Grayson & Lu
Member Since 2012
Most likely as a result of the SRT for his Acromegaly, Grayson FINALLY appears to be "regulated". Don't think I ever believed that was even possible after the first 6 months! But he's been hanging mostly in the blues & greens instead of pinks & reds, so we truly HAVE come a long way. Yesterday was one year since we received the results of his bloodwork and FD dx. I posted the following (below) on Facebook, but wanted to share it with you guys as well. I can only imagine where I'd be if I hadn't had experienced eyes on his SS and the encouragement to have him tested for Acro and Insulin Resistance (both of which were positive).
I'm currently testing with multiple meters - not to make myself crazy (actually, I've done this before), but to get comparison numbers for DCIN. If you check out the 2013 tab on his SS, you'll see my Accu-Chek Aviva result with the Bayer Contour and Relion Confirm numbers below. He's been surfing Greens for several hours today, and we're almost shifted back to my 6:30 am/pm schedule (we were 6 hrs off due to the holidays and my schedule in December). I even saw a "Low Blood Sugar" warning today :shock: on the Bayer meter. It used to just say "OMG - He's HIGH!!!" :lol:
Todays numbers: AMPS=303: +2=296; +4=154; +6=68 :mrgreen: ; +7=79 :mrgreen: ; +8=77 :mrgreen: I'm LOVING this new trend, and the reductions!
The Journey – One year later
One year ago today I took my Grayson to the vet… he looked like death when I returned from Christmas 2011 with my family. I had a bug in my head that it might be diabetes, and a quick google search confirmed my suspicions. My vet prefered to wait until the results were in, on January 4th. They were positive. Although many friends thought this was the kiss of death, I saw it as something that was identifiable, and treatable.
Thankfully, I knew someone who also had a diabetic kitty. Kim became my coach and mentor, my friend, and especially, Grayson’s personal cheerleader. She taught me how to home-test his blood sugar, helped me transition him to low-carb canned food (which he hated at first!), and always answered the phone, no matter what the hour. She also connected me with an on-line group of others in the same situation… a support group for me, and “in the trenches” wisdom for Grayson.
As most of you know, the first few months were bumpy. First an overwhelming response to small doses of insulin, then no response at all. Endocrinology tests showed positive results for insulin resistance (no surprise there!), and indicators pointing to Acromegaly – the giant’s disease. From the looks of him, still quite anorexic, it was pretty difficult to believe he had a pituitary tumor in his brain that was exploding with growth hormones. We followed up with an ultrasound at NC State, sought radiation treatment at Colorado State University, and have, in the past 24 weeks, come to know regulation of his blood sugar, a cat that is not constantly ravenous, and one that behaves much like he used to. He’d STILL sell his soul (or mine) for a bowl of high carb Kitt-N-Kaboodle, but no longer do I catch him riding the canned goods on the lazy susan to eat egg noodles – or breaking into dog & cat kibble in two different kinds of Tupperware cannisters!
Grayson spent the holidays at his Grandma’s house. After NOT REALLY meeting the 20# weight limit for an on-board pet & carrier (he was 19.2 pounds on Monday), he experienced an emergency landing (plane had to return to Raleigh for mechanical issues), met the whole family including my sister Corky, who had provisions ready for him, my cousin Renee who stopped in for a visit, and his furry cousins and their family from Minnesota. One day, while I went to Chicago with Carol’s family, he even played hide-n-seek with Carol and Grandma (“I couldn’t believe that BIG cat could fit under the bed!”) & was rescued by my nephew Noah. And he hung out on the couch with Mom’s dog Bess.
For the time being, we have no travel plans. Last year we went for his treatment, and I spent a week in Arizona with Sonia and her family for Amanda’s graduation. Grayson is happy to be home, where he can spend his days upside-down under the table in his “bunny paws” position, and hanging out with his furry siblings, including Dom and Jack (who don’t bark at him!).
2012 was a tough one for me, but provided a very valuable learning opportunity. I can dance on my toes while his blood sugar dips into healthy numbers without panic now. I can “shoot the greens.” I can learn from and believe things I read on the internet – and even help my veterinarians learn too! I have close friends all over the world that I’ve never met who’ve helped me through the trials of feline diabetes. I have helped others who are just beginning to learn “the dance.” My boy is healthy and happy again (although not “off the juice”), thanks to the many people we’ve met along the way. And I have a very optimistic outlook for 2013.
Thank you all for your continued support along Grayson’s Journey.
Lu-Ann
I'm currently testing with multiple meters - not to make myself crazy (actually, I've done this before), but to get comparison numbers for DCIN. If you check out the 2013 tab on his SS, you'll see my Accu-Chek Aviva result with the Bayer Contour and Relion Confirm numbers below. He's been surfing Greens for several hours today, and we're almost shifted back to my 6:30 am/pm schedule (we were 6 hrs off due to the holidays and my schedule in December). I even saw a "Low Blood Sugar" warning today :shock: on the Bayer meter. It used to just say "OMG - He's HIGH!!!" :lol:
Todays numbers: AMPS=303: +2=296; +4=154; +6=68 :mrgreen: ; +7=79 :mrgreen: ; +8=77 :mrgreen: I'm LOVING this new trend, and the reductions!
The Journey – One year later
One year ago today I took my Grayson to the vet… he looked like death when I returned from Christmas 2011 with my family. I had a bug in my head that it might be diabetes, and a quick google search confirmed my suspicions. My vet prefered to wait until the results were in, on January 4th. They were positive. Although many friends thought this was the kiss of death, I saw it as something that was identifiable, and treatable.
Thankfully, I knew someone who also had a diabetic kitty. Kim became my coach and mentor, my friend, and especially, Grayson’s personal cheerleader. She taught me how to home-test his blood sugar, helped me transition him to low-carb canned food (which he hated at first!), and always answered the phone, no matter what the hour. She also connected me with an on-line group of others in the same situation… a support group for me, and “in the trenches” wisdom for Grayson.
As most of you know, the first few months were bumpy. First an overwhelming response to small doses of insulin, then no response at all. Endocrinology tests showed positive results for insulin resistance (no surprise there!), and indicators pointing to Acromegaly – the giant’s disease. From the looks of him, still quite anorexic, it was pretty difficult to believe he had a pituitary tumor in his brain that was exploding with growth hormones. We followed up with an ultrasound at NC State, sought radiation treatment at Colorado State University, and have, in the past 24 weeks, come to know regulation of his blood sugar, a cat that is not constantly ravenous, and one that behaves much like he used to. He’d STILL sell his soul (or mine) for a bowl of high carb Kitt-N-Kaboodle, but no longer do I catch him riding the canned goods on the lazy susan to eat egg noodles – or breaking into dog & cat kibble in two different kinds of Tupperware cannisters!
Grayson spent the holidays at his Grandma’s house. After NOT REALLY meeting the 20# weight limit for an on-board pet & carrier (he was 19.2 pounds on Monday), he experienced an emergency landing (plane had to return to Raleigh for mechanical issues), met the whole family including my sister Corky, who had provisions ready for him, my cousin Renee who stopped in for a visit, and his furry cousins and their family from Minnesota. One day, while I went to Chicago with Carol’s family, he even played hide-n-seek with Carol and Grandma (“I couldn’t believe that BIG cat could fit under the bed!”) & was rescued by my nephew Noah. And he hung out on the couch with Mom’s dog Bess.
For the time being, we have no travel plans. Last year we went for his treatment, and I spent a week in Arizona with Sonia and her family for Amanda’s graduation. Grayson is happy to be home, where he can spend his days upside-down under the table in his “bunny paws” position, and hanging out with his furry siblings, including Dom and Jack (who don’t bark at him!).
2012 was a tough one for me, but provided a very valuable learning opportunity. I can dance on my toes while his blood sugar dips into healthy numbers without panic now. I can “shoot the greens.” I can learn from and believe things I read on the internet – and even help my veterinarians learn too! I have close friends all over the world that I’ve never met who’ve helped me through the trials of feline diabetes. I have helped others who are just beginning to learn “the dance.” My boy is healthy and happy again (although not “off the juice”), thanks to the many people we’ve met along the way. And I have a very optimistic outlook for 2013.
Thank you all for your continued support along Grayson’s Journey.
Lu-Ann
