Forgive me, Sheba

in article , CATherine at
wrote on 12/4/03 8:29 PM:

I always seem to learn life's lessons the hard way. This time Sheba
almost paid the ultimate price for my folly and ignorance.

Wednesday night I got home late, after 7. Sheba's supper and insulin
was delayed. Since I was off Thursday, I stayed up late and got up
late this morning, after 9:30. Sheba's food and insulin was again
delayed.

I was busy until after 3, when I finally set down to rest. Sheba was
on the footstool at my feet. She gave several funny-sounding meows. I
reached to pet her and she meowed normally. After a few minutes she
meowed oddly again. I spoke to her and petted her. In the process I
brushed her ears. They were cold.

I pulled the stool out where I could reach her better and felt her all
over. She was cold and didn't move. She meowed in a way that said
"help me...something is wrong". I picked her up and she dangled
instead of cuddling. Then she had a small siezure. I set her on the
floor to see if she could walk and she couldn't. Then she howled and
lost control of her bladder.

I threw a rag on the puddle and screamed at Jeff to get the carrier
and call the vet, while I ran to get some clothes on. (I was in my
gown and robe)

At the vet's, the tech put a heating pad with towel under her and then
the vet shaved her throat and drew a vial of blood. When he came back
in the room he asked me a question and I then told him about sleeping
in, etc. Then he told me how important it is for her to be on a
schedule. He talked about "crashing" and "bottoming out". And messing
with her potassium and electrolytes.

I had always thought low sugar would cause her to faint or something.
it was all vague in my mind. I didn't know what to look for in the way
of symptoms. If she hadn't meowed in a funny way I would have thought
she was napping. But she almost died. her sugar was down to 29! And
her temp was 96.

The vet gave her oral dextrose and then later an injectin and some
food. He talked to a specialist on the phone. The last couple of
months I hadn't been in because she seemed to be stable; but the
specialist siad her dosage should have been reduced when her diet got
stable. For now she is to eat anything she wants for 2 days and no
insulin. Sunday she gets only half the dosage she had been taking. In
ten days she goes back for a glucose curve.

Tonight she ate some of her diebetic food and later I gave her some
broiled chicken. She loved it and even licked my fingers so i could
save on napkins. She seems to be feeling ok now. But I will be
diligent about her schedule from now on. I really don't need to sleep
in. I can use a leisurely morning to pet my little girl and love her.

CATherine

Scary Catherine! Do you have a little blood tester for her sugar? That may
help you out a lot. If you can keep a little journal, it would also help you
to figure out how she processes everything. I'm so glad she is ok now.

Karen

Poor Sheba and poor you - scary stuff.
Hope all is OK now.

Hugs
Lois

"CATherine" wrote in message
...
I always seem to learn life's lessons the hard way. This time Sheba
almost paid the ultimate price for my folly and ignorance.

Wednesday night I got home late, after 7. Sheba's supper and insulin
was delayed. Since I was off Thursday, I stayed up late and got up
late this morning, after 9:30. Sheba's food and insulin was again
delayed.

I was busy until after 3, when I finally set down to rest. Sheba was
on the footstool at my feet. She gave several funny-sounding meows. I
reached to pet her and she meowed normally. After a few minutes she
meowed oddly again. I spoke to her and petted her. In the process I
brushed her ears. They were cold.

I pulled the stool out where I could reach her better and felt her all
over. She was cold and didn't move. She meowed in a way that said
"help me...something is wrong". I picked her up and she dangled
instead of cuddling. Then she had a small siezure. I set her on the
floor to see if she could walk and she couldn't. Then she howled and
lost control of her bladder.

I threw a rag on the puddle and screamed at Jeff to get the carrier
and call the vet, while I ran to get some clothes on. (I was in my
gown and robe)

At the vet's, the tech put a heating pad with towel under her and then
the vet shaved her throat and drew a vial of blood. When he came back
in the room he asked me a question and I then told him about sleeping
in, etc. Then he told me how important it is for her to be on a
schedule. He talked about "crashing" and "bottoming out". And messing
with her potassium and electrolytes.

I had always thought low sugar would cause her to faint or something.
it was all vague in my mind. I didn't know what to look for in the way
of symptoms. If she hadn't meowed in a funny way I would have thought
she was napping. But she almost died. her sugar was down to 29! And
her temp was 96.

The vet gave her oral dextrose and then later an injectin and some
food. He talked to a specialist on the phone. The last couple of
months I hadn't been in because she seemed to be stable; but the
specialist siad her dosage should have been reduced when her diet got
stable. For now she is to eat anything she wants for 2 days and no
insulin. Sunday she gets only half the dosage she had been taking. In
ten days she goes back for a glucose curve.

Tonight she ate some of her diebetic food and later I gave her some
broiled chicken. She loved it and even licked my fingers so i could
save on napkins. She seems to be feeling ok now. But I will be
diligent about her schedule from now on. I really don't need to sleep
in. I can use a leisurely morning to pet my little girl and love her.

CATherine

in article , CATherine at
wrote on 12/4/03 9:14 PM:

On 4 Dec 2003 20:55:37 -0600, Karen
wrote:

in article , CATherine at
wrote on 12/4/03 8:29 PM:

I always seem to learn life's lessons the hard way. This time Sheba
almost paid the ultimate price for my folly and ignorance.
snip
Tonight she ate some of her diebetic food and later I gave her some
broiled chicken. She loved it and even licked my fingers so i could
save on napkins. She seems to be feeling ok now. But I will be
diligent about her schedule from now on. I really don't need to sleep
in. I can use a leisurely morning to pet my little girl and love her.

CATherine

Scary Catherine! Do you have a little blood tester for her sugar? That may
help you out a lot. If you can keep a little journal, it would also help you
to figure out how she processes everything. I'm so glad she is ok now.

Karen

No, but I have urine test strips. I will have to be diligent about
testing her urine frequently now. And go to the vet more frequently
for the blood glucose test. Surely I can find $15 once a month or so.

Still kicking myself,
CATherine

Catherine, I have a little video file I downloaded of a guy showing how he
takes his cat's blood glucose levels. It's very easy. I kept it because the
tester was just like the one my friend uses on her little girl, to show to
her. It is 784kb. Could I send it to you? The test machine is like 100$ but
I don't know how much the test strips are. It might be more affordable than
going to the vet a lot and I know it is more accurate than urine testing.
Let me know if I can email it to you.

Karen

Poor Sheba....and you....I hope things are OK

Purrs

Angela and Gizmo

"CATherine" wrote in message
...
I always seem to learn life's lessons the hard way. This time Sheba
almost paid the ultimate price for my folly and ignorance.

Wednesday night I got home late, after 7. Sheba's supper and insulin
was delayed. Since I was off Thursday, I stayed up late and got up
late this morning, after 9:30. Sheba's food and insulin was again
delayed.

I was busy until after 3, when I finally set down to rest. Sheba was
on the footstool at my feet. She gave several funny-sounding meows. I
reached to pet her and she meowed normally. After a few minutes she
meowed oddly again. I spoke to her and petted her. In the process I
brushed her ears. They were cold.

I pulled the stool out where I could reach her better and felt her all
over. She was cold and didn't move. She meowed in a way that said
"help me...something is wrong". I picked her up and she dangled
instead of cuddling. Then she had a small siezure. I set her on the
floor to see if she could walk and she couldn't. Then she howled and
lost control of her bladder.

I threw a rag on the puddle and screamed at Jeff to get the carrier
and call the vet, while I ran to get some clothes on. (I was in my
gown and robe)

At the vet's, the tech put a heating pad with towel under her and then
the vet shaved her throat and drew a vial of blood. When he came back
in the room he asked me a question and I then told him about sleeping
in, etc. Then he told me how important it is for her to be on a
schedule. He talked about "crashing" and "bottoming out". And messing
with her potassium and electrolytes.

I had always thought low sugar would cause her to faint or something.
it was all vague in my mind. I didn't know what to look for in the way
of symptoms. If she hadn't meowed in a funny way I would have thought
she was napping. But she almost died. her sugar was down to 29! And
her temp was 96.

The vet gave her oral dextrose and then later an injectin and some
food. He talked to a specialist on the phone. The last couple of
months I hadn't been in because she seemed to be stable; but the
specialist siad her dosage should have been reduced when her diet got
stable. For now she is to eat anything she wants for 2 days and no
insulin. Sunday she gets only half the dosage she had been taking. In
ten days she goes back for a glucose curve.

Tonight she ate some of her diebetic food and later I gave her some
broiled chicken. She loved it and even licked my fingers so i could
save on napkins. She seems to be feeling ok now. But I will be
diligent about her schedule from now on. I really don't need to sleep
in. I can use a leisurely morning to pet my little girl and love her.

CATherine

On 5 Dec 2003 02:29:26 GMT, CATherine
wrote:

I always seem to learn life's lessons the hard way. This time Sheba
almost paid the ultimate price for my folly and ignorance.

Wednesday night I got home late, after 7. Sheba's supper and insulin
was delayed. Since I was off Thursday, I stayed up late and got up
late this morning, after 9:30. Sheba's food and insulin was again
delayed.

I was busy until after 3, when I finally set down to rest. Sheba was
on the footstool at my feet. She gave several funny-sounding meows. I
reached to pet her and she meowed normally. After a few minutes she
meowed oddly again. I spoke to her and petted her. In the process I
brushed her ears. They were cold.

I pulled the stool out where I could reach her better and felt her all
over. She was cold and didn't move. She meowed in a way that said
"help me...something is wrong". I picked her up and she dangled
instead of cuddling. Then she had a small siezure. I set her on the
floor to see if she could walk and she couldn't. Then she howled and
lost control of her bladder.

I threw a rag on the puddle and screamed at Jeff to get the carrier
and call the vet, while I ran to get some clothes on. (I was in my
gown and robe)

At the vet's, the tech put a heating pad with towel under her and then
the vet shaved her throat and drew a vial of blood. When he came back
in the room he asked me a question and I then told him about sleeping
in, etc. Then he told me how important it is for her to be on a
schedule. He talked about "crashing" and "bottoming out". And messing
with her potassium and electrolytes.

I had always thought low sugar would cause her to faint or something.
it was all vague in my mind. I didn't know what to look for in the way
of symptoms. If she hadn't meowed in a funny way I would have thought
she was napping. But she almost died. her sugar was down to 29! And
her temp was 96.

The vet gave her oral dextrose and then later an injectin and some
food. He talked to a specialist on the phone. The last couple of
months I hadn't been in because she seemed to be stable; but the
specialist siad her dosage should have been reduced when her diet got
stable. For now she is to eat anything she wants for 2 days and no
insulin. Sunday she gets only half the dosage she had been taking. In
ten days she goes back for a glucose curve.

Tonight she ate some of her diebetic food and later I gave her some
broiled chicken. She loved it and even licked my fingers so i could
save on napkins. She seems to be feeling ok now. But I will be
diligent about her schedule from now on. I really don't need to sleep
in. I can use a leisurely morning to pet my little girl and love her.

CATherine

Purrs for Sheba, and hope she doesn't lay to much of a guilt trip on
you. What a scary thing to happen ;-((

I fear that there would have to be some major changes around here if
something like that happened, as nothing is done on schedule here.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Rocky

[remove Junk for email]
http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html

Now, Cat, don't be too hard on yourself! Yes, they depend on us for their
insulin injections and regular feedings (remember, Hopitus1 had diabetes,
and I kept him alive 5 years after diagnosis, which vets tell me is a long
time for diabetic cats), but that's exactly what happened to Hopitus in the
backseat of our specially rigged sedan in late '87, when our little convoy
crossed the country from northern CA back to south FL. He howled, had a
seizure (I was driving and son in shotgun seat beside me described Hops
"twitching, bigtime") and passed out. Pulled over, laid him down roadside on
blanket, forced Tang drink into side of his mouth (he had revived by then)
and continued on down to Wichita Falls, Tex, where a kind local vet advised
me, no charge, by pay phone in gas station to continue on to FL, feeding but
*no insulin* till we reached our destination, as Hops (and the other two
also) was very off his feed and not eating well during the long trip,
messing up his diabetic status very bad. One of the vehicles (not mine) had
broken down several times and we had about a 3-day delay in a cat-friendly
motel in Montgomery, AL, waiting for a carburetor from Birmingham....the
cats ate better (thinking we had arrived in our forever home, the
air-conditioned, comfortable, cat-friendly motel) but the vet said Hops
would do better with excessive sugar in his blood than another insulin
"crash" like that one in the car.
I called to thank him from FL (he was shocked) and informed him Hops was
fine and under FL vet's care at that point. We had not given the diabetes a
thought when I injected Hops with his usual insuliin dose at a rest stop in
New Mexico early the morning of the day he "crashed" and seized that
afternoon. That sneaky disease diabetes has lessons for anyone who has
anything to do with it, victims and caregivers alike. Give yourself a break.
So glad Sheba is okay now. I know how much you love her.




"Steve Touchstone" wrote in message
...
: On 5 Dec 2003 02:29:26 GMT, CATherine
: wrote:
:
: I always seem to learn life's lessons the hard way. This time Sheba
: almost paid the ultimate price for my folly and ignorance.
:
: Wednesday night I got home late, after 7. Sheba's supper and insulin
: was delayed. Since I was off Thursday, I stayed up late and got up
: late this morning, after 9:30. Sheba's food and insulin was again
: delayed.
:
: I was busy until after 3, when I finally set down to rest. Sheba was
: on the footstool at my feet. She gave several funny-sounding meows. I
: reached to pet her and she meowed normally. After a few minutes she
: meowed oddly again. I spoke to her and petted her. In the process I
: brushed her ears. They were cold.
:
: I pulled the stool out where I could reach her better and felt her all
: over. She was cold and didn't move. She meowed in a way that said
: "help me...something is wrong". I picked her up and she dangled
: instead of cuddling. Then she had a small siezure. I set her on the
: floor to see if she could walk and she couldn't. Then she howled and
: lost control of her bladder.
:
: I threw a rag on the puddle and screamed at Jeff to get the carrier
: and call the vet, while I ran to get some clothes on. (I was in my
: gown and robe)
:
: At the vet's, the tech put a heating pad with towel under her and then
: the vet shaved her throat and drew a vial of blood. When he came back
: in the room he asked me a question and I then told him about sleeping
: in, etc. Then he told me how important it is for her to be on a
: schedule. He talked about "crashing" and "bottoming out". And messing
: with her potassium and electrolytes.
:
: I had always thought low sugar would cause her to faint or something.
: it was all vague in my mind. I didn't know what to look for in the way
: of symptoms. If she hadn't meowed in a funny way I would have thought
: she was napping. But she almost died. her sugar was down to 29! And
: her temp was 96.
:
: The vet gave her oral dextrose and then later an injectin and some
: food. He talked to a specialist on the phone. The last couple of
: months I hadn't been in because she seemed to be stable; but the
: specialist siad her dosage should have been reduced when her diet got
: stable. For now she is to eat anything she wants for 2 days and no
: insulin. Sunday she gets only half the dosage she had been taking. In
: ten days she goes back for a glucose curve.
:
: Tonight she ate some of her diebetic food and later I gave her some
: broiled chicken. She loved it and even licked my fingers so i could
: save on napkins. She seems to be feeling ok now. But I will be
: diligent about her schedule from now on. I really don't need to sleep
: in. I can use a leisurely morning to pet my little girl and love her.
:
: CATherine
:
: Purrs for Sheba, and hope she doesn't lay to much of a guilt trip on
: you. What a scary thing to happen ;-((
:
: I fear that there would have to be some major changes around here if
: something like that happened, as nothing is done on schedule here.
: --
: Steve Touchstone,
: faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Rocky
:
: [remove Junk for email]
: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html

I'm sorry this happened, Catherine, but very glad that you were able to get
her to the vet in time to save her. How scary that must have been for you!
I don't know anything about diabetes, but I am hoping that Sheba gets
stabilized and things go well for her from now on. Purrs,
--
Britta
ROT13 to reply
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on Vino and "friends" album


"CATherine" wrote in message
...
I always seem to learn life's lessons the hard way. This time Sheba
almost paid the ultimate price for my folly and ignorance.

Wednesday night I got home late, after 7. Sheba's supper and insulin
was delayed. Since I was off Thursday, I stayed up late and got up
late this morning, after 9:30. Sheba's food and insulin was again
delayed.

I was busy until after 3, when I finally set down to rest. Sheba was
on the footstool at my feet. She gave several funny-sounding meows. I
reached to pet her and she meowed normally. After a few minutes she
meowed oddly again. I spoke to her and petted her. In the process I
brushed her ears. They were cold.

I pulled the stool out where I could reach her better and felt her all
over. She was cold and didn't move. She meowed in a way that said
"help me...something is wrong". I picked her up and she dangled
instead of cuddling. Then she had a small siezure. I set her on the
floor to see if she could walk and she couldn't. Then she howled and
lost control of her bladder.

I threw a rag on the puddle and screamed at Jeff to get the carrier
and call the vet, while I ran to get some clothes on. (I was in my
gown and robe)

At the vet's, the tech put a heating pad with towel under her and then
the vet shaved her throat and drew a vial of blood. When he came back
in the room he asked me a question and I then told him about sleeping
in, etc. Then he told me how important it is for her to be on a
schedule. He talked about "crashing" and "bottoming out". And messing
with her potassium and electrolytes.

I had always thought low sugar would cause her to faint or something.
it was all vague in my mind. I didn't know what to look for in the way
of symptoms. If she hadn't meowed in a funny way I would have thought
she was napping. But she almost died. her sugar was down to 29! And
her temp was 96.

The vet gave her oral dextrose and then later an injectin and some
food. He talked to a specialist on the phone. The last couple of
months I hadn't been in because she seemed to be stable; but the
specialist siad her dosage should have been reduced when her diet got
stable. For now she is to eat anything she wants for 2 days and no
insulin. Sunday she gets only half the dosage she had been taking. In
ten days she goes back for a glucose curve.

Tonight she ate some of her diebetic food and later I gave her some
broiled chicken. She loved it and even licked my fingers so i could
save on napkins. She seems to be feeling ok now. But I will be
diligent about her schedule from now on. I really don't need to sleep
in. I can use a leisurely morning to pet my little girl and love her.

CATherine

"CATherine" wrote

Tonight she ate some of her diebetic food and later I gave her some
broiled chicken. She loved it and even licked my fingers so i could
save on napkins. She seems to be feeling ok now. But I will be
diligent about her schedule from now on. I really don't need to sleep
in. I can use a leisurely morning to pet my little girl and love her.

Aww, poor Sheba. Those low blood glucoses don't just make you feel weak, but
your self-esteem vanishes completely, and you feel like the world is
crashing down on you, so it's a scary place to be. Sheba probably meowed
because she was scared.

So glad to hear she is alright now. Don't beat yourself up, Catherine, now
you know and will be able to prepare for such situations, and recognize
them. There used to be these little glucose packs for humans, where you
could inject some glucose directly into a patient if they lost
consciousness. Has your vet ever mentioned anything like that that you could
keep around the house for emergencies? Purrs for you both. It does take some
time to get used to this illness, but you are doing a great job.

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi

"Karen" wrote in

Catherine, I have a little video file I downloaded of a guy showing how he
takes his cat's blood glucose levels. It's very easy. I kept it because
the
tester was just like the one my friend uses on her little girl, to show to
her. It is 784kb. Could I send it to you? The test machine is like 100$
but
I don't know how much the test strips are. It might be more affordable
than
going to the vet a lot and I know it is more accurate than urine testing.
Let me know if I can email it to you.

I would be interested to see that, Karen. I have one of those little testers
for myself, too, and I was just trying to picture in my head how you would
go about to test a cat. I mean, I prick a little hole in my fingertip, but
where do you draw the blood on a cat? Surely not its toe pads? ;o) Both
Frank and Nikki kick up such a fuss at the vet's when having their blood
drawn (from the leg), I can't imagine doing that on my own. Could you please
send it to the address below?

--
Marina, Frank and Nikki
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi

in article , Marina at
wrote on 12/4/03 11:48 PM:


"Karen" wrote in

Catherine, I have a little video file I downloaded of a guy showing how he
takes his cat's blood glucose levels. It's very easy. I kept it because
the
tester was just like the one my friend uses on her little girl, to show to
her. It is 784kb. Could I send it to you? The test machine is like 100$
but
I don't know how much the test strips are. It might be more affordable
than
going to the vet a lot and I know it is more accurate than urine testing.
Let me know if I can email it to you.

I would be interested to see that, Karen. I have one of those little testers
for myself, too, and I was just trying to picture in my head how you would
go about to test a cat. I mean, I prick a little hole in my fingertip, but
where do you draw the blood on a cat? Surely not its toe pads? ;o) Both
Frank and Nikki kick up such a fuss at the vet's when having their blood
drawn (from the leg), I can't imagine doing that on my own. Could you please
send it to the address below?

Done. He pricks the kitties ear. Cat sleeps through the whole thing.

Karen