10/20 Calistica AMPS 236

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Thelma and Calistica

Thelma and Calistica

Member Since 2011
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BG a little better this morning! Maybe she is already building up her shed?
Normally Calistica is up about 30-45 mins before her next meal but not today so I was a little worried but she seems OK.

I finally got the blood at the first try! I realized that poking over the rice sock is not a good technique for me. I used it to warm up her ear but I watched a video over the weekend and this lady used a folded paper towel under the poking area. I did that today and she bleed beautifully for me. Enough for her test.
She ate all of her breakfast too!
Have a great day everyone!
Sending lots of prayers and healing energy to all your babies
 
Good morning Thelma ~O) ~O) ~O)

Looks like you have joined the vampire club! Very glad Calistica is getting used to testing and that you are finding your technique. You are doing great! :-D

Hope you have a nice day!!
 
Calistica looks good this morning. Good job on finding your technique! The whole pokey thing only gets easier for both of you.
 
Good morning Patsy and Linda. I have to get up early as I need to be at work at 6AM!!! I think I need a coffee IV!!!
I am so glad I have found a technique (I hope!) Calistica is getting used to it. I am not sure that she purrs through it but she is excited about getting a treat and a meal.
I'm not doing testing at +1 or +2 yet but need to start. I just need to teach Ray how to do the poking! He didn't do very well last night :sad:
I think the technique I tried this morning may work for him too.
I am using the highest setting on the lancet pen though. Calistica doesn't try to attack me so it must not hurt.
Have a great day!
 
Hi Thelma and Calistica. I'm just stopping in to say Welcome :-D
Your kitty is very pretty.
 
I'm glad to hear you're finding a techinique that works for you! It does get easier, and it sounds like Calistica is adjusting to her new routine. I use the second-highest setting on the lancet pen, too.

I replied to your adequan question over in my cosequin thread.

Have a great day!!

Amy
 
Hi Thelma! I haven't stopped by to say hello before, so welcome! It's great once you get the technique down and your cat adjusts. Jetta knows when she hears the meter beep that it's test time and comes come to lay down on her test/shoot blanket. We've only been at this about 2 months and eveyone told me how much easier it gets with time and I was like uh-uh, no way, You don't know my cat! Anyway, I'm glad you're finding a routine that works.
 
I'm a big fan of the +2 test. It can give you a sense of how the cycle is going to go. Unless it turns out that Calistica takes early dives, you may not need to get a +1.

I used a rice sock for about a week. It didn't work for us either. I use a cotton pad and I test free hand. Everyone finds what works for them and their cat.
 
Hi Amy, Jacklyn, Sienne,
I'm happy I seem to have found a technique that works. I hope it works this PM too! Amy, I'll check your cosequin thread for your reply!

Thanks so much for stopping by to say hello Jaclyn and Jetta! I think Calistica is adjusting quite well. She is a Calico after all and I didn't expect her to adjust at all! Your Jetta is so cute about her routine! Calistica always goes to lay down on the runner we have by the sink. This is where she waits to be fed and it's turing out to be the testing spot too!
Thank you for sharing your experience so far and telling me.
I had panic attacks all weekend thinking that Monday we had to see the vet to go over her treatment! I nearly puked on my way to the vet! Now I'm feeling pretty good about this but I need to train Ray my DH.

Sienne, thanks for saying that you like to do the +2 check. My vet didn't think I had to do a +1. I can deal with the +2. I did it last night at + 3 1/2 because she threw up her dinner. I fed her right away but I was worried.
Are you saying you don't warm up Gabby's ear?
I can do the +2 with Ray at night but I have the feeling we won't do the +2 in the AM until I feel that I can trust Ray doing it alone! LOL
So tonight I'll have him attempt to do +2
 
Hi guys .. not a bad start at all, mid yellows! When we were first testing mocha I found it hard to hold her ear and the cotton pad and the lancing device .. I eventually ended up wrapping my index finger in a bandaid and used the padded side up, so the lancet wouldn't poke through my finger .. It was easier for me that way, less to deal with .. But whatever works, works! have a great day!
 
Thanks Paul! I don't think Ray would want to do the band aid thing but I have help him find a way to poke Calistica. He needs to watch some videos for sure. Maybe he could wrap his finger in a paper towel though. Yesterday I was trying poking over the rice sock. Not a good technique for us. We need something firm below the poking site.
 
To be honest, I just use my finger under Trixie's ear...having anything there else kind of freaked her out at the start. I also try to poke at an angle...once in a while I get myself at the same time, but by going at an angle, it definitely reduces the risk.
 
I just want to say welcome, too. We all have ways that differ and work for us. I don't use the pen, but poke freehand at an angle. I could never aim the device accurately enough Sometime a second very light poke helps the blood to flow. We use a half sheet (a full sheet is too thick) of TP folded to about 1", it makes a good pad (I don't think I've poked myself since the beginning) and is right there to put pressure on the ear to prevent bruising afterwards. Different lancets may help too. I think the BD lancets are sharper, Tss was much better when I started using the, when things get easier you might want to go w/ the very thin lancets too. Sometimes Tess doesn't even wake up. Then I feel guilty becuase she doesn't get her treat! :roll: :lol:
 
Hi Thelma,
Glad to hear things are getting better for you! I use those 'cotton rounds' that you can use to remove make up. I use it to poke in to and to put pressure on the place I poked. I have never poked myself. I generally have my lancet on the highest setting, because, as the vet tech said, it virtually eliminates the need to poke more than once. But, as you see, you will figure out what works best for you two.

I am happy to hear to hear everything seems to be falling in place so quickly for you... and for Calistica!

Mares and Miss
 
Good afternoon Thelma and sweet Calistica!

Congratulations on that FIRST blood stick! That's when I finally decided we COULD do this! I use the cotton make-up remover rounds over my finger too. I use a lancet pen, I just can't do it free-hand, that's not comfortable for me nor him. This one came with my Relion meter - works just fine for us.

It will happen for DH too - at least yours is willing to help. Mine won't even come in the room when I'm testing or shooting.

Big hugs sharing that excitement!
 
Hi everyone! Calistica's PMPS was 204!!! This is sooo good!
Hi Squeaky and KT! thanks so much. I've discovered that she doesn't like me poking her right ear. I have that same meter and lancet pen.
I am definitely feeling more confident about doing this now. I'm faster now too! Ray has been really cool abou being in the room with me but he is not always home at 5PM so he misses it. Tonight we'll do a +2 test together.

Hi Mares, things have gotten MUCH better! I do use the cotton balls to press on the ear after I poke but I don't think the cotton ball will give me the firmness I seem to need. I do have the lancet pen on the highest setting too! Thank God things have fallen into place so quickly. I don't even get scared anymore. We just have to get into the routine of doing at least a +2 test AM/PM. Sunday we have to do our first curve!

Hi Ann & Tess! thanks so much for welcoming us to the group! You are brave to poke freehand!
This is the video I watched thas has helped me the most
http://youtu.be/3PDK3bZ4pDc

She uses a folded paper towel strip as padding and THAT is what is helping me. Also the part about holding down the pen for a couple of seconds. That seems to be key!
I bought 33G lancets at first but that did nothing so went to 30G. those are working right now but I hope to be able to use the 33G some day! I can't believe you can poke Tess while she is sleeping! THAT IS AWESOME!
 
i free hand with just the lancet...no pen...
but i use the folded paper towel as well.

If you like, I'll send you info on ear-warming with what we call Binks' "White Trash Headgear"...
it's a simple method, but has worked for even some of the real experienced folk...Ella & Rusty come to mind...

lots simpler than a rice sock...binks hates the smell and feel of the rice sock...

celi & binks
 
Calistica's PM +2 was 251 so not too bad.
Celi, you freehand too! I don't know if I have the courage to do it freehand. I prefer not to see the lancet.
I thought we had to warm up the ear to get the blood going. So a lot of people don't warm up the ear then!
I just had Ray try to do it and this time I had him watch a video. He got two tiny specs of blood (two diff times) but not enough for a reading. So I had to take over and got a nice drop. I think next time he'll do better. Now we know he has to apply more pressure from underneath.
 
Sometimes, two teeny droplets of blood if they are close together will equal one drop that's big enough.
If I don't seem to get enough blood with one poke, I always try to do another poke right next to the first one.
I've been doing this a long long time, and still don't always get enough blood for a test with just one poke, and I use the bigger 28G lancets.
 
Hi Thelma,
What meter are you using? Some of them (Relion; FreeStyleLite) require a much smaller blood sample than others--a tiny blood sample (and the FreeStyleLite allows you to add blood up to a minute if you don't get enough of a sample the first time; it will not beep if there is insufficient blood).

Celi's "White Trash Headband" really works for us (Rusty didn't like the rice sock either). Basically, it involves a baby wash cloth, dampened and microwaved for about 15 seconds, inserted into a plastic bag, and used to warm the ear. The plastic bag is smooth and comforting. After warming the ear, we use a thin, 2x2 inch gauze pad behind the ear to poke into (I've never punctured my own finger). After the poke, we wrap the gauze pad around the ear to staunch the bleeding and to prevent bruising.

It's great that you are getting the hang of it. Carry on!!

Ella & Rusty
 
Hi Dyana, Calistica kept moving for Ray a lot. I think she could sense he was a little nervous. We try to scoop the two tiny drops but somehow I think the first one was spread over her ear. We've been trying to poke next to the first site too. My experience so far has been to apply enough pressure from underneath.
Do you warm up the ear first?
28G lancets! I got the relion and they only seem to have 26, 30 and 33G. I'm afraid to try the 26G
 
Hi Ella, we have the relion meter because it requires a smaller sample. I've had more practice than Ray. Tonight was only his second try and he did much better than yesterday. I think he'll get the hang of it.
I may have to look into the FreeStyleLite one though. I like having the ability to add more blood
I tried the washcloth in the plastic bag at first but it didn't work well for us but I'll try it again because I don't think my little girl likes the rice sock either.
I need to get baby washclothes! Those should be small enough for a kitty's ear.
Thank you!!
 
I only warm KTs ears when they feel cold, they will not bleed if they're cold. My rice sock is only about the size of the CUP of the palm of my hand, just the right size for his ear to lay across it. It has a scant 1/4 c rice in it, I don't tie it tight. Thin polyester socks work better than anything thick. I made mine and readjusted it until I figured out the size that worked best for us. It usually takes 20-30 seconds unless they're really cold. If they get TOO hot tho', we have a 'blood flood'.

Good job MamaBean AND PapaBean!
 
Hi squeaky, I am using a thick cotton sock so I'll have to try a polyester one. I used a 1/4 cup of rice too. I haven't had blood floods yet. That would probably scare me! She doesn't like it when I do her right ear. She is much better about her left ear.
Thank you!!
 
Good evening, and congrats on the successful pokies today! As you do it more, it gets much easier! We had a terrible time at first, but now we get a good sample almost every time with the very thin delica lancets! Keep it up!!
 
I recently switched from the One Touch Ultra to the Relion...both meters require tiny drops, but the OT needed about twice as much as the Relion. Honestly, I can't believe what difference it makes - the Relion is so much easier to ge successful tests with! For some reason, my hubby has a harder time, too, but he is successful so I'm sure Ray will get better at testing once he gets some practice in, too.

Have a great evening!
 
Hi Thelma and Calistica! I just wanted to say welcome since I haven't stopped by your condo until today. Calistica is adorable. My other kitty, Cleo, is also a calico. Claudia told me that you have just started posting...you are lucky to have her so close by to help! It sounds like you are doing a fantastic job with the hometesting. I was so nervous the first few times with Simon. My DH also tests and it took him a few times, but he got the hang of it. It sure helps to have 2 people that can hometest.

I use a lancet and most of the time I use it on the 2nd to highest setting. I don't warm up the ear unless his ear is pretty cold and like others have said, sometimes two little pricks can equal a big enough sample for testing. Usually at the end of the day, I'll put some neosporin on his ear to help with the soreness, although he doesn't seem to mind all the poking. As long as he gets treats, he is happy.

You have joined a wonderful support group here on LL. The people here have so much great advice and are so supportive. Welcome!!
 
I, too, only warm his ear if it feels cold...
but in the Northwest...we've already had some mornings and late nights that needed it...
 
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