Dear Lukes mom (eventually we'll have to call you something more personal, no last names are needed). Take a deep breath and we'll start from the beginning. What looks and sounds easy for many of us was terrifying at one time. I've never forgotten our first week hovering over Nigel wondering if we had just killed our cat, he was having a nap. I also had a wonderful vet that wouldn't let me leave the clinic until I got everything right, then she phoned us twice a day for 14 straight days adjusting his dose. That was lucky for us and now you need the same. I know this is all a lot to take on but thousands of us have all started from nothing and we haven't forgotten what that was like. One thing at a time.
If any of this sounds condescending just ignore it. I have a brain injury, some evil OCD, ADHD and a bit of dyslexia so I'm strictly a visual learner. I can only do this sitting in front of a big monitor using a mouse. You mentioned navigating the site. The forum you're in now is the right one for the basic questions. You'll get a lot more info that will always be relevant in what we call the Stickys, they're clearly marked and appear at the top of most forums. What I had to do was print out everything, turn off the world and curl up on the sofa with a hi-liter and hundreds of sheets of paper. Later you'll figure out what's most important. Some of these things were plastered all over our fridge. God bless fridge magnets.
In 'Health Links / FAQs about Feline Diabetes' you'll find everything you need to know about a Hypo episode. This is a 911 thing that cannot be ignored. Keep that next to maps, phone numbers and the hours of your vet, an alternate vet and the nearest emergency clinic.
I used Caninsulin insulin, called Vetsulin in other parts of the world. In 'Caninsulin / Vetsulin and N / NPH' you'll find Stickys about when to feed before testing, syringes to use and a lot more. What we're doing is running our own little veterinary clinic at home so you need to self educate. I use Windows so instead of printing entire pages I would copy and paste (again, I can't function without a mouse) what I needed into Notepad, then into a Word document. Notepad loads quicker but doesn't spell check and uses tiny font. That way you can edit out the stuff you already know.
The Board. Some new members are under the impression there's someone here 24/7 running the show. This is all done by volunteers so a 3:00AM emergency post may not get an immediate reply. We do have members from all over the planet in different time zones. Basically the board is trusting us not to burn down the house while they're not here. Don't name vets or people you hate, be patient, understanding and kind. Help will come.
Your emotions. Most of us have lost it at some point, we're all human. I've shredded Noah's ears and had Nigel run into the basement with a syringe hanging off his butt. Don't be afraid to cry or share your fears and phobias, that's what friends are for and I've made many new friends here over the years. Internet "friends" was a strange concept to me at one time, I got over it.
Stupid questions. That doesn't happen here. If anyone is truly nasty to you report it to the board and never ever be afraid to say the wrong word or ask the simplest question. Yes our cats have arms, I call them the wrong names when I'm tired and often forget where the thing-a-majig is.
The right way. There is no right way to poke holes in a cat, it's whatever works for you. Nigel would leap on the table where I spread out a beach towel to test him, the ideal patient. Noah was nervous so I had to sing the Mockingbird song to him. N2C No two cats are ever the same.
That's it for now.
