When Numbers Go Down, Spirits Go Up

The last time I told you about Neville, he was recovering from the ill effects of the anti-biotic prescribed to combat a possible infection that was playing havoc with his blood-sugar numbers. I am pleased to write that following the publishing of that entry, the Nevsky suffered no more regurgitation. He has been eating well since then.

I performed a ‘curve’ on Neville today, to see how his blood-sugar numbers respond to his usual dose of insulin, after the anti-biotic. I was surprised to see that he actually had a curve. His start was, as expected, high: 24.0. Subsequent to his two and a half units of insulin, his numbers dropped to a nadir of 17.1.

While this is hardly a low number for a diabetic, it is nonetheless a response, unlike many of the days on which I had monitored him recently. He also hit his lowest point rather early in the day, at 10.22 in the morning, a bare four hours after his injection. Even so, it is in the right direction.

However, I must caution myself. There were days during which Neville’s electronic sensor was attached to him that recorded similarly encouraging curves. These were rare days, and came irregularly; there was neither rhyme nor reason to his reactions to the insulin. In other words, he had a couple of good days, when the insulin did what it should have, among eight bad days. This may be another.

I intend to run another curve on my grey boy next weekend. If it turns out the same as today, then I will suspect that an improvement with some staying power has been effected; after all, that two good days out a week both happened to fall on Saturdays will be unlikely. If, in turn, next weekend’s curve provides encouragement, then I will have another electronic sensor attached for a more detailed study of the improvement.

Neville’s diabetes has not been coöperative, so I am guarded in my optimism. But today was a good day for his numbers, and, as Mr Parker pointed out, good days are splendid days.