5/15 pmps 118 **We are home!!**

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LuvinThisPig

LuvinThisPig

Member Since 2017
Yesterday's

Oh my what a debacle! First off, let me start off saying that I just sat down on the couch a few minutes ago after pmps and watched both the boys laying in the floor grooming and just broke down in tears.. But, happy tears! We did it! And I brought my boy home safe and healthy. Our family is now on the road to recovery and mending and the weight of that hit me like a ton of bricks. It was the absolute best feeling ever! :woot:

I apologize for missing yesterday's post. It was a massive fiasco when we got home. We did not arrive until late (11:00p). I walked into the house and was blasted in the face with oven like conditions.. My air conditioner had went out while we were away and it was horrifically hot in my house. :banghead::banghead::banghead: My poor brother, he did not want to bother me while I was away because he knew how stressed and worried I already was. Needless to say, it could NOT stay that way. I cannot let the boys be in such crazy temps. So, we took a while and unpacked the car (and tried to find room for all the extra equipment and settle the clutter from it). I did Pig's pmps. Then it was back into the car and to the next town over (45min away) to get to the nearest open Wal-Mart. I shelled out another 200$:blackeye: and bought a small window unit, just until the AC guys could get to the house to fix the unit. By the time we got it home and installed, it was well past 3am... ;):coffee:

The morning was not really any better. We got about 3 hours sleep then got up to drive another hour to clean out the rental car and then another hour to return the rental...:confused: We finally returned home and my daughter was so excited for us to be home she decided we needed to celebrate (and really, who can blame her? We did need a celebration), so it was back in the car and to the store for BBQ supplies. We spent the afternoon in the hot sun and cold water with good food and lots of love. :kiss: All in all, a very good (but chaotic) homecoming!

Pig was trilled to be home! He went right to his "food stool" (I had to train the boys to sit a stool while I prepared food... they are a little pushy otherwise) and waited to be waited on...:rolleyes: The he stretched out in the living room floor with the air of a King newly come to his domain. :joyful:

Poor Tail... He is always very clingy and incredibly sensitive. While he did great with my brother, I think the fact that both his brother and I were gone for so long bothered him more than he let on. I now have a permanent 16lb fuzzy attachment the likes of which will not allow me to move... He will settle in, but for now he is not wanting to let Moms out of his sight.. Or touch. :p

I will update and summarize Pig's thread in the Acro forum shortly and I believe, the return journey home will be posted on the Vlog soon.. I am going to continue to document Pig's post-SRT recovery time as he begins to climb down the dose ladder...

I just want to say thank you for the outpouring of love and support for us through out this journey. It was a very priceless and memorable experience that I will never forget. I was thrilled to share it with everyone here!! Everyone is so amazing and this truly is a home for use... :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Glad to hear you are home. I don't know how pioneers or even people in the 1950's lived in the southwest. Too darned hot. How did they even sleep?

In July 1995, before internet and cell phones, I was overseas on a business trip. We had been in our house for about 1 year. The air conditioner completely died. Theresa moved next door for 2 days while it got replaced.

Glad to hear everyone is settling back in. It is a great feeling after SRT. Your investment of time and money will now lead to Pig getting healthier in the future. You will also save some money in insulin since you are going thru so much of it. Can you imagine only using one syringe per dose in the future!?:bighug:
 
Idjit's mom said:
I glad you are home and survived the homecoming! You have had enough excitement now, hope things settle down. Luvies to Pig and Tail. :bighug:
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Thank you! Yes, I agree... The HVAC guys just left and my air is working for now. So, its time for a quiet day of school and sleep. The Pig man is on the top of the tallest tower and snoozing, while Tail is chilling under the bed. The HVAC baddies scared him under there. He will come out soon. Now it is all about monitoring Pig's sugar and making the right reductions at the right time and then getting Tail back to the vet to see if he needs ear surgery or not. They will put him under to flush his ear and I will probably have them do a dental at that time. Thank god my vet will let me pay it out. :p The benefits of being an 11 year customer... How are you and Idjit this morning? How is the weather?
 
MyTitan said:
Glad the long journey is completed, will be very interested in reading his post SRT run.
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Thank you! Yes... I will not lie. I am a bit worried about catching the reductions. I know it will be somewhat of an exciting time for sure! I think if he goes OTJ... I have never dosed drops and half-drops before. It will certainly be a learning process and one I am excited to share with everyone!
 
JeffJ said:
Too darned hot. How did they even sleep?
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Lol... This is funny because my brother complained to my mom about sleeping. He just did not understand how I slept in this house with all the light, noise, and heat... :p
JeffJ said:
Theresa moved next door for 2 days while it got replaced.
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This cracks me up!! I don't blame her at all! We had a unit go out in the dead of summer a few years back and I went and bought several window units. It was a very big house and those barely touched the heat. We all ended up huddling in one specific room for about a week!!
JeffJ said:
Can you imagine only using one syringe per dose in the future!?:bighug:
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No!!! It all seems so far away now that we are home. It will all come back as soon as his reductions start. It will be so weird to dose with one syringe! You are so totally right, though. There is not a single thing that I regret about doing this and the fact that Pig will begin to feel better soon makes it oh so much worth it!
 
Welcome home. :bighug:

Given the amount you test, I wouldn't be too worried about missing the reductions. Stick to reducing if you see an under 70, to give you some margin. You've already done fine reducing from 59 units to 40. That's a pretty large percentage change already.:)

There is so much more than insulin reductions that benefit from SRT. Stopping or slowing that growth hormone changes are huge. I remember when I realized Neko was no longer crazy (just eager) for food. Slowly some of the other signs I'd seen disappeared too. Actual healing takes place.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
Actual healing takes place.
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Oh, Wendy... I cannot wait for this to happen! He is so healthy otherwise that it will be good to see him playing and enjoying things again! I feel with the addition of all Raw (going to make a run at it again and if not then home cooked) a lot of these things will begin to reverse themselves.

Wendy&Neko said:
Given the amount you test, I wouldn't be too worried about missing the reductions. Stick to reducing if you see an under 70, to give you some margin. You've already done fine reducing from 59 units to 40. That's a pretty large percentage change already.:)
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Okay... I think I have imagined it as a hard fast drop, but in reality it will not be so fast. With the addition of the auto-feeder and the 70 BG cutoff line, I do not suppose it will be so scary, but it will be totally new ground for me...
Wendy&Neko said:
Welcome home. :bighug:
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And thank you!!! We are all very happy to be here! :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
LuvinThisPig said:
Thank you! Yes, I agree... The HVAC guys just left and my air is working for now. So, its time for a quiet day of school and sleep. The Pig man is on the top of the tallest tower and snoozing, while Tail is chilling under the bed. The HVAC baddies scared him under there. He will come out soon. Now it is all about monitoring Pig's sugar and making the right reductions at the right time and then getting Tail back to the vet to see if he needs ear surgery or not. They will put him under to flush his ear and I will probably have them do a dental at that time. Thank god my vet will let me pay it out. :p The benefits of being an 11 year customer... How are you and Idjit this morning? How is the weather?[/QUOTE
Idjit is fine, was running madly around the back yard while I was messing with my container garden. He pretends he's Danger Cat, saving the world! Weather, repeat of yesterday, high of 84, sunny, cloudless sky. Some of my neighbors are out bellowing at each other, no, they are not hard of hearing. :woot::woot:
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Wendy&Neko said:
59 to 40 in 20 days was already a pretty fast drop. You got this! It can take up to 2 years for cats to see the full benefits of SRT.
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OH! :woot: Well if it is about that speed that yes! We can handle it! For some reason I was thinking he would come careening down in like 2 weeks... Realistically, I know it would be no where near that fast, but the worry will always make it seem worse.. :confused: Either way, I am so ready to see the benefits! He is a young man with plenty of spunky years yet to come! Just last night he was nabbing flies from mid-air! And today both the boys have been vying for a spot atop the 6 foot tree... I can't wait to see what they do when Pig is really feeling better! Thank you, Wendy! Your confidence in me means the world!! :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
@Wendy&Neko at what point do we decide to give the pred? He has been running a bit higher and he keeps creeping up.... He has had a BM and the same amount of food. His appetite is great and he seems like Pig, just tired still.... I am so flipping paranoid about this swelling thing... But, he is running to the top of the 6ft tree no problem. I am panicking for no reason, I am sure... He is at the end of his pmps lev cycle and he got amps 2 hours ago. He was higher last night, so a bit of a rise is expected... I guess monitor to see if the increase continues.
 
LuvinThisPig said:
at what point do we decide to give the pred? He has been running a bit higher and he keeps creeping up.... He has had a BM and the same amount of food. His appetite is great and he seems like Pig, just tired still.... I am so flipping paranoid about this swelling thing... But, he is running to the top of the 6ft tree no problem. I am panicking for no reason, I am sure... He is at the end of his pmps lev cycle and he got amps 2 hours ago. He was higher last night, so a bit of a rise is expected... I guess monitor to see if the increase continues.
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Don't worry. :bighug: He doesn't sound like he's in pain or bothered at all. If his behaviours are normal, I wouldn't break out the pred. He did get green on this dose yesterday, even though it was high green. He might have room for a small increase, but I think I'd wait until you have a couple days of normal at home before making changes.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
but I think I'd wait until you have a couple days of normal at home before making changes.
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Yes... We can do this. I have found the hardest part in all of this is controlling myself. I see problems (or what I think are problems) and emotions tell me to react... lol. But, at the moment he is acting entirely normal. No issues at all. Other than sleepy pants. I will calm myself and try to get this over thinking head under control... :p
 
As Wendy said, it can take 2 years for final SRT reductions. Leo is still on the juice and not dropping insulin demand anymore. He has the SCL as well. The pred helped him also by giving him good hunger again. Last year we almost lost him because he would not eat. He had the feeding tube and then the SCL diagnosis.

Leo has never been easy to regulate. If I target nadirs around 100, he goes into hypo range real easy. So we target 110-150 nadirs to keep him safe. Early on in the diabetes, Leo's cat-only vet told me "Keep Leo safe." I have always remembered that, but it has made me more conservative than many of the members on this forum. No tight regulation for Leo!

Our acro cats teach us so much about health issues. But they also teach us about care and closeness. We can't bear the thought of losing Leo. But when the time comes, we will know that we did our best to give him a happy and loving home.

Deena is taking her kitty to WSU in 2.5 weeks. I think it is great that you have spread the word about WSU.
 
Welcome home!! I know it was a long trip, and sounds like Mr. Pig is doing just great! Way to go momma bean. Can't wait to see where he goes from here. :bighug::bighug: head bumps and scritches for Pig and Tail
 
JeffJ said:
Deena is taking her kitty to WSU in 2.5 weeks. I think it is great that you have spread the word about WSU.
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Yes! Thank you, Jeff... I keep in contact with Deena through messenger and I believe Malachia's intake is on the 31st with his procedure on the 1st. This is amazing as I know she struggled to find an affordable option in California. I can only hope this path will help others as well! I need to finish the summary in the Acro forum out. I am trying to scan and upload the final bill and report so that will be available as well... With the ac going out I have been more than pressed for time!
JeffJ said:
"Keep Leo safe."
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It is funny, because your vet told you this about Leo and then you told me what he said and in all things this rings through my head with Pig. Keep Pig safe..... It has guided me in several choices for Pig.
JeffJ said:
As Wendy said, it can take 2 years for final SRT reductions. Leo is still on the juice and not dropping insulin demand anymore.
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Yes... I just have this crazy scenario playing out in my head where he takes this crazy dive... However, if we get down to 4 units BID then I will be happy! Another Acro (not on the board) went to WSU and was seeing a massive decrease in just 3 months and went entirely OTJ in 1.5 years... That is a pretty spread out series of effects, which proves Wendy correct... Now, I just need to keep my patience pants on! :p

Thank you Jeff for all of the support from both you and Theresa! :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Phoebes said:
Welcome home!! I know it was a long trip, and sounds like Mr. Pig is doing just great! Way to go momma bean. Can't wait to see where he goes from here. :bighug::bighug: head bumps and scritches for Pig and Tail
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Thank you!!! He is being crazy Pig! Forcibly snatched a chunk of raw as I was portioning it out.. Snatched it and ran!! :p How is everything in your area today?? How is Phoebes?
 
@Wendy&Neko he just hit a 101 on a +9.5hr..... One day I will look back on these forums and see the unnecessary amounts of panic.. :oops::oops::oops: I think you are right. He could stand a bit of an increase. Probably 3u, but I am not changing anything until I have a few days back at work and our normal routine can resume... Thank you for your amazingly sage and always correct advice.. :)
 
LuvinThisPig said:
How is everything in your area today?? How is Phoebes?
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Miss P is doing good momma bean not so much. Just very frustrated with myself and the fact I can't seem to get the subq fluids in her. She hates it. I've tried everything suggested and she is just a fighting wiggle worm. But other than that we had a great day. She's her loving self. :) so glad Pig is feeling good and stealing food! Hope Tail is good as well.
 
There is nothing about having an acrocat that was up to 59 units that could make anyone relaxed. :bighug: I remember how completely stressed and worried I was too. But I studied a ton of spreadsheets of cats who had SRT. ECID there too. It all depends on the life cycle of the tumour cells. SRT neuters the cells, but they still live out their life time. Some cats have to keep going up in dose after SRT cause it took a while to start having it's effect. Others started dropping fairly quickly, Neko was in that group.

Fortunately you do a good job of testing. There is no way to predict when the reductions will start happening, or for how long. And they can go on pause for a while. The first time, Neko sat at the same dose for three months, before trending down again. It does keep you in your toes.

We did have one cat here who actually took three years to go OTJ. And it's fragile, she gets knocked back into insulin by pancreatitis.

Love the raw food thievery. :p
 
Phoebes said:
Miss P is doing good momma bean not so much. Just very frustrated with myself and the fact I can't seem to get the subq fluids in her. She hates it. I've tried everything suggested and she is just a fighting wiggle worm. But other than that we had a great day. She's her loving self. :) so glad Pig is feeling good and stealing food! Hope Tail is good as well.
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How long does she need to be on them? I mean, attached to the bag? I can't imagine it is easy to get her to sit still.. I wonder if you could administer in bouts.. ?? It has been years since I have had to do sub-q and I am not sure if the protocol is the same anymore.. I am sorry that is proving so difficult.. Hang in there because you will get it!! Maybe it is a matter of waiting until she is somewhere comfortable and almost completely asleep...
 
Wendy&Neko said:
It all depends on the life cycle of the tumour cells. SRT neuters the cells, but they still live out their life time
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Oooo... I am glad you put it this way. I think I had the idea that the radiation effectively 'killed' off the cells immediately. While it makes perfect sense, I was not thinking of the cells as a reproductive colony. Of course, in a sense, this is exactly what it is.
Wendy&Neko said:
We did have one cat here who actually took three years to go OTJ. And it's fragile, she gets knocked back into insulin by pancreatitis.
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I had imagined that pancreatic diabetes was always a possibility, given the circumstances.. I am hoping to avoid this as he has never had any bouts with pancreatitis, but I know that is not a definitive notion. I can certainly hope it will stand! :p
Wendy&Neko said:
There is nothing about having an acrocat that was up to 59 units that could make anyone relaxed. :bighug:
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No... No, there is not. I remember when he was in the thick of it and his numbers were all so red and pink. That was an awful time... He just laid there. One day he was doing great, playing and chasing Tail, protecting his domicile... Then the next he just laid there. It was the most awful thing ever. Then I found this board... and everything changed! :):bighug::)
 
LuvinThisPig said:
How long does she need to be on them?
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If I use 18g needle only like 7 mins, but she acts worse with them so I went to 20g and so it takes like 10 mins but it's the longest mins of my life. She's on them for life as far as I know. Thanks for the pep talk. I've tried the sleepy route but as soon as she hears the tubing or the water running to warm them she's on alert. She's a smart fart.
 
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