Another Nervous Vacation Planner

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RobbiesMom

RobbiesMom

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Living in a vacation destination and working at a job that revolves a lot around what goes on this time of year I pretty much NEVER go away in the summer - this year my mother in law has rented a house in Rhode Island near the beach and has invited her children and spouses to come for a week of family fun. The original plan of a house in Martha's Vineyard got changed mostly for us because there was NO way we could make that trip and stay for any length of time - as it is we can only do Sat-Wednesday IF I can find a pet sitter - ONE issue is our dog Ginger who won't let anyone she doesn't know and like walk her - I"m trying to deal with that by having her get to know our neighbor for the summer who is willing to walk her (she's a dog person) but not particularly interested in any cat care. So IF I get Ginger taken care of than what do I do about Robbie? I just can't contemplate someone doing all we do for him and doing it correctly. I mean we are on 5.0 shot pretty much no matter what but they'd still HAVE to test before shooting and than the cisapride - and the miralax and the metimucil and the lactulose and checking the box for poop and how much poop and what kind of poop. UGH. I am just so not sure this can happen. I'm calling around for Vet Tech's who might be willing to come 2x a day for not a small fortune (this is the Hamptons these people make more to come feed a cat 2x in a day than I make in 2 full days of work) so if I find one and we can afford them that MIGHT work out. Than the issue becomes - who would come here at 5:30 am? So do I start working him up to 7:30ish?
Thoughts- could he be OK on one shot MID day for Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed (we'll be back by like 5pm Wed) I'd shoot him Saturday morning early and have someone shoot him Sat 12 hours later (like 5pmish) and than after that maybe the vet tech comes on her lunch break (noon) and gives him 5.5 ? I MIGHT be able to teach our friend and neighbor who's Maine Coon we cat sit ALL the time to test him - she's loath to give the shot but thinks she could test (I think the testing is worse) so I could TRY and teach her to give the shot and make her promise if he got like over 425 she'd give him something?
What if I can get someone to shoot who won't test? (had one person say they'd give a shot but wouldn't test) - do I just forget that option or have them give him like 3 2x a day?
I don't know I"m rambling (it's the prednisone) but I'm just so lost here. We don't leave till August 18th (if I can make it) so I have some time to deal with input. Thanks all - and I wish to heck I had a 16 year old interested LOL
 
We will figure this puzzle out...
But my very first thought (trying for at least a tiny smile here Ellen, so work with me...)

this is the Hamptons these people make more to come feed a cat 2x in a day than I make in 2 full days of work
Click to expand...

Have you thought about a career path change? You'd only need to find a half dozen clients...

Carl
 
The ideal solution would be to convince the neighbor who will learn to test to also shoot. I agree with you, the shots are by far the easier of the two things.

Not a big fan of the once a day shot idea. I would instead (and please everyone, don't kill me for this) have someone shoot 3u bid blind. Or you could get someone to shoot those two shots, and maybe have the neighbor do the testing? I think it's actually safer to give two lowered doses a day than one normal or higher than normal shot per day. Either way, his numbers will be higher, but at least he'd have insulin in his system around the clock with the two lower doses.

The thing that I think is the harder problem to solve is the other meds. Optimistically, I would hope he doesn't need all of those by then. Maybe just some of them?

Boarding him not an option at all? That would probably cost you two months pay though.

You must go on this trip though, Ellen. You and DH need the break.

Carl
 
It's early morning and I haven't had my coffee so this may be way off base......can the meds be pre-mixed into the food and put in the fridge? (I'm envisioning all these pre-made casseroles for Robbie lined up in the fridge..."Microwave, 5 minutes")
 
Ellen,

I'm in the same boat on planning. I have been training my 16iyr old neighbor and she is going to stay at the house. I've known her since she was a baby. Hard to believe. SHe lives right next door to us, but mom and dad divorcing so will move end of this month. Darn...

Anyhoo, is there a friend that has an older teenager that needs some extra cash and can come stay at house and get to know your doggie and cat. Can you take Robbie with you?

I know how you are feeling right now. I'm still very nervous about all this and hope that i will be able to relax on vacation. I"ll be praying for you too!

lori
 
I so feel for you and Barb (Lori seems luckily well set). You both clearly need a break but have very complicated cats. Any way to take him along? I am wondering if you leave him whether you will be worrying the whole time and it won't be much of a break.....

Lots of us have traveled with our diabetic cats and it usually has turned out better than we anticipated....
 
Ellen -

Have you thought of posting on Health and seeing if there's someone else anywhere close w/ a diabetic kitty who could kitty sit and do the rest? I know that it was pretty easy when Hershey came here - doing 2 sugar cats isn't much different - except Hershey has numbers on his meter that Grayson doesn't - the 2-digit varieties! :lol:

Its something that you could either pay or reciprocate with... surely there's someone else nearby on this board - there's folks from EVERYWHERE!!!
 
Taking him is not an option. First the house will have 8 people in and out of it - hes a SCREAMER - if he's locked in a room, a crate, etc. he just cries - he's spoiled ROTTEN. Also - he doesn't travel well at all - with his asthma I can't risk a long car trip - he starts hyperventilating before we make the 8 minute car drive to the Vet and frankly that ALONE would ruin my trip. So he's HOME no matter what and I think safer and happier there so hopefully less high numbers, constipation and breathing issues that way.

I'm working on convincing people but you know this is a double hard nut - the DOG is a freaking huge issue too and I'm about ready to find some sort of boarding for her which my husband is about ready to DIE over (his dog at a kennel?) and yes, it will cost an arm and a leg. If I did take on a new job pet sitting it would only be busy 3 months of the year that's the problem - and WHY they charge so much. You know the drill 3 months to make the $$$.

I am thinking like a 3 shot am and pm and get SOME sort of testing done might be what can be managed. We'll see- I also am pretty sure he'll need the cisapride and other stuff for well ever... so probably need to work that out too.

I'm kind of wishing the husband and the dog could go and I could just stay home alone and relax with the cats...
 
RobbiesMom said:
I'm kind of wishing the husband and the dog could go and I could just stay home alone and relax with the cats...
Click to expand...

Is this an option? I used to love it when my husband would take the girls skiing and I stayed home. Read books, ate when and what I wanted. It was wonderful!
 
Sadly the rental his mother has won't allow animals - we asked that she get one that would take the dog and she tried but it didn't work out. So if I'm home I'm with the cats and the dog and frankly that's a lot of work - but we'll see what happens. Our "house call vet" just called and she has a vet tech who will come twice a day to feed and medicate Robbie (and Roxie) for $60-80 per day - (have to talk to her about the actual cost) and another friend who MIGHT take Ginger in her home (the couple who originally fostered Ginger before we adopted her - she loves them) - so I'm gettin there maybe. ly
 
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