heido
Member Since 2018
Hi! I'm Heidi and I'm still in some kind of shock. I've accepted that my 11 year old Milo is now a diabetic and will need insulin shots twice a day. I'm cool with giving them and I'm more than capable. I'm medically well versed thanks to being my mother's caregiver for many years throughout my life and being chronically ill myself. Milo was diagnosed this past Friday, May 4th, 2018.
My Care Credit was declined at the office. I had just made a payment the day before. The office said that might have been the problem. I couldn't afford his insulin or syringes. I barely made the office and testing fees. I carried a balance and was lucky to walk out with that. I was crying at the desk. Saturday morning I made a posting about my problems and out of nowhere a few of my longtime friends and a few strangers made some donations to help pay the bill, get the insulin and syringes. I'm extremely grateful to these people. I had also applied for help from a charity for help. I will need that help in the future, I'm sure. I'm on a fixed income and permanently disabled.
I think my main problem with the giving the shot issue is finding enough loose skin to make the tent. I had two cats go through renal failure and giving them fluids was a breeze. Giving this tiny little shot should be the easiest thing on earth, right?! Ha! He's a big boy, a ragdoll mix. He's got a lot of extra give to his fur but somehow when I go to give the shot it all goes away ... I think that's all in my head. It was there in the doctor's office when I practiced. I'm finding myself going back to the old faithful sweet spot of the shoulders when I'm frustrated.
The vet that saw Milo wanted him to start on Royal Canin dry food for diabetic cats, Glycobalance. I was told I could buy it online or their office. They gave me a handout that contradicted what they said about dry food by saying that wet food could be given with psyillum mixed in for fiber. I'm waiting for his regular vet to call me today so I can talk about this further. His diet before was Fancy Feast twice a day with Purina One Vitality left out for free feeding. He's mostly into the gooshy foods. I'm *absolutely* fine with keeping him on the wet food! When I read here and other sites that it's better for diabetic cats I was confused and to be honest, happy. I'm all for not changing his diet too much. Plus, there's another cat here, Roofus. Both cats have been on this feeding schedule for their entire life. Taking up the foods and making it a 12 hour enforced feeding was difficult enough this weekend, but I'm sticking to it. It's going to be hard to talk to my vet but I think he might be reasonable.
Now I need to get something for at home monitoring. I can't afford to go into the vet all the time. I can go maybe once a month.
This past year has been the hardest one ever. My mother and grandmother died 10 days apart in April 2017. Milo has never been far from my side. He's been my tether to the world at times. When I've felt like giving up I remember that I have Milo and Roofus and I cannot leave them. I've promised them that I would care for them until the day they die. They have been my caretakers.
Thank you for reading.
My Care Credit was declined at the office. I had just made a payment the day before. The office said that might have been the problem. I couldn't afford his insulin or syringes. I barely made the office and testing fees. I carried a balance and was lucky to walk out with that. I was crying at the desk. Saturday morning I made a posting about my problems and out of nowhere a few of my longtime friends and a few strangers made some donations to help pay the bill, get the insulin and syringes. I'm extremely grateful to these people. I had also applied for help from a charity for help. I will need that help in the future, I'm sure. I'm on a fixed income and permanently disabled.
I think my main problem with the giving the shot issue is finding enough loose skin to make the tent. I had two cats go through renal failure and giving them fluids was a breeze. Giving this tiny little shot should be the easiest thing on earth, right?! Ha! He's a big boy, a ragdoll mix. He's got a lot of extra give to his fur but somehow when I go to give the shot it all goes away ... I think that's all in my head. It was there in the doctor's office when I practiced. I'm finding myself going back to the old faithful sweet spot of the shoulders when I'm frustrated.
The vet that saw Milo wanted him to start on Royal Canin dry food for diabetic cats, Glycobalance. I was told I could buy it online or their office. They gave me a handout that contradicted what they said about dry food by saying that wet food could be given with psyillum mixed in for fiber. I'm waiting for his regular vet to call me today so I can talk about this further. His diet before was Fancy Feast twice a day with Purina One Vitality left out for free feeding. He's mostly into the gooshy foods. I'm *absolutely* fine with keeping him on the wet food! When I read here and other sites that it's better for diabetic cats I was confused and to be honest, happy. I'm all for not changing his diet too much. Plus, there's another cat here, Roofus. Both cats have been on this feeding schedule for their entire life. Taking up the foods and making it a 12 hour enforced feeding was difficult enough this weekend, but I'm sticking to it. It's going to be hard to talk to my vet but I think he might be reasonable.
Now I need to get something for at home monitoring. I can't afford to go into the vet all the time. I can go maybe once a month.
This past year has been the hardest one ever. My mother and grandmother died 10 days apart in April 2017. Milo has never been far from my side. He's been my tether to the world at times. When I've felt like giving up I remember that I have Milo and Roofus and I cannot leave them. I've promised them that I would care for them until the day they die. They have been my caretakers.
Thank you for reading.
Yes, it has been a profound loss. We were all very close. I spoke with my grams every single day and saw her in person often. I was Mom's caregiver and we lived together. Thankfully I still see my gramps for lunch every week. 
