Doug N Libby
Member Since 2012
(I apologize, in advance, for the length and possible rambling...)
I've been procrastinating about posting because I'm a fountain even typing. We've been around a while, posting much less since the forum changed and since we were kind of doing our own thing, tweaking it for our boy. Most of the people we started with are gone and I still miss them terribly. I miss the chatting and sharing our lives even more than the dosing information. I KNOW that it was no happy accident that led me to FDMB and the people who gave me almost 7 extra years with my boy. THANK YOU just doesn't BEGIN to cover it.
Maybe a month ago, Hershey started slowing down. He couldn't always jump onto the couch successfully bringing his back legs with him. I got him a stool and he finally started using it. The day before Thanksgiving (11/21) he started showing real weakness in his back legs and not being able to stand for long, as well as walking funny. That Friday, we took him to our son's vet because ours was closed (and we were displeased with our last visit there). This vet was GREAT; I wish we'd found him sooner. He was encouraging and supportive and so impressed that we'd been home testing/giving insulin for almost 7 years and how educated we were about FD and our kitty. They gave him fluids and a Cerenia shot. I told him I had a friend who offered to instruct me, but I just didn't think I could give fluids at home. He said, "You've been giving insulin shots for 7 years?? You've got this!" He lost an 18-year old cat to kidney disease and offered insight from that perspective, as well. He started Hershey on phosphorus binders, Mirtazapine, and ordered potassium.
We went back the following week for fluids and initial supplies to start fluids at home three times a week. Doug managed to get one dose of potassium in him (which he choked on). Then started all of those second guessing moments like when he was first diagnosed...What if...I'd taken him in sooner? Done this or that differently?? He did so well with the first two doses of fluids that I really had hope for a few months, but it seems that was not to be.
He started refusing all Wellness. Switched him to Whole Earth Farms Chicken. (PSA: Petco is going to stop selling Whole Earth Farms!) Then refused that. Just Sheba beef. Then, refused that. They, WEF Duck. That lasted almost a whole day. Yesterday, he refused food and water. Last night, my son went to PetSmart to pick up new foods to try in a last ditch effort to rally the troops. This morning, my husband got a bite or so of Arctic Char & Spinach in him. So, he lingers....
This is Hershey's second day refusing food or water. He acts like he wants them, especially the water. He even made his way to water bowl (which is painful to watch him staggering around), but then didn't seem to know how to get the water. I tried holding the bowl at different heights, even wetting my finger and putting it to his mouth, but his tongue doesn't come out. I tried him on the Arctic Char & Spinach. He smelled it, but no tongue or open mouth. I offered a shrimp treat. He sniffed it and moved his face on it like he wanted it, but didn't know exactly what to do with it.
Last night, he started doing this thing with his mouth, too. He'd open it, but it'd be like he was holding his breath and releasing it with a *puff* noise. He also started acting like he was going to choke or be sick. During these spells, he'd jump to his feet and jump off the chair with great urgency like he needed to go take care of something. I wondered if his noises were the kitty equivalent of the noises my Daddy used to make that were from acid, so Doug tried him on Pepcid this morning, which he said was an ordeal!
For some time he enjoyed those pretty blues with a fair number of greens sprinkled in there on .25u to zero line. (Which amazed the vet!) Then, he started his days 200+ and dropped into upper 20's low 30's. This is the second day his numbers have stayed in the 500's like his body has given completely up and he's either stressed or in pain and is just done. Doug is making the call for us to take him in tomorrow morning. I'm praying he goes peacefully in his sleep tonight.
My son and DIL came this morning to say their goodbyes. My son hugged me extra long and hard before leaving. Sometimes he's SO sweet.
I keep thinking of just one more thing to try, but I know I'm being selfish.
Let me just brag on my sweet boy for a minute. He has only wet in his carrier twice in the 16-1/2 years we've had him. He'd rather burst than go outside of his LB. Once, our car broke down on the way home from the vet so we hung out at my parents' while they fixed it. Took Hershey out on the grass and he gave me a look like, 'You've GOT to be kidding me!' and held it until we got home. Last night, as he'd have a spell, he'd jump up in urgency and jump off the chair, if I didn't stop him. Once, he tried all routes, but I caught him, laid him back on the towel and...HE PEED! He gave me this look like, 'Just LOOK what YOU made me do!' This morning, Doug said he was almost distended because his bladder was so full. Said he took him to the LB, but no luck. When I got up, I took him and you could tell it was awkward for him with me supporting his weight (since he can no longer stand for more than a couple of seconds) but he went! Even nigh unto death, he doesn't want to go outside of the LB!
16 years 9 months and 5 days (tomorrow). It's never long enough. Thank y'all for your thoughts, prayers, and kind words over the years. It's amazing how close you can feel with people you've never seen and wouldn't recognize them if you fell over them at Costco! HUGS to you all!
Love,
Doug and Libby (and Hershey, too!)
12/05:
AMPS (517) +12.5 - Had planned to shoot a little early, trying to give him some relief, but goodbyes had me distracted.
12/04:
+3 (HI)
PMPS (544) +14.5 - I have no idea what happened to my mind! Shot time was at a time it's never been at and maybe that's what threw me? I just don't
+10.5 (332)
+3 (276)
AMPS (432) .3 (+13.25 - slept through alarm)
12/03:
+8.75 (55)
+7.75 (38) - karo + food
+5 (60) ate almost whole meal
PMPS (440/480) .4
+7.5 (198)
AMPS (194) fat zero
+6.25 (37) karo - food
+5.35 (31) karo - food
12/02:
PMPS (223) .25
+8.25 (148)
AMPS (244) .25
+5.75 (37) karo - food
+5 (29) karo - food
12/01:
PMPS (252) .25
+7.67 (183)
AMPS (256) .25
+6.67 (52)
+5.67 (37) karo - food
+4 (30) karo - food
11/30:
PMPS (230) .25
+11 (163)
+5.5 (35) karo - food
+5 (30) karo - food
+3 (28) karo - food
AMPS (53) fat zero (Couldn't skip & shoot before church Sun)
I've been procrastinating about posting because I'm a fountain even typing. We've been around a while, posting much less since the forum changed and since we were kind of doing our own thing, tweaking it for our boy. Most of the people we started with are gone and I still miss them terribly. I miss the chatting and sharing our lives even more than the dosing information. I KNOW that it was no happy accident that led me to FDMB and the people who gave me almost 7 extra years with my boy. THANK YOU just doesn't BEGIN to cover it.
Maybe a month ago, Hershey started slowing down. He couldn't always jump onto the couch successfully bringing his back legs with him. I got him a stool and he finally started using it. The day before Thanksgiving (11/21) he started showing real weakness in his back legs and not being able to stand for long, as well as walking funny. That Friday, we took him to our son's vet because ours was closed (and we were displeased with our last visit there). This vet was GREAT; I wish we'd found him sooner. He was encouraging and supportive and so impressed that we'd been home testing/giving insulin for almost 7 years and how educated we were about FD and our kitty. They gave him fluids and a Cerenia shot. I told him I had a friend who offered to instruct me, but I just didn't think I could give fluids at home. He said, "You've been giving insulin shots for 7 years?? You've got this!" He lost an 18-year old cat to kidney disease and offered insight from that perspective, as well. He started Hershey on phosphorus binders, Mirtazapine, and ordered potassium.
We went back the following week for fluids and initial supplies to start fluids at home three times a week. Doug managed to get one dose of potassium in him (which he choked on). Then started all of those second guessing moments like when he was first diagnosed...What if...I'd taken him in sooner? Done this or that differently?? He did so well with the first two doses of fluids that I really had hope for a few months, but it seems that was not to be.
He started refusing all Wellness. Switched him to Whole Earth Farms Chicken. (PSA: Petco is going to stop selling Whole Earth Farms!) Then refused that. Just Sheba beef. Then, refused that. They, WEF Duck. That lasted almost a whole day. Yesterday, he refused food and water. Last night, my son went to PetSmart to pick up new foods to try in a last ditch effort to rally the troops. This morning, my husband got a bite or so of Arctic Char & Spinach in him. So, he lingers....
This is Hershey's second day refusing food or water. He acts like he wants them, especially the water. He even made his way to water bowl (which is painful to watch him staggering around), but then didn't seem to know how to get the water. I tried holding the bowl at different heights, even wetting my finger and putting it to his mouth, but his tongue doesn't come out. I tried him on the Arctic Char & Spinach. He smelled it, but no tongue or open mouth. I offered a shrimp treat. He sniffed it and moved his face on it like he wanted it, but didn't know exactly what to do with it.
Last night, he started doing this thing with his mouth, too. He'd open it, but it'd be like he was holding his breath and releasing it with a *puff* noise. He also started acting like he was going to choke or be sick. During these spells, he'd jump to his feet and jump off the chair with great urgency like he needed to go take care of something. I wondered if his noises were the kitty equivalent of the noises my Daddy used to make that were from acid, so Doug tried him on Pepcid this morning, which he said was an ordeal!
For some time he enjoyed those pretty blues with a fair number of greens sprinkled in there on .25u to zero line. (Which amazed the vet!) Then, he started his days 200+ and dropped into upper 20's low 30's. This is the second day his numbers have stayed in the 500's like his body has given completely up and he's either stressed or in pain and is just done. Doug is making the call for us to take him in tomorrow morning. I'm praying he goes peacefully in his sleep tonight.
My son and DIL came this morning to say their goodbyes. My son hugged me extra long and hard before leaving. Sometimes he's SO sweet.
I keep thinking of just one more thing to try, but I know I'm being selfish.
Let me just brag on my sweet boy for a minute. He has only wet in his carrier twice in the 16-1/2 years we've had him. He'd rather burst than go outside of his LB. Once, our car broke down on the way home from the vet so we hung out at my parents' while they fixed it. Took Hershey out on the grass and he gave me a look like, 'You've GOT to be kidding me!' and held it until we got home. Last night, as he'd have a spell, he'd jump up in urgency and jump off the chair, if I didn't stop him. Once, he tried all routes, but I caught him, laid him back on the towel and...HE PEED! He gave me this look like, 'Just LOOK what YOU made me do!' This morning, Doug said he was almost distended because his bladder was so full. Said he took him to the LB, but no luck. When I got up, I took him and you could tell it was awkward for him with me supporting his weight (since he can no longer stand for more than a couple of seconds) but he went! Even nigh unto death, he doesn't want to go outside of the LB!
16 years 9 months and 5 days (tomorrow). It's never long enough. Thank y'all for your thoughts, prayers, and kind words over the years. It's amazing how close you can feel with people you've never seen and wouldn't recognize them if you fell over them at Costco! HUGS to you all!
Love,
Doug and Libby (and Hershey, too!)
12/05:
AMPS (517) +12.5 - Had planned to shoot a little early, trying to give him some relief, but goodbyes had me distracted.
12/04:
+3 (HI)
PMPS (544) +14.5 - I have no idea what happened to my mind! Shot time was at a time it's never been at and maybe that's what threw me? I just don't
+10.5 (332)
+3 (276)
AMPS (432) .3 (+13.25 - slept through alarm)
12/03:
+8.75 (55)
+7.75 (38) - karo + food
+5 (60) ate almost whole meal
PMPS (440/480) .4
+7.5 (198)
AMPS (194) fat zero
+6.25 (37) karo - food
+5.35 (31) karo - food
12/02:
PMPS (223) .25
+8.25 (148)
AMPS (244) .25
+5.75 (37) karo - food
+5 (29) karo - food
12/01:
PMPS (252) .25
+7.67 (183)
AMPS (256) .25
+6.67 (52)
+5.67 (37) karo - food
+4 (30) karo - food
11/30:
PMPS (230) .25
+11 (163)
+5.5 (35) karo - food
+5 (30) karo - food
+3 (28) karo - food
AMPS (53) fat zero (Couldn't skip & shoot before church Sun)
Last edited:
