Tuesday, September 8, 2015

The New Routine

This weekend saw the beginning of a new routine in my house. Tucker is now receiving insulin injections twice a day, twelve hours apart. If I worked from home (a dream of mine) or were wealthy enough not to have to work (a better dream of mine), I would give him his doses at nine o’clock in the morning and nine at night, or some similarly reasonable time. But I must wake every weekday at 5.30 a.m. to go to work. This means that Tucker receives his medicine at about six. He of course is given his second of the day after dinner.


In order to keep the time at twelve hour intervals, not just within each day but between days, I now wake at 5.30 each morning that I am off work, as well as on. This is regrettable. However, I have found that it is not as bad as I first anticipated. I wake, and feed the cats, as I would if I were going to work later. Renn rarely eats breakfast, but the others usually enjoy at least some of what’s on the menu.


The important thing is that Tucker has a good appetite at that time of day, for his insulin must be given during or soon after he eats. I don’t want to disturb his actual consumption, so I wait until he has had his fill, then I give him his injection. So far, he is taking them very well - except for once. I have been injecting him in the side of the abdomen, on his left side. On Sunday, I decided to try his right, to give his usual target area a break. He disliked the change. He normally purrs while I am injecting him, believe it or not; I talk to him and pet him and he is satisfied with the situation. This time, with a change of side, he was not only silent, but he growled. Finding this strange, I gently eased him over to the other side, and he gave no dissent. The left side is good for injections, the right is not.


After the injection, I put away the food and go back to bed. The process on days off takes about twenty to thirty minutes. Fortunately, I can fall asleep again quite easily, and have done so thus far. I sleep for another two hours or so. I feared that the beasts would want a second breakfast when I woke a second time, but this hasn’t been the case.


The loser in this new arrangement is my foster-cat, Noah. Because he can cry for some time after he is put away for the night (his bullying by Tucker, though sporadic, continues, and he and Cammie are still having issues), he stays downstairs in the shower-room. To his credit, he falls silent soon after. But he begins crying to be let out as soon as he hears me stir each morning. To feed him then on a holiday would make him think, falsely, that he will be released, when in fact he must stay incarcerated until I wake finally a few hours later. So, unfortunately, he is ignored until 8.30 or so. Then he gets his breakfast - which he often neglects because he’s too excited to be out and about and starting the day.


This being my first day at work (after the Labour Day long weekend) following this new arrangement, I have to write that it’s actually tougher today than it was on preceding days. Getting up at 5.30, knowing I will go back to my warm bed, sleep a while more, then get up and not go to work, was much better than getting up at 5.30, not going back to bed and instead spending the day working. Who would have guessed?

12 comments:

  1. Who would have guessed, indeed. :-)

    You've already worked out a routine and process, so this is great. We have our paws crossed for remission and no more insulin injections at some point.

    Purrs and peace.

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  2. I am so glad Tucker is not bothered by the insulin injection. What a good kitty he is! I hope that he will go into remission for his sake as well as yours. I'm sure everyone, including the one most affected by these time changes (you --MOL) will adapt fairly easily.

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  3. This is going to take some getting used to. I agree that they do prefer a certain side. Our grand-kitty, Hugo, is the same. I'm happy to hear that there is little protest. Now...how about YOU going to bed earlier. (oh, what we do for our cats.) Deb

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    1. What with the cats, the only time I have for my own activities is later in the evening. Sigh.

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  4. guys....we troo lee hope a good roo teen thatz comfortable; if ewe can call it that...we noe injectionz sux.......we hope a good roo teen can setlle in for everee one .........dood...we hope ya get two de point .....wear diet will control yur diabeetez ~~~~~ ♥♥♥

    N noah....we reel lee hope ewe N de crew can mane tain an even keel sew ta speek sew therz noe mor "prison time " ♥♥♥

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  5. 5:30 am is very early but I am sure Tucker is pleased to see you up as are the others for an early breakfast (although Noah's cries must be hard to ignore.) Tucker sounds like a real sweetheart to be so accepting of the needle. I have to now give my Jessica her medications three times a day (but only rubbing in her ear, no needles) so we are trying to find the right schedule.

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    1. I had to give my Tungsten medicine in her ears. I think it was twice a day. It's funny that I had to think about how often she received her medicine. I don't think that is a very important memory, so it fades. So much about her is like it was yesterday.

      I hope Jessica feels good, thanks to her medicine.

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    2. She is managing rather well at this time. Thank you. We are thinking of Tucker.

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  6. We were just chatting at work today as to how a four day weekend goes back in a snap while 4 days of work seems to drag on.

    Glad you and Tucker have found a routine the works for you. Hopefully Noah finds his forever home soon too.

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  7. I am glad you have got into a routine that works for you. At least on your days off you know you can go back to bed. You are right about cats favouring certain places for the injections. I can inject Flynn behind either shoulder or further down either side and he doesn't bat an eyelid, but an injection in the scruff sends him ballistic. We first found out when he was young and a vet came to the house and injected him in the loose neck skin. He foamed at the mouth and crawled around the floor on his belly for sometime after. The same thing happened the next time and he only had to see the vet to start hissing. The vet said neck injections can traumatise some cats so always gave it behind the shoulder after that.

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  8. oh poor Noah. This is why I am glad my foster room is in my basement.. I can't hear the protests ;)

    Ah, the things we do for our kitties, and happily do so.

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  9. Mommy's diabetic cat (before Angel brandi) received her insulin in the scruff of her neck. Sasha didn't mind at all, and often purred while she was given her shot. This was the best scenario for her.
    Love to you all,
    QUINN

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