Hermione's Dosing Rollercoaster pt 10

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ShipsCat

ShipsCat

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So I said I'd explain where I've been. Honestly it's been a pretty terrible week.

Late Thursday night Nutter Butter seemed to have injured his tail. It hung limply from his butt but was very painful if he bumped it while changing positions. I took him to my vet as soon as they opened Friday morning (it was only a few hours, given how late I get home from work) where x-rays showed no breaks so we went home with a shot of a short-acting steroid and pain meds. Friday he was much better, even his head tilt was better than it's been in months. So I got more steroids and painkillers from my vet and we were hopeful he was on the road to recovery.

Sunday he would only eat if I put food on my fingertip. This was the first time he wouldn't eat on his own since his stroke in October. Monday morning he no longer had feeling in his tail and couldn't coordinate his hind legs to stand. When my vet opened Monday morning she decided he had suffered another stroke and while he wasn't in pain now the prognosis was grim. So my darling old man went to the Rainbow Bridge.

As if that didn't suck enough.... On Wednesday my youngest cat Randall had his first check up since I got him (he had been to his previous owner's vet right before I got him and was given a clean bill of health, so this was his yearly wellness exam). She was concerned because he was a bit dehydrated and he was underweight. I thought it was because he was mourning for Nutter Butter - they were best buds and Randall had barely left Nutter's favorite bed since Monday. She took a urine sample and his urine was like water! Blood tests showed mid-stage kidney disease. Randall is only 2 1/2 years old! Monday I'm taking him for an ultrasound to see just how bad his kidneys are. I'm just devastated to learn that my baby boy is chronically ill just days after losing Nutter Butter.

The only up side is Hermione is still hanging in there. She got a bit of the short straw while I was taking care of Nutter, and I need to get her back on track. She's swinging from nice blue and green for AMPS to red for PMPS. I'm going to try 13hrs for AM and 11 for PM since it looks like she's settled into this pattern. I'll also be getting more mid-cycle tests again.

2/2 AMPS 236 1.2u given
PMPS 477 1.5u given
2/3 AMPS 157, stalling for 20min to see which way she's headed
 



Here's the last picture I have of my sweetest old man. I miss him so very much, he would have been 17 in April. I have known him since before he was born.
 
151 after 30 min, .7u given

I was feeding Randall (his new kidney food has to be kept away from Hermione) so posted this later than I gave Hermione her insulin.
 
Oh Kimi...I am so sorry to hear about Nutter Butter. No matter how long we have them, it's never long enough. Know that you gave him a wonderful, long life. He had everything he could want and all the love in the world. :bighug:

I'm sorry to hear about Randall too. Remember that you CAN treat this. He is awfully young, but cats live for a long time with kidney disease. Maybe post on Health when you're feeling up to it and get some input from other kidney cats?

Looks like Hermione is doing all right! That's a lovely preshot.
 
OMG Kimi, so much heartache for you. I'm sorry you've lost your old man and now have essentially a baby with kidney disease. Sometimes it feels like too much, doesn't it? And then you look at the furkids and realize that you have to keep functioning for them. I'm glad that Miss Hermione is doing well. :bighug:
 
I am so sorry to hear about your sweet old Nutter Butter. You gave him a safe, warm, loving life and he knows how much you cared. And on top, a new challenge for Randall. There is a lot of kidney info and I think a forum, so you can get support. (Maybe ask on Health). And you can always, always come here to vent. We will cry with you.

Looks like Hermione is up to her challenging ways, but giving you some hopeful numbers too.
 
I'm sorry I vanished on such bad news! My computer decided it was a good time to fail, and I just didn't have the money to spare to replace it until now. I couldn't get things to work on my phone (I'm really not tech-savvy) and to be honest the screen on my phone is too small for me to read well anyway. I've had a super-geek friend pull my data from the hard drive of the dead computer to this new one, and I'm working on updating Hermione's spreadsheet. I wanted to come back here to let you all know we're still alive over here :cat:

Some good news, Randall's ultrasound came back cancer-free! He does have damage to his kidneys, which could be something he was born with, and the specialist my vet sent me too didn't see any reason to do a biopsy at this point. If his bloodwork gets worse or he starts feeling poorly then we'll re-ultrasound and likely biopsy. Randall is doing really well on his new food, but it's a challenge to keep him and Hermione separate at feeding times - he still prefers Hermione-safe food to his own ;)

Hermione is still as bouncy as ever and shows no signs of remission. But she's also still happy and snuggly so we'll keep on keeping on! I'll finish updating my ss and come back to post more :)
 
99 for AMPS, fed 1/2 meal and will retest in 2hrs. This has been her routine of late, Mr P comes to visit for a cycle or two and then right back to red. It makes me wary of increasing her dose much since I never know when she'll dive into green again ;) I haven't had a chance to do a full curve for a while, I just haven't had a day I can spend 12hrs at home with her when I'm awake.

I forgot to add that I nursed a CRF cat for 3 years before it claimed him at 18, so I'm not a stranger to it. It just came as a shock since Randall is so young and right on the heels of losing Nutter. I'm actually hoping it's congenital instead of acquired, because that gives him a better chance at a near-normal lifespan with minimal medical intervention.
 
Welcome back, Kimi! So glad to hear that Randall doesn't have cancer! I agree, the biopsy isn't necessary until it is. :)
 
So nice to see you back here, Kimi! Teasel is on Lantus now but I'm still a member of this forum, my "hometown". ;)
 
Thanks for the warm "welcome back", gang! I wanted to post from my phone to let you all know nothing terrible happened (other than computer failure) but I couldn't get things to work on my phone :banghead:

I'm glad to see all of you still around to help people - and that you're still here, Kris, even with your new home with the L & L folks!

Hermione's up to her wackiness again tonight o_O

446 @ PMPS (+11), 1.5u given.

She's going in for her check up tomorrow, wish us luck!
 
Thanks, Yong! It's certainly been challenging but hopefully things will settle down for a bit.

134 @ +8 - now if only I could figure out how to even out our preshot numbers! Even at 13/11 she's often sky high for PMPS and too low at AMPS.
 
55 for AMPS!!! Fed 1/2 meal, recheck in 2hrs.

49 on FS so rechecked with AT strip, got 55. She's been sitting on my lap for about an hour, purring away with absolutely NO signs of distress! This is why I'm reluctant to increase her insulin even though she's been really high for PMPS o_O

This vial is almost 2 months old so I'll be getting a new one with her check up today. But I'm not sure that's what's causing her wild numbers....
 
76 after 30min, I tested just to make sure she's not going any lower. I fed her regular low-carb food since she's acting completely normal and I'm watching her. Never a dull moment with my little girl!
 
StephG said:
Woah! She needs to have a talk with Chuck!! :)
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I know! Crazy, isn't she? :p She's also a very tiny girl (only 5lbs), so I'm sure that has something to do with her small insulin doses.

108 after 2hr stall. I'll stall some more, I hate to skip a shot since she likes to soar into red for PMPS even with insulin :banghead:
 
I know right! I thought for sure I had a bad test strip with that 49 - she was sitting on my lap purring away watching tv with me. I know they can have asymptomatic mild hypos but that's just crazy.

And of course sky high a few hours later - 425 @ +4. When she bounces she doesn't mess around!

While she was getting her check-up I asked my vet to look at a small (less than 1/4 inch) bump on her belly I just noticed over the weekend. We went ahead and removed it and it's off to pathology. Hopefully it's benign! Her pre-surgical BG was 411 (at +8) and I'll bring her home in a few hours. When it rains it pours..... :(
 
ShipsCat said:
I know right! I thought for sure I had a bad test strip with that 49 - she was sitting on my lap purring away watching tv with me. I know they can have asymptomatic mild hypos but that's just crazy.

And of course sky high a few hours later - 425 @ +4. When she bounces she doesn't mess around!

While she was getting her check-up I asked my vet to look at a small (less than 1/4 inch) bump on her belly I just noticed over the weekend. We went ahead and removed it and it's off to pathology. Hopefully it's benign! Her pre-surgical BG was 411 (at +8) and I'll bring her home in a few hours. When it rains it pours..... :(
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Are you referring to surgery to remove the little bump, Kimi?
 
Kris & Teasel said:
Are you referring to surgery to remove the little bump, Kimi?
Click to expand...

Yes. My vet said it looked cancerous - grey and lumpy instead of normal tissue. She took a good section around it and the skin on top, so is hopeful she got all of that specific tumor. But we're waiting on pathology. I'm trying not to dwell on it. :(

My vet also suggested I lower her PM insulin a bit more to see if we can level out AM & PM. I'll try to get a curve this weekend to get a better look at what Hermione's doing with her wacky self.
 
Wow 5lbs! She is a tiny girl :cat: Even though it looks like she has some Maine Coon, like she could be Maury's older sister :). My family had a little girl too (passed a while ago) she never got bigger than maybe a 3-4 month old kitten.
 
ShipsCat said:
Yes. My vet said it looked cancerous - grey and lumpy instead of normal tissue. She took a good section around it and the skin on top, so is hopeful she got all of that specific tumor. But we're waiting on pathology. I'm trying not to dwell on it. :(

My vet also suggested I lower her PM insulin a bit more to see if we can level out AM & PM. I'll try to get a curve this weekend to get a better look at what Hermione's doing with her wacky self.
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Crossed fingers that it's benign.
 
Thanks!

She's home now, but since she was intubated (my vet uses gas anesthesia, especially for seniors since it's more precise) she can't have her full dinner. My vet suggested I be conservative with her insulin tonight. This dose is already 3 hours late from today's AM, but I'm waiting for her to settle down. She's always super upset by a vet trip and I don't want to dose on a stress-inflated number :(
 
Thanks for the good thoughts for Hermione's biopsy results! I won't get them back until Friday at earliest but we'll take all the well-wishes we can get!

369 for PMPS (+18), 1.3u given.

The delay was due to her lumpectomy & waiting for her to lose her vet-visit freakiness. I gave her a reduced dose based on my vet's recommendation since she can't have her full meal after surgery.
 
Wow! My heart goes out to you, your fur family has been keeping you quite busy and on quite a rollercoaster.

My guy has a few lumps and bumps, we've never had them tested.....
 
Thanks! I really do appreciate all the kind words and thoughts.

This was a new lump that was hard and seemed to be growing quickly. Often a soft lump that is just under the skin, doesn't grow much, and can be moved around is just a little random fat and nothing to worry about. I'm pretty paranoid about my pets right now, too ;)
 
ShipsCat said:
Thanks! I really do appreciate all the kind words and thoughts.

This was a new lump that was hard and seemed to be growing quickly. Often a soft lump that is just under the skin, doesn't grow much, and can be moved around is just a little random fat and nothing to worry about. I'm pretty paranoid about my pets right now, too ;)
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Entirely understandable. I think we become hyper vigilant once we start taking care of one health issue.
Mine has a small soft one that looks like a skin tag on, another weirdly shaped half hard half soft (which used to be a bigger ball that resembled fatty tissue, that has shriveled up since he lost his excess weight) and another larger very hard mass. Neither of them seem to bother him and they've been there for at least a year and maybe more... If it was cancer, I don't think I could afford treatment.... Diabetes is a lot more expensive than I anticipated.

Anyhow bed time for us, we have a nice bedtime BG. Sending positive thoughts your way!! Happy cuddles to you and Hermione.
 
Thanks! He was the sweetest old man, just a cuddlebug like so many yellow toms. He is very missed.

Hermione's at a lovely 117 @ +6, got a fresh coat of bitter apple around her stitches and now I'm off to bed!
 
Kris & Teasel said:
Such a lovely boy! :bighug:
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He really was. For a former barn cat who was extremely feral as a kitten he grew to be a wonderful house cat.


376 for PMPS, fat 1.2u given.

I'm recording it as PMPS just to reconcile my recordkeeping with the actual time of her shot. I did NOT skip her AM shot, but yesterday's long stall in the morning and the delay due to her surgery put this shot at her normal PM shot time :p
 
307 @ +10
393 for AMPS, 1.4u given.

So the reduction seemed to be a little too little insulin now that she's back to her normal meals. But at least she's flat in pink instead of red - and not scaring me to death with an asymptomatic hypo ;)
 
437 PMPS, 1.4u given

Holding the 1.4 to see where she goes with it. I'm off work tonight so I'm going to try to get a curve if Hermione is cooperative. She's a little cranky because I'm putting bitter apple around her stitches so she doesn't mess with them. I don't want to put the cone of shame on if I don't have to, that makes her really mad and she'll have to be confined or she'll try to hide and get the cone stuck somewhere :(
 
Hermione had absolutely no interest in having a curve today. I got the +5, and even with extra treats she sat under the sofa and glared at me. Rather than make testing time unpleasant for her I let her alone for tonight. I'll try for a curve again this weekend.

329 @ +5
406 AMPS, 1.5u given

Essentially the same as yesterday. I went ahead and bumped her up a little to 1.5u.
 
395 @ +4
416 PMPS (+13), 1.5u given

I overslept, this crazy weather we're having is giving me horrible sinus headaches. :(

I think the high numbers might be the old insulin - this vial is 2 months old. I'll open the new one in the morning and reduce her dose.
 
Crazy weather on this coast as well. Must be March! Hey, the theme for March is usually green, right? Maybe that will bode well for our numbers...

Hope your headache goes away soon!
 
Thanks! Fortunately my headache did go away in time for me to get to work.

481 for AMPS, 1.4u given. Little reduction for the new vial
 
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