Oh my gosh! Thank you for all the suggestions for the automatic feeder! I plan on purchasing one before I start at the hospital in June. I want to get a feel for how it works and to make sure Mazi will eat out of it before I rely on it on days that I work or have to be away.
Thank you, I just graduated in December and earned my license in late February. I was just starting my job search in early March when Mazi was diagnosed with diabetes. I'm kinda happy if this was going to happen, it happened before I started working. This way I was able to take a little break from my job search and focus on understanding how to manage Mazi and keep him safe. I'm starting to get the hang of things and am learning how to trust Lantus. That said, I think June will be a good time to get back to my career. I do have my significant other and my father close to me that are a great support system.
I'll be working 12+ hour days, hopefully only 3 to 4 days a week. My significant other works 8 hour days and my father is retired. I've been making sure they understand how to care for Mazi and how to manage him safely, which has been going great. So I think the transition of me going back to work and having to trust Mazi's other caregivers will be fine.
I plan on doing the AM feedings and injections at 6 am, my dad or the automatic feeder can help with snacks at AM +3/4 and + 7. Plus, I'll be having my dad here at home to keep an eye on Mazi and call if he suspects any changes in behavior or eating. I'm also teaching my dad how to check BG'S this week so he is all prepped for June..The boyfriend will check Mazi's BG when he gets home at 4pm (+10) and either him or I will do the night time injection, night time snack, and PM BG checks..Those are our plans thus far.
I don't have any children, so Mazi (Maserati), Bentley (our other kitty), and Chevy (our 1.5 yr old German shepard/husky mix) are my babies and I'm very protective over them. BTW, the boyfriend is who named our animals. Can you tell he is into cars?! Lol Joey has a 1969 Chevy Nova that is his baby and my father has a 1950's coupe and has been racing cars since I've been in diapers. Since my babies are all boys, they had to have car names. Lol
Even thou I'm a new nursing grad, and having a little more of a better understanding about DM and Lantus than "some" in the beginning of the diagnosis, this has still been a struggle for me. For example, when I noticed him eating, drinking more,, and he had acetone smelling breath, i knew right away it was DKA, and got him into the ER right away. However, interpreting his spreadsheets is my weakness. For example, I know the within normal limit values, but being able to spot bounces, or when he needs a dose reduction has been tough. I'm pretty sure I know when he has earned a reduction as of recently, but being able to spot bounces have been a little difficult, especially when I can't check him every hour at night because I need to sleep. Wendy had noticed about a week or two ago he had his last bounce and that was when she suggested I get those before bedtime checks in so we can have more pieces to the puzzle and try to decide if he was having low drops in the middle of the night.
However, I still have so much to learn. So I truly feel and understand how caregivers with no or little medical backgrounds feel. My hopes are to fully understand this disorder and how to treat it inside and out, so I can pay it forward and help others that are overwhelmed in the future. Mr. Mazi has officially been my first patient, my 1st patient that can't communicate at that, and he has taught me so much. Because of him, I know I will be a better new grad nurse, better at picking up on subtle changes in my patients, and understand this disorder a lot better than I did 2 months ago. Also without this community I wouldn't be where I am today, and am forever grateful. I still have a lot of learning and growing to do, but knowing that I have resources to help me, makes the journey so much less scarier!
Yup, I dont feed Mazi past +7/8, to ensure that any late cycle snacks do not influence any of his preshot BG'S.Plus that way I know when it is meal time he will be hungry and eat a good meal before his shot. I also have Ketone strips as well. This weekend, im going to get a thermometer and lubricant that is dedicate for Mazi for the future as well. My goal in the near future, is to get a pediatric stethoscope, and start practicing on how to listen to heart, lung, and bowel sounds on Mazi as well.
Thank you forever and always
@Diane Tyler's Mom for all your guidance!
