DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates

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Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Update..Day 7 ICU//Coming home to

So I just did the 2nd at home feeding. Much better this time around. 30 minutes start to finish. It kinda hurts my hand to push the syringe...I hope its watered down enough

Shes still camped out in a laundry basket of clothes in the closet (her choice spot LOL) She really wants to be on the bed or under the bed. But Im scared she will have a hard time getting up/down if she climbs on top, and then Im worried I couldnt get her out from under it if she were to go under there. So I have her closed off in our connected master bath and closet.

I called the vet bc the medicines are confusing me. She has 5 different ones. One is a gel?? But I cant remember if I give all the morning ones all at the same time, etc... or how to do the gel one at all. They have to call me back (emergency is in)

Her first at home insulin shot is soon. Im nervous about that too. I need some sort of timer or something. I know I will be fine this weekend bc hubs is home to help with the kids, but my weekdays are soooo hectic when im here alone with the babies. Im scared to death Im gonna miss something nailbite_smile
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

when they call back, have a notebook ready with each medicine listed from top to bottom. space them out so you have some note room for each one. ask them when? how much? with other meds or no? with food or no? etc.....

then when you get off the phone, if you doodled or shorthanded the notes, decipher them and write them out clearly on another piece of paper or even one piece per medicine while fresh in your head. then tape it/them to the fridge or a cabinet door or something where they are easily referenced
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

BREATHE!! you can do this, one step at a time ..... really.

Closing her off is good, you want to be able to get her when you need her. When my Payne was really sick and I was totally confused, I started a journal that I use daily to put all her info in. I now put homemade graphs and phone #'s and anything else that has to do with her, I just used one of my son's binders in the beginning.

YOU WILL BE FINE!! sending much confidence and love your way!

Nancy and Payne
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

It can get a bit hectic getting everything into her on time.

Make a little list that has the times of day and what is supposed to happen at that time.

Mine had things for 6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm, 10pm, 2am.

I used an alarm clock for a while.

You can stuff pillows or folded blankets around the underneath edge of the
bed to keep her from going under there. Yes, you don't want her getting
somewhere you can't reach her

You can build a set of steps next to bed out of some sturdy cardboard boxes,
so she can get up there. That is if she chooses to use them. Smokey never
figured it out..."what's that mom ?"
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

Does she look comfortable? Breathing okay?

So glad she is home. She's going to do much better at home with love, than at the vets in her cage. You can do this! Go Garland!!!!
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

You will be just fine, as suggested, I used a piece of paper for my Gumpy girl, she was on 9 meds a day..... finally, when I had time, I made a small graph in Excell and wrote all the meds down with am/pm times and days and a spot to make notes. I put next to frig. with a pen.
I would forget if I gave her this or that cuz of the other 2 with needs. I could not remember all the names of the meds either, so I made a chart with med names, and what each one did. I shortened to a=blood pressure and list the actual name of the med.
I also bought an am/pm pill keeper and would fill the week when the house was quite and I could think for a moment......

YOU ARE GOING TO DO GREAT....BTW...... lots of hugs and lovin come naturally!
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

Happy Sunday everyone. Just wanted to let you know how things have been going here at home with Garland :)

She's still about the same. Although the light is slowly starting to come back in her eyes. She doesnt move around much at all, only to use her litter box. She is still walking a bit wobbly too, and doesnt meow or anything either. Which is sad for me to see. She is usually such a talker. The wrap they have around her neck looks really uncomfortable for her. She hasnt thrown up a single time, so thats good. The Dr said she will be like this for at least a week. So Im hoping to start seeing more improvement by next weekend. She perks up when she hears me open Connicks food can, but she doesnt want it if I try to feed her some. She wont drink by mouth either... should I try giving her a little water in a syringe, just to wet her mouth some since shes not using it?

The feedings are going good. It takes me forever only bc i can barely push the food through the loooooooong tube attached to the syringe. Its really difficult. I may start watering it down more, to make it easier. But then I worry she wont get enough of the actual food. We go back to the vet on Wednesday for a check. I may see about adjusting that bandage on her neck...

Her BS numbers have stayed right around the 300 mark. Should I worry about that right now? Connick is still hissing at her. I guess she still smells like vet LOL

Well, I think thats all so far :) Thanks again everyone for helping get her home!
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

Hey, just wanted to tell you guys I had to take Garland back to the vet this morning. She was breathing funny and just seemed a bit more "out of it" than yesterday. Shes there now. Dr Hill doesnt get in for a couple hours and they wanted him to see her (as opposed to the vet that is there now) So once Dr Hill sees her, he will call me with his thoughts. The techs said it sounded more like congestion than say.. troubled breathing?? Ill let you know what Dr Hill says

Im going to also ask about that liquid stuff instead of recovery. I have a bruise on my hand from pushing the syringe. Even my husband was having a hard time when I asked him to help. Are you sure Im not supposed to water it down?
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

Hoping everything is okay ..... you should look at the website Hope gave you, it has a lot of good info.

:YMHUG: We are all pulling for Garland and for you to get some rest.
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

Hang in there Garland, your check is in process and just to amuse your recovery with stuff from the complicated humans world this is the international check procedure and why it is taking so long for your check

1. Human Ann first had to visit one bank holding some money of hers and ask them to send them to second bank of hers which she uses primarily
2. That transfer took a day
3. Human Ann had to visit the second bank and fill out a long form for ordering an international bank check
4. That took 30 minutes and was on last Friday
5. Second bank can't print these checks on site, duh, it is centralised so the order form has to be sent to Stockholm, which is a very crowded capital city place of the Kingdom of Sweden far away from where human Ann lives, and the check to be printed there.
6. This is where your check is at the moment, (Human Ann thinks ...) next steps will be
7. the ordered and printed check will be sent to human Ann after a week
8. Human Ann then has to go to the post office and send it to you

Sounds complicated, right!?, Simba and Gustav thinks us humans are weird, doing so many weird things and making everything so complicated, when we too can lay on our back all day showing our tummies ....
or as Human Ann thinks, that US should go into the international banking system IBAN and SWIFT, so we can transfer direct ....

Kisses and hugs from the far away guys Simba and Gustav --- not hitting at you, just trying to amuse you ...
(get better!)
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

Did they xray the tube after they placed it to make sure it was correctly positioned?

Is the bandage too tight around her neck? This was a factor in one cat who had a rattled breath.

Any signs of discomfort while you feed her or after? Sitting in a sphynx/meatloaf position?

And what are the medications - again I push you to get anti nausea medication even if she isn't throwing up. FHL is nauseating. I'm not repeating this to annoy you. But it would be like giving you a tube feeding with the flu. Even though you may not be vomiting that is how it feels.

Also look into a rush order of the kitty kollar - it will make a difference in comfort.

The FAF site is a very active group with a ton of info. You can't take it all in I know. I would focus for now on the new member file: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-Assisted-Feeding/files/New Members/

Also since she has gotten through a DKA crisis you should open a separate post to deal with her Blood Glucose specifically. You want to avoid a second crisis.

Sending more hugs.
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

Just FYI just in case... the feeding e-tube doesn't go all the way into the stomach. It stops before this. There have been some cases on FAF where vets have placed the tube wrong causing reflux/infection. This is why its important to do a post placement xray.
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

Garland is home again. They said her nasal passages sounded a bit inflammed. They just said to continue on with what Im doing. They loosened the bandage for me. He also said I could take the 30CC of food and water it down to 45CC, that way shes still getting the 30CC, but its easier for me to get through the tube. I did that when I got home SO MUCH EASIER!


LOL- Thanks Ann. I needed a distraction :) And thank you again for going through the trouble. It means so much

Karrie-She is on an anti-nausea medication. I will call and ask about an xray.. i never thought to ask...Whats a kiddie collar? She sits in that meatloaf position sometimes... does that mean something bad? She seems fine during the feeding and after.... Ive been reading the files on that website. Its hard to navigate through, but Im learning :)
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

Asking St Francis for a special intercession on behalf of Garland, and asking the Blessed Mother to smile on you for being such a good mom! :YMHUG:
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

Violet,
When kitties sit/lay in the "meatloaf" position, it is usually an indicator that they don't feel well. My vet asked about it right after I brought Bob home after diagnosis. She told me that when he stopped doing it, that would indicate that he was starting to feel better. It can also be her communicating that she doesn't want to be messed with "Leave me alone, please!".
From googling it, it can also be an indication that there might be abdominal pain associated with pancreatitus or CRF. The best description of the position that I could find was "like the sphynx position, except with the head down and dull eyed." It is also associated with dehydration. With all Garland has been through in the past 10 days, if it's just a "leave me alone" pose I wouldn't be at all surprised. But I think the concern might be that there's still something (or something else) going on that is causing pain?
 
Re: DKA/FHL/ETUBE- Garland Updates..Home after 7 days ICU

I never knew about this sphynx position, oh Lord my baby Hummer was doing this before he got so sick and went to Rainbow bridge!
 
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