Saturday, March 7, 2020

Reluctant Patient, Reluctant Doctor


The frustrating nature of diabetes has once again been brought to my attention. Neville came to stay with me on a foster-basis last September, and, though he received insulin for his diabetes, it was a short time before it went into remission. Random tests of his blood-sugar soon revealed numbers between four and eight, the perfect range.

Now, however, he is registering numbers in the teens. A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that Nevsky was a little off his food, and was choosing spots in which to snooze that were out of the way. He was not hiding all the time, and continued to play. But I thought I should take a look at his blood-sugar again, as it may have been a higher number that was influencing his behaviour. Two tests, a couple of days apart, resulted in numbers between 14 and 15. Today, it was 17.1.

I cannot account for the rise in numbers. He is eating a new food, as he seemed to have become bored with his previous soft-food. This variety, however, has, according to my research, the proportion of carbohydrate low enough for a diabetic’s good health. (Any percentage under ten is acceptable.) There was also the fact that we have been suffering from very high winds for a long run of days; I thought that they may have been causing stress, and elevating Nev’s numbers. That hypothesis reflected, admittedly, an outside chance.

I have begun giving Neville a single unit of insulin once a day, in the evening. I started today; tomorrow I will test him again; it won’t be a full ‘curve’ of bi-hourly sampling, but I will poke his ears at six o’clock tomorrow morning, then at mid-day and, finally, just before his insulin – if it is needed – in the evening. I want to see a good curve. Perhaps after a few weeks of this, hopefully less, his system will re-adjust itself to what it was. In the meantime, the poor fellow will have to accustom himself to some daily jabs.

Neville is still a slender mancat, though no longer the Thin Man he once was. That would make injecting him by syringe easier, if his fur, now much longer than it was when I used to give him insulin, did not make finding his skin under it all difficult. In many ways, he can be impatient; in receiving injections, however, he is a good patient, and I am grateful for that.

I would be even more grateful if he need not be a patient at all.


16 comments:

  1. Pills are hard enough....poir him and you!

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  2. Judging from what I hear from humans I know who are diabetic, it’s a very unpredictable business. I imagine it’s even tougher in cats.

    I just wish I had some “magic bullet” to make things easier for the cats—and for you.

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  3. Ah! Bless him..look at that lovely face..! :).
    And yes..l think stress can be a factor..as with
    us humans, l've suffered from anxiety and stress
    all my life, not really life threatening, but can
    have an effect on ones mental well being and
    fitness..! :(.
    And..wind and the rain affect me..hate it..and as
    we are all aware of..pussy~cats hate water..and l
    think rain is more or less 100% water..! :).

    Biggest..((HUG))..X..and pat for Neville..He's
    lovely...! :O).

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  4. I wonder if an exception can be made to allow him to have the same thing you write of before...the small instrument on the skin put there by the Vet to measure blood sugar numbers? Ideal for cats who are at such high numbers it seems, and who are somewhat impatient with the drawing of blood process.

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    Replies
    1. Unfortunately, the sensor is still an experiment - not technically, but commercially. The veterinary hospital is still working on making them available, and the experiment with Tucker was too successful to need another.

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  5. So sorry this came back again for Neville. He's such a good boy, isn't he, about taking those daily pokes? I hope it goes back into remission soon. He's such a handsome guy! You have done a great job with him and it shows!

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  6. Yep, it sure can be tricky to keep things going as they need to go.

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  7. I wish you and Neville luck in this process. you are a good doctor
    and nurse and homemaker for your cats. Tough business with this
    diabetes.

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  8. I'm so sorry to hear that Neville is requiring insulin and glucose monitoring again. Unfortunately, treating diabetes in cats is quite tricky. They can be in remission for awhile and then all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, they need insulin again. My Jeremy was in remission for 4 years before we had to start giving him insulin again.

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    1. Four years... Having to start again must have been disappointing to you and Jeremy.

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  9. That is disappointing, but you are very conscientious and I have no doubt you will get those numbers back under control. I was wondering the same as Katie if he could have that implant to monitor his curves.

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    1. I will have to wait until the sensor becomes available in general before having another. And it might prove too expensive when it is not provided as part of an experiment.

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  10. If there is anyone on this Earth that can remain patience and loving to Nevsky, it's you, John! Purring for Neville.

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  11. Definitely disappointing! I hope Neville's condition soon will return to remission.

    I was thinking the same re: the implant Tucker had, but you've answered the previous posters about that.

    Good luck, fingers crossed this is a very short-term blip.

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  12. Poor Neville. Jabs are no fun and I know how bad you feel having to do it.

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  13. Sorry to hear this Neville. The stress is difficult to gauge. Wish they could give us a talk

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