8/12 Simon AMPS 171, +3 71, +6 74, PMPS 117

It’s okay. It’s a normal bg. I was t testing at first and was taking Max to the vet twice a week. One visit he was at 60 on my vet’s meter. I freaked. My vet didn’t. I bough a meter that night to have just in case. On a subsequent visit I brought the meter to see if it worked. My vet handed me the needle. He used them instead of lancets and so did I. Then I became a testaholic, lol.
 
tiffmaxee said:
It’s okay. It’s a normal bg. I was t testing at first and was taking Max to the vet twice a week. One visit he was at 60 on my vet’s meter. I freaked. My vet didn’t. I bough a meter that night to have just in case. On a subsequent visit I brought the meter to see if it worked. My vet handed me the needle. He used them instead of lancets and so did I. Then I became a testaholic, lol.
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Well I hope I can get there some day, but I just stabbed Simon 5 times and could not get a reading. My meter keeps giving me an error, even when blood is filling the entire test strip area. I honestly don't know what I am doing wrong, but we both need a break right now. I will try again at +5. I did get him to eat, and I just traumatized him, so hopefully his numbers aren't too low right now. :banghead:
 
Kyle & Simon said:
I just stabbed Simon 5 times and could not get a reading.
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You may know this trick. A warm "rice sock" placed on the ear prior to poking. It dilates the capillaries and allows blood to flow easier.
Kyle & Simon said:
My meter keeps giving me an error, even when blood is filling the entire test strip area
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I'm not familiar with the brand of meter you're using. I'd get errors for not enough blood or the darn thing would time out before the strip wicked up the blood. I was using a Relion prime.

Try not to get frustrated. I'm remember many times that I'd cry for fear of repeatedly hurting my baby or just sheer frustration. It will get easier:bighug: Simon will begin to understand you're helping him. He just needs a lot of positive reinforcement in the beginning. Plenty of praise, yummy treats and scratches in that special spot that only you 2 know about;)
How's Simon acting?
 
Briere Fur Mom said:
You may know this trick. A warm "rice sock" placed on the ear prior to poking. It dilates the capillaries and allows blood to flow easier.

I'm not familiar with the brand of meter you're using. I'd get errors for not enough blood or the darn thing would time out before the strip wicked up the blood. I was using a Relion prime.

Try not to get frustrated. I'm remember many times that I'd cry for fear of repeatedly hurting my baby or just sheer frustration. It will get easier:bighug: Simon will begin to understand you're helping him. He just needs a lot of positive reinforcement in the beginning. Plenty of praise, yummy treats and scratches in that special spot that only you 2 know about;)
How's Simon acting?
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I am seriously crying right now! I feel like I am failing him after everything he has done for me. He is pissed at me- with his IBD I am constantly giving him shots and meds. I have already pilled him 3x today + 2 oral syringes, and I haven't even given him his chemotherapy yet which is a nightmare by itself. Seriously, I feel like dealing with diabetes on top of everything else has really just pushed us both to the limit. Im pretty sure my stupid meter just timed out. Next time I am going to put him on the bed, snuggle and treat him until we are both really relaxed, breathe, and try to get it done in one stab. I know this will get easier, it is just really hard right now! Thanks for understanding :cat:
 
Kyle & Simon said:
I am seriously crying right now! I feel like I am failing him after everything he has done for me. He is pissed at me- with his IBD I am constantly giving him shots and meds. I have already pilled him 3x today + 2 oral syringes, and I haven't even given him his chemotherapy yet which is a nightmare by itself. Seriously, I feel like dealing with diabetes on top of everything else has really just pushed us both to the limit. Im pretty sure my stupid meter just timed out. Next time I am going to put him on the bed, snuggle and treat him until we are both really relaxed, breathe, and try to get it done in one stab. I know this will get easier, it is just really hard right now! Thanks for understanding :cat:
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:bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Kyle & Simon said:
I am seriously crying right now! I feel like I am failing him after everything he has done for me. He is pissed at me- with his IBD I am constantly giving him shots and meds. I have already pilled him 3x today + 2 oral syringes, and I haven't even given him his chemotherapy yet which is a nightmare by itself. Seriously, I feel like dealing with diabetes on top of everything else has really just pushed us both to the limit. Im pretty sure my stupid meter just timed out. Next time I am going to put him on the bed, snuggle and treat him until we are both really relaxed, breathe, and try to get it done in one stab. I know this will get easier, it is just really hard right now! Thanks for understanding :cat:
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Awwww. It is so hard.:bighug: I had plenty of tears, especially with the home testing, in the beginning. And I remember staring into the garbage can with all of the wasted strips. I think I wasted 20 or more in one day. I was such a mess and convinced my cat would hate me forever. But we both got the new routine down and it got a little easier with each week. I'm sorry you have so many medications to give him on top of the insulin and home testing. He knows you do it because you love him, though. The ears do not bleed very much at first. I don't even have to warm Butters' ears anymore, but it is a crucial step in the beginning.

Snuggles and treats will help. Someone on here suggested I sing while testing to calm my nerves, and it works. And always treats during test time. That's how I trained Butters to accept it. I brush her and treat her, poke her and then another treat and more brushes. You are going to get there!
 
Okay we did it! Sample # 3 for the day successful with only 1 attempt! Im calling this +6 (20 mins early) it was 74. Maybe there was a dip in there I missed, but it did not precipitate a bounce so I am feeling better about this. Thank you Simon and everyone else for your patience! :bighug:
 
tiffmaxee said:
Congrats. This is a nice cycle. I think you can stop testing until PMPS. Do something nice for yourself.
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OMG thank you! I am frazzled. Will you be around to advise me tonight after the pmps (9 pm Pacific)? Or do you have any suggestions now? I am realizing that insulin is a very strong and potentially dangerous drug and I want to be super cautious with it! Thank you again for your help @tiffmaxee :bighug:
 
Butters & Lyla said:
Someone on here suggested I sing while testing to calm my nerves, and it works.
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The idea of singing while doing this test really made me laugh! Thank you for that! The problem here is not Simon, he is the sweetest and gentlest cat in the world. I am the one who keeps botching it, but this afternoon went really well so I am hopeful that I can learn eventually! Thank you for being there to help! :)
 
Kyle & Simon said:
The idea of singing while doing this test really made me laugh! Thank you for that! The problem here is not Simon, he is the sweetest and gentlest cat in the world. I am the one who keeps botching it, but this afternoon went really well so I am hopeful that I can learn eventually! Thank you for being there to help! :)
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Singing is to relax you, mainly! It's hard to feel as shaky and nervous when you're belting out your favourite tunes. :D:cat:
 
Can you monitor tonight if you shoot something? It’s late. I’m thinking you should skip. I wonder if stopping the steroid he is not going to need even.75. He’s in normal numbers. I would skip. Feed him and get a test in 2-3 hours to see if he’s under 100 for future dosing info. How does that sound?
 
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tiffmaxee said:
Can you monitor tonight if you shoot something? It’s late. I’m thinking you should skip. I wonder if stopping the steroid he is not going to need even.75. He’s in normal numbers. I would skip. Feed him and get a test in 2-3 hours to see if he’s under 100 for future dosing info. How does that sound?
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YES! Im really thinking he might be headed straight towards remission without steroids and messing with insulin is just dangerous! I will feed and test and see where we are at! Thank you!!
 
I’ll check with you in the morning. Have a relaxing night. I’m hoping the same but was superstitious about saying that and didn’t want to get your hopes up in case it didn’t happen.
 
Hey Kyle and Simon!

I am west coast too (Vancouver).

I'm pretty new with Cosmo here, but usually on at this time too :bighug: it's a pretty quiet time of night and Cosmo's PMPS is right around yours.

Sounds like you probably skipped tonight? Let me know if you need anything!
 
tiffmaxee said:
Not to second guess your vet but I wonder why he went for chlorambucil instead of starting with budesonide. Which steroid was he taking?
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My vet definitely deserves being second guessed! And this is a vet I drive 2 hrs each way to see! We were taking prednisolone. Yes budesonide would have been a good choice and the transition off pred has been rough! Simon had several flares after a very fast 6 day taper and still isn’t that well managed on chlorambucil alone. I finally got an appointment with a specialist in 2 weeks, so hoping for a better thought out treatment plan. Of course my local vet here pretty much thought we were out of options about 6 months ago, so at least this vet in Chico has been willing to try different options but I am not very impressed overall!
 
thebigfuzz said:
Hey Kyle and Simon!

I am west coast too (Vancouver).

I'm pretty new with Cosmo here, but usually on at this time too :bighug: it's a pretty quiet time of night and Cosmo's PMPS is right around yours.

Sounds like you probably skipped tonight? Let me know if you need anything!
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Thank you! Yes we skipped- but my alarm is set for 12 and 3 to see how that plays out? Hope you and Cosmo have a lovely evening. Good to know you are out there.
 
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