3/13 Michelangelo AMPS 282, +7/266 - 11 months old today!

[KPassa]

Previous Condo.

Since he was first diagnosed as a "non-transient, juvenile diabetic" back in October and I was told the odds were not in his favor, I never once didn't think we'd make it this far because I decided on that day that I was going to do anything I could within my power to make him as healthy as possible. I think part of my optimism at that time was that I had grown up with a kid in my class who was a Type 1 and I figured that if he was able to survive childhood without any problems or complications by monitoring his glucose levels, then I should be able to do the same with Michelangelo! And that is how I found this place.

Not sure if any of you remember the last time I mentioned his actual weight, but I discovered a "slight" 1 pound discrepancy in my scale about a month ago and just never updated it until today. ohmygod_smile Since I never went by the actual poundage but by the difference between numbers with his weight, it didn't really matter that my scale was off since the beginning and he was really 9.2 pounds and not 10.2 pounds.

Now that I've cleaned that mess up, back to the first order of business: I finally saw the tip in the scales last night that I had been expecting to see these last few days. He's now at 10.4 pounds! Previously, he'd been holding steady ~9.8 pounds since the middle of February. He doesn't need a dose increase (yet), but weight fluctuations do explain some of the number wonks I've been seeing. I'm hoping his decrease in calories and his increase in exercise (Re: Henry) will keep him on 2u and not needing another dose increase, but at least now I'm prepared for it if he needs it. I'm also no longer wondering what's up with my insulin and whether or not it's been going bad.

 

[Courtney and Kismet]

Re: 3/13 Michelangelo AMPS 282 - 11 months old today!

party_cat Happy 11 Month Birthday, Michelangelo!! party_cat​

Hi K, such an amazing story! You're such a great mamabean to help your little man. And look at that... not only is he beating the odds, but he's doing well! Have a great day guys!

 

[KPassa]

Re: 3/13 Michelangelo AMPS 282 - 11 months old today!

I think the key is have some food available during those periods they may be going low. It's not all the time, and it depends on how long you have to leave them.

Definitely! Only once did I ever not leave food for them during the day while I was at work or go home to feed them on my lunch and it was one of those full-on airhead moments for me. ohmygod_smile I was truly lucky that Mikey was due for a dose increase soon, so he wasn't really in any danger of a hypo, but when I got home from work that night and realized I'd left them both without food for the entire day.... Man, did I panic before I found Michelangelo happy and healthy!!!

Glad you were there! I'd be surprised if Mikey-Mike wouldn't eventually also pick up on that trick all on his own? I've never really seen a young adventurous cat not climb on things and jump fences. My first mostly outdoor Siamese cat took off and never returned after only a few weeks. Very traumatic for a 4th grader. So do get those collars on them....

...You really want to carefully supervise those outdoor excursions. nailbite_smile

The only time I had a cat "escape" was when I first moved into where I'm living now and we had all the doors open while we were moving things in (my previous cats weren't bolters). My Little Kat wandered off at some point during the afternoon/evening and I didn't notice till the following morning! (Moving = exhaustion) And the only reason I noticed then was because she woke me up howling and crying from outside. I went out to the backyard to look for her, but she wasn't there. Turns out she had somehow stumbled into our neighbor's backyard and couldn't figure out how to get back home! ohmygod_smile

Mikey and Henry are also usually supervised when they go outside anyway, but about once a week or so, there's no one home during the day. Since neither one of them had proven to be able to jump the fence (till now), I'd trust them enough to not go running off and would leave the back door open for them. (No worries of anything else getting in and attacking them because we had a rabbit for the previous 5 years who lived in our backyard and had already blocked off all avenues of escape/entry for him).

Today, however, since no one is home, they're all locked up in the house. I'm planning on going at my lunch to get them collars and tags. I'm hoping that Michelangelo's disposition as a stalker and not as jumper will keep him firmly grounded. :lol: I did catch him on the kitchen table for the first time the other day, though.... :roll:

 

[PeterDevonMocha]

Re: 3/13 Michelangelo AMPS 282 - 11 months old today!

HAPPY 11 MONTH BIRTHDAY MICHELANGELO!​

Wow, such a big boy at only 11 months old .. That's a nice shade of yellow this morning, but hoping it turns into a nice shade of blue before the day is out!

 

[KPassa]

Re: 3/13 Michelangelo AMPS 282 - 11 months old today!

party_cat Happy 11 Month Birthday, Michelangelo!! party_cat​

Hi K, such an amazing story! You're such a great mamabean to help your little man. And look at that... not only is he beating the odds, but he's doing well! Have a great day guys!

Thank you! I really hope that Michelangelo's story can show the world that kitten diabetes is not necessarily a death sentence. With the right tools and patience, it can be tackled and managed successfully and is so totally worth it!

HAPPY 11 MONTH BIRTHDAY MICHELANGELO!​

Wow, such a big boy at only 11 months old .. That's a nice shade of yellow this morning, but hoping it turns into a nice shade of blue before the day is out!

I'll be heading home on my lunch in a few to test him, so I'm hoping it's turned blue (or maybe :mrgreen: ?) by then.

 

[Dale 'n' Chip]

Re: 3/13 Michelangelo AMPS 282 - 11 months old today!

Great idea, every cat should have a birthday for every human year!

Only fair. If you average it out, by my calculations Mikey-Mike is getting a few extra thrown in there?

But I bet he's not complaining. You can never have too many birthday parties? :mrgreen:

 

[KPassa]

Re: 3/13 Michelangelo AMPS 282, +7/266 - 11 months old today

I'm thinking that he hit blues (and maybe some greens) again since his +7 is only a smidge lower than his AMPS and since he's definitely hitting them at night. I really need to find a way to not get so busy with work so I can take my lunch earlier and catch those good numbers when they happen. :lol:

Great idea, every cat should have a birthday for every human year!

Only fair. If you average it out, by my calculations Mikey-Mike is getting a few extra thrown in there?

But I bet he's not complaining. You can never have too many birthday parties? :mrgreen:

Hahaha! Nah, I figure I won't do month-to-month any more once he's hit a year (besides, I think I've missed a couple of months along the way already :lol: ). I might still do half-birthdays, though. ;-)

 

[tortie58]

Re: 3/13 Michelangelo AMPS 282, +7/266 - 11 months old today

Happy 11th month old, Mich! Learn the surgar dance & get better soon!

 

[Dale 'n' Chip]

Re: 3/13 Michelangelo AMPS 282 - 11 months old today!

Still hard to imagine such a youngster being diabetic. I thought Chip was young and he was 5. @-)

The only time I had a cat "escape" was when I first moved into where I'm living now and we had all the doors open while we were moving things in (my previous cats weren't bolters). My Little Kat wandered off at some point during the afternoon/evening and I didn't notice till the following morning! (Moving = exhaustion) And the only reason I noticed then was because she woke me up howling and crying from outside. I went out to the backyard to look for her, but she wasn't there. Turns out she had somehow stumbled into our neighbor's backyard and couldn't figure out how to get back home! ohmygod_smile

A big relief when you find them or they announce their return. :smile:

One of my four-year-olds has already disappeared twice inside the house. The first time was when someone got the basement door open (likely Chip's brother) and when that happens they all have to sneak downstairs to explore. They aren't allowed down there unsupervised so of course it's pretty exciting new territory. So that day I was just hanging out. Finally I noticed everyone was missing so I knew something was up. Sure enough all apparently were downstairs. So I wrangled up every one I could find, but one as missing. Looked everywhere, tried every trick to get his attention. Nothing. So I poured through the rest of the house and looked everywhere. Not a trace. Hadn't left the house or been outside so he had to be inside somewhere. But nothing. Hours go by and I methodically tear the house apart looking behind, under, and inside everything, everywhere. More hours go by and I get this sinking feeling that the fact that he can't be found and is not responding can't be good. And if I ever do find him it won't be a happy discovery. I had too much time to contemplate and mourn the loss of this kitten.

Looked in the garage a couple of times, but really no know way he could have gotten out. I just couldn't believe it he was really gone. That night I went to the car for something and I hear this faint crying coming from some where. There was Digger in the middle of some boxes. I had to figure out where he was and pull him out. Such a relief. And he was equally glad to see me.

So he's a bolter. He dashes out the (interior) garage door. And then he freezes and hides in fear (for around 9 hours?) when he is in unfamiliar territory. Another time I hadn't even noticed him missing. But I was unloading groceries or something and I hear this crying. There was Digger behind those same boxes. Likely there since I left the house. Fortunately he just cowered in that hidden spot and didn't take the opportunity to bolt for the great outdoors when the garage door was up.
Or worse.

 

[Dyana]

Re: 3/13 Michelangelo AMPS 282, +7/266 - 11 months old today

Happy 11 Month Birthday, Michelangelo!!! :mrgreen: