We use AT--if you do decide to use it as back up you can use the freestyle strips with it instead of the AT strips--is about 1/2 the cost of the AT strips and I recently tested with both multiple times and it was either spot on or wishing 8 points. If you get the starter kit I think you get 30 strips with it as well as lancets.
Here's my email address, you are always welcome to write. write2bhappy@yahoo.com. I might be a little slow to respond, but I will always answer! Once the semester is over, that will help my perception of time!
Hey Pat121 -- Sorry it took me a bit to answer. I totally understand the overwhelm!! My oldest boy kitty, Theo (aka, PuPu), 14, is in renal failure, moving into 4th stage. He also has a heart murmur and hyperesthesia. I cannot believe I am dealing with both him and CoCo Beanie at the same time, poor prognosis for both (I also have three, younger kitties, who all just turned 4 years old). Then Beanie has high blood pressure, on top of the diabetes, IBD and/or lymphoma -- and we're both still trying to adjust to her new blindness. I feel like every day there is some sort of small change -- there are good days and not-so-good ones -- it is truly a roller coaster here.
I spend about 4 hours a day on meds, food prep, glucose testing, insulin injections -- then subcutaneous fluids every 1-3 days (I have to have help with that) and B-12 injections every two weeks.....I feel so broken down. But I don't want it to be like I'm complaining -- I tell God I'd rather keep doing this (as long as tbey feel good) to still have them with me. I beg them to want to stay with me.....my heart is breaking every single day because the writing is on the wall.
I have 6 weeks left to my last semester for my masters degree, it's an awful semester -- I pray they can both hold out till at least then. I'm a teaching assistant for 5 professors/5 classes and I've been buried since the start -- I feel beyond exhausted, on all levels. I have chronic health issues and pain, physical and mental, including an active blood clot. My depression/anxiety has been exacerbated and there are some dark times. My fur babies are my world, truly my kids in this life, and I'll continue doing what I can for them. I feel at times it's not enough -- but I have to push away those thoughts and repeat to myself I'm doing the best I can -- as I'm sure you are.
In the beginning, when I also had issues with trying to poke her ears, I had asked my vet and a tech about the feet. They both (separately) said it is more painful than their ears, as there are many more nerve ending in their foot pads -- and very few in the ear tips. You know how our fingertips can be sore with one little poke -- but then each time we're doing things, grasping stuff, etc., we continue to feel that. That's also what goes on with the kitties and their feet, they will have to keep putting pressure on those points, versus the ears. I was concerned about potential bacteria entry points with the feet, when they step into the litter box, for example. But the bottom line is, you have to find a way that you can personally handle, because no matter how much we don't like to do the checks, it is important for them. You will do it!
. (((HUGS)))
Oh, thank you. I am struggling with the "I killed my cat" stuff, and feeling a little like I let him down and went the "easy" route of getting rid of him. I have almost come to grips with the fact that at the farm where he lived, two male cats seemed to have fathered LOTS of these kittens, and since there were 40 or so there, likely some of the siblings mated. Not sure if that had anything to do with all his issues, but trying to convince myself that had I noticed some things sooner, I just might have still lost him. I still can't talk about him without crying, so everyone knows we just don't go there yet.
Hello, Pat -- Now it's time to ask you to forgive me for my delay in answering. It's interesting that you last wrote me and said you were thinking of me on May 13 -- that was the day I had to let Callie go . . . I had a mobile vet come to the house and held her on the bed, her "happy place." I was pretty much non-functioning for the first week -- just did the absolute minimum for myself, Theo, and the three "kidiots." I'm still not much better. I'm crying less now, I guess, but doing more to avoid the feelings, for a reprieve. She was my heart, my protector, my beloved fur daughter -- I still can't believe at times she's gone.
Hello, Pat -- Now it's time to ask you to forgive me for my delay in answering. It's interesting that you last wrote me and said you were thinking of me on May 13 -- that was the day I had to let Callie go . . . I had a mobile vet come to the house and held her on the bed, her "happy place." I was pretty much non-functioning for the first week -- just did the absolute minimum for myself, Theo, and the three "kidiots." I'm still not much better. I'm crying less now, I guess, but doing more to avoid the feelings, for a reprieve. She was my heart, my protector, my beloved fur daughter -- I still can't believe at times she's gone.
Theo has never been a "hiding cat" and yet he has just started to do so in the past week. When the front door is open, he goes behind it and faces the corner. Pat, if I lose him anytime soon, I don't know how I could cope. I'm having to do his subcutaneous fluids every 24-30 hours now. I'm just lost and can't seem to find a way out of this despair. Consequence of a deceased family, divorce, AND not having human kids -- I've "invested" a great deal into the relationships with my fur companions . . .
How have you been doing/healing?
Thank you so much for reaching out, thinking of us, and your kind words!!
. (((HUGS)))
I sent an email, but some days AOL seems to reject things. I'm pat0829@aol and I'm Pat Boschen on FB, and there's a picture of Beauregard there rather than me.Hiya, Pat!
I want to answer you, but think it'd be better at this point to have our chats via our emails, versus this forum -- is that ok? My email: write2bhappy@yahoo.com. Just drop me a quick note, then I'll answer your last message to me properly, ok? Or, if you want to connect on Facebook, my name there is Christina Radatz Sachs.