Friday, January 8, 2021

Neville Unbothered

Neville’s visit to the veterinary hospital was, I would rate, a success, though the Nevsky himself might disagree. The blood-glucose sensor was installed on his back, and he was given a little shirt to wear, so that it would stay in place, and he would have little chance of disturbing it.

After we had come home, it was clear that Neville did not like the shirt. He did not fuss about it, or try to remove it, but he was restless, changing locations four times in as many minutes. Also, he wore a heavy expression, as if weighed down. He was not trying to get at the sensor and, furthermore, I would have to remove the shirt to give him his insulin, though I could put it back on afterward. I took off the garment and found that Nev seemed bothered by the sensor not at all. As of writing, it has been six hours since our return to the Cosy Apartment, and he seems not even to notice the device. The shirt has remained off.

This success is complemented by the working of the sensor and monitor. I could not confirm at the veterinary hospital that the monitor, which I was able to borrow from another member of the PAW Society rescue group, would be compatible with the sensor; I suspected that there would be no difficulty, but I wanted to make sure, as I didn’t wish to wait until Monday to have any problem corrected. It turns out that the sensor had to adjust to Neville’s body temperature for an hour before it would start transmitting. I took the monitor’s compatibility on faith, then, and was rewarded when it gave me a reading sixty or so minutes later, at home.

Neville’s blood-sugar numbers are far too high but that is immaterial to the working of the sensor and monitor. His numbers, whether good or bad, are what we need to read to devise a better programme to treat his diabetes. Nonetheless, I can see a curve form much more clearly, and with many more readings along its descent and ascent, than I could with the standard method, poking the poor cat’s ears every two hours. This easy reading will continue for as long as the sensor remains attached to Neville’s skin, which, it is hoped, will be about two weeks. That will give us a wealth of information with which to work.

And it will give the Former Thin Man a much needed respite from blood-letting.

 

17 comments:

  1. I am glad the sensor is working with the monitor, and that Neville is not bothered by it. He will be very relieved to have two weeks rest from the ear pricking.

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  2. I'm so pleased to read Neville seems
    to have taken to it all..
    Perhaps the little shirt bothered him
    more than anything..!

    Paws and fingers crossed..all will prove
    to be for the best..Bless him..!x

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  3. It looks like Neville maybe on the path of discovery. Hope it for the next two weeks you are able to be get the info you are looking for. Glad to see he did not have to continue wearing his new shirt and that he looked very content to be back in the Cozy apartment.

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  4. Neville...you are just in my heart.

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  5. What an amazing device! This will be so much easier on the both of you.

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  6. Neville is such a good guy and we hope you get all that you need to help adjust his meds.

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  7. That device really is remarkable. I'm glad to hear Nev's not bothered by it.

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  8. I'm so glad that things went well with Neville's vet visit and that he's adjusting to the sensor. It will certainly make monitoring his blood glucose a lot easier for the both of you.

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  9. Neville's such a good boy! I'm glad all went well with the vet appointment, and that sans shirt, Neville seems unperturbed. That's terrific!

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  10. I'm not sure the comment I just wrote when through, I got an odd message from Blogger. Anyway, I wrote that Neville was such a good boy, that I'm glad all went well, and that, sans shirt, he's unperturbed. :-)

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    1. No other comment of yours has come through for this entry. Thanks again for your remarks about asthma. I will be pursuing that line of inquiry for Renn.

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  11. If it helps Nevsky, then the hassle factor will have been worth it, shirt or no!

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  12. Glad he won't need all the needle picks now.

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  13. We are so glad the monitor is working, and hope it will help figure things out for Neville. :)

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  14. Oh I bet the only one more relieved that Neville for the respite it you John. Glad it worked, and I hope it helps with the continued treatment.

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    1. Indeed. As you wrote, it is just a respite, a temporary measure, but I am grateful for it even so.

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  15. We are so glad it is working and hope this will help him get better regulation

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