I remember Moneypenny and Q from years ago when my Spike and Stormy
were active in rpcc. They both went to the Bridge in April 2005.

Spike was diagnosed with diabetes March 4, 2005 but I think he had it
quite a while before that. July 2004 he had a "spell" and I rushed
him to the emergency vet. He was fine when we got there, they did a
blood test and reported only slightly elevated kidney values. My own
vet got a copy of the test results. I didn't see them until the next
March and the blood glucose level was way high. Both vets had written
that off to stress. If I had asked for a copy of the test would I
have pushed for a better evaluation of the BG? Who knows? I will in
the future.

The day I started him on insulin he was obviously worse but not in any
way I could explain to folks who didn't see him every day. After 10
days I took him to a specialist - he was in diabetic ketoacidosis. We
pulled him through that crisis but 5 weeks later he was ketotic again
and I had to let him go. Stormy had died the week before - I believe
from the stress of worrying about Spike. In two months I spent more
than $6000 and didn't save either cat.

I miss them both and feel horribly guilty. Intellectually I know I
did the best I could but it's small comfort. And yet...I know people
who treated sick cats for years and years and now feel guilty because
they let them linger too long.

All this is by way of saying don't beat yourself up. You did the best
you could. Q wouldn't ask more of you.

Margaret

On 4 Aug 2006 11:03:15 -0700, wrote:

I feel much better today. After last night I was a wreck.

Not all of your questions can be answered. But we have mostly all
lost family here and we know what you're going through.

What was your cat's name? His name was Q. Miss Moneypenny is my
living cat, same age.

What were his\her favourite things? I can't stop smiling at this one.
He wasn't a big talker and loved to sleep off a food-induced coma. He
was fat and fluffy. 23 pounds at his heaviest.

How did he come to pass away? The vet suspects diabetes. We thought
his new food and exercise regimen was helping his weight, but it was
really diabetes complications.

What were the signs you didn't recognise? Water consumption and the
weight loss described above.

I definitely have to get him posted on the website. He was the
sweetest cat. I couldn't have asked for a more affectionate cat.

Thank you, Fred







Regards,
Fred
(remove FFFF from my email address to email me)