and you're their savior!!!

Lucy Stern said...

Boy you have been through the wringer this week....I don't know how you do all of that and work two jobs too. I hope your kittie gets better soon...Good luck

Mississippi Songbird said...

I hope things are getting better now. and that you have a wonderful week...