Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest?

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Martica and Fred

Martica and Fred

Member Since 2010
Hi
I'm leaving town for a couple of weeks and a friend from LA is going to come to NYC and stay in my apt to cat-sit. I have Sebastian (formerly known as Shane), the diabetic I saved while in DKA at the NYC animal shelter back in December.

He is doing very nicely...he's gained 7 pounds and is very lean and muscular--probably weighs around 13 lbs now. I am really really lucky in that he seems to be regulated pretty well (stays in the 200s at the highest) on only 0.25 unit of Lantus, only once a day! At some point I may more tightly regulate him, life has been hectic and I saved another 2 kities from death row in the past couple of months--and sadly one of them died of, not sure, but it appears liver cancer. Anyway, so have not had time to do lots of curves on Sebastian or anything. Also he needs a dental and I'm hoping that that might make his numbers better once that's dealt with. Anyway, that all will happen in a few months

Oh also, Sebastian had chronic diarrhea for 3 months. As long as I give him 1/2 raw with his canned, it doesn't come back...for the past 3 months now. Seems to be a great cure.

but for now, I need to teach my friend how to home-test and give the insulin shot. He is currently in LA. Is there anyone there whom he can visit--at least once, preferably twice--to go learn how to ear test and do the shot? And DOSE the shot?

He'll need to come by someone's place in LA in the next week or so...I'm trying to leave town by July 02 ideally (not sure yet) and that means he'll be arriving by then...I just don't want him to NOT test hte BG and also overdose the shot.

thanks
Martica
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

Martica, you might also want to post for help in NYC, to introduce your friend to how to deal with a diabetic cat while your friend is there. It would certainly help your friend to have someone to call on, nearby, if any problems came up that he couldn't deal with.

What a nice friend you have, traveling from LA to NYC to take care of your kitty while you are gone!

Also, is LA Louisiana or Los Angeles? You might want to specify that. (Oh, duh...you spelled it out in the thread subject line.) :oops:

Suze
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

Thanks Suze. Yes, I'm glad this friend is willing to come over. Fortunately he needs to and I'm getting him a plane ticket with miles so it works out for everyone. I just need to make sure he can test and give the shots.

I just checked out our GEOhelpLIST ucp.php?i=pm&mode=view&p=104958 and there is no one in all of Los Angeles area? Seems odd?

I do have someone who can be on call here, but they live too far to be of any daily help unless it's an emergency. I'd like to have him do it before he leave, but I dunno will figure it out.

If anyone out there in LA can show my friend how to hometest in the next week, please private message me or indicate reply her and I'll get back to you.

thanks
Martica
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

I can't thnk of anyone on the board now in LA. I'm in CA, but 3 hours north in San Luis Obispo. What part of LA is he in?

At least this will keep bumping you up.
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

I am in LA, but I am afraid that I have my hands full right now.

Blue had a bladder stone cause some issues while he was in i131 therapy and needs a lot of special care. He's on the mend though. He gets the stitches removed this week.

Velvet is really sick and I think that she might have lymphoma. We've done some tests and will do more this week. She needs to eat more so that's been time consuming.

My life is on hold right now, other than work, because that's what is paying my insane vet bills. SOrry that I can't be of help.

There are some great videos online of course.

What a great friend.
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

I haven't tested anything in almost 10 years, but I might be able to help. Unfortunately, LA is a really big place - can you give us a neighborhood/area? I can't commit to a 3-hour drive, but if your friend is relatively close, we might be able to work something out.

Karen & dB in spirit
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

Thanks Holly, I understand...and thanks Karen. I'm just finding out where he lives.

Do you have a kitty you can hometest on to show him? I'm thinking he can drive to you...he does have a rescue cat that his exwife and son just adopted...so perhaps can test on that cat. Poor kitty just had a broken leg, etc, why they rescued him, run over by his owner and his owner didn't want to pay for his treatment, was going to ptu hm down. vet refused to do it and offered to treat for free, she said she still didn't want him. The vet then cared for the kitty and handed him to a rescue group.
So maybe another cat would be better to experiment on, this kitty has been thru too much.

anyway, we'll see, let me wait till I hear back from him.
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

My friend Alex says he lives in Huntington Beach -- Orange County -- but usually goes up to LA at least once a week . . .


Is that helpful?
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

Huntington Beach is a ways from LA for a hometesting lesson. unless like you said, he goes up there during the week. depending on where at in LA and Huntington, they are roughly 40-45 or so miles apart

lori and tom would be the closest i think at about 15 or so miles but she's not on here anymore. i don't know if Sue and Oliver or Carl & Bob in SC are still in touch with her but if so, maybe they could see if she could help?

i'm about 40 miles away too but if it could be done maybe saturday or sunday this weekend i could go out there and maybe help. not sure if that would be too late?

cheri and patriot might be about 20 miles away but i couldn't tell you the last time i saw her post here. i think she's on facebook. i'll post and see if i can find out about her for sure.

i'll see if i can remember who else is here in orange county too just in case
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

Martica, I also posted for help on DCIN's Facebook page.
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

Thank you Cindy and Venita (and yes, Venita, this is for Shane Sebastian!)

I think at the very least my friend is going to fly in a day early so I will be able to show him at least once, but I'd rather he have a few goes at it because he'll be on his own and you know how hard it can be to get that darn blood out. Sebastian has weird ears, they are hard to flatten for some reason. Anyway, it's a learning curve for everyone at first.
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

Martica, if your friend is flying in a day early (great news), that would be a great day to run a curve and let him test away!

If you are still having problems getting blood from Sebastian's ears, are you using a warm rice sock to get the blood flowing? I have no problems getting blood from Pumbaa when I use the rice sock to get the blood flowing. And, actually, his left ear flows much more freely than his right ear.

In the meantime, you might want to get Sebastian accustomed to your rubbing his ears without poking him. There are stress reducing ways to rub their ears, front and back, from bottom to top, that you might want to look into. View this link for great hints!

Hope this helps!

Suze
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

Thanks Suze. I don't have problems with Sebastian's ears--I'm a very old pro at this, but his ears don't go flat easily and I'm pretty sure that it will be hard for my friend who will hve no technique or confidence. I never found the rice sock thing helpful at all. If I need to increase blood flow I simply rub the ears, but that's not the prob, it's getting the ear to stay flat, his ears are not a flat as Fred's were. But it's my friend doing it for the first time and having never done it ever that is a little bit of a worry. Oh well, at least I know that Sebastian is on such a low dose that everything is pretty low risk.

Someone on my facebook page may have a lead for me. Otherwise, he'll just have to learn it the day before. I'd like him to have done it a few times before I leave him with the kitty.
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

Martica, I didn't mean to question/insult your experience, I just like sharing things that I have learned that might make other people's lives easier. :) That's my MO.

You are so lucky to have a friend who is willing to fly cross country to help you, and learn how to do something like this. You are also very lucky that Sebastian is on a low dose of insulin.

You just do what you need to do to train your friend in the time you have, and have a great time on your trip, without worrying! It sounds like you have made great preparations.

Suze
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

Thanks Suze, oh please don't worry I didn't take it like that. Just wanted to point out that I am not a newbie! Everyone finds their own technique that works for them, I think.

I like the idea of choosing this time to do a curve. I'm sure he'll be fine and, yes, I'm soooo lucky Sebastian is on a teeny dose. It makes life sooo much easier. The only time he ever got HIGH number was when the vet was overdosing him--and he clearly was doing the somgyi rebound thing.

thank you
 
Re: Can anyone in Los Angeles show my friend how to hometest

Love that you like the idea of running a curve to make sure your friend is comfortable with the testing. When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!

And I'm glad you weren't insulted by my suggestions. :)

Suze
 
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