Insulin starts tomorrow

[cjsmith]

Got home, got answering machine message from vet: come in for a prescription and a demo.

Comments

[ambar.livejournal.com]

The good news is that subcutaneous shots are Really Really Easy on cats. She probably won't even notice the needle after the first 3 or so.

*hugs*

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I read somewhere that they're supposed to be intramuscular, but I've heard more people say subcutaneous. I guess I'll ask that too. The question pile is growing.

[ambar.livejournal.com]

I don't know about insulin shots specifically -- never had a diabetic cat to treat.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'll know what my vet says about it in a couple of hours! :)

[therobbergirl.livejournal.com]

For humans anyway, it's subcutaneous.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks - I didn't know even that. :-)

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you have a vet who's really on the ball!

Good luck with the insulin. I hope it works out well -- both in terms of Duchess's health, and in terms of your administering it!


(Being careful to click Preview this time when I want a preview instead of Post Comment and having the comment go up before I'm finished writing it!)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Deep breath... I'll report tomorrow and let everyone know whether I fainted.

[tsjafo.livejournal.com]

Prayers and good thoughts on the way.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much. All I've heard says this is quite treatable, but it's been years since I've been near a needle and not gone into something akin to shock, so I have a bit of learning / accustoming to do.

[airporter.livejournal.com]

You'll be fine, luv, and you've said Duchess is a quiet little trooper. The vet continues to sound great, and you'll likely be able to get the injection routine pat in short order.

Best of!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! As long as I don't faint. Neeeeeeeeedle...

(I'm the one who hates needles so much she gets dental work done without. This needlephobia is now something I no longer have the luxury of ignoring; I've got to be able to use one. It'll be an interesting adjustment.)

[airporter.livejournal.com]

Now you're on the other side of the needle - this could be a good thing.

'CJ becomes a nurse', episode 1.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Even watching is bad. A vet tried to train me to do subcutaneous fluids once. The cat was purring up a storm, and me, I wound up on the floor seeing everything in shades of gray. I'll have to get past this, but it may not be quick!

[nosrednayduj]

Don't forget to ask about home testing. You'll want vet monitoring for the first little while, but after that the convenience and price of home testing will be appealing.

It's a pain to get the drop from the ear -- I found warming the ear for a few minutes with a hot washcloth wrapped in a plastic bag helped a lot. Also a flashlight shined on the back of the ear can help you locate the vein that runs around the edge. You don't really want to hit the vein, you'll get a gusher then, you want to hit close to it to get the capillaries nearby.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yes, I definitely want home testing capability. Thanks for the reminder. So that's something I'd start after she's initially stabilized?

[nosrednayduj]

Yes, I'd say so.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Cool - so I have time to go get the test kit. I want the Karo syrup now, though, right?

[nosrednayduj]

Yes, although honey will also work. I used honey because we didn't have karo at the time of the first emergency and then didn't bother to lay in a supply, since honey had worked. Karo's supposed to be best, so if you haven't anything resembling it already, go ahead and get that. And good job on the first shot!

[wooddragon.livejournal.com]

I think and hope you'll find that when you are doing it for someone you love, you get right past it.

I will be interested to see your technique. I was moderately successful, but I'd like to be more successful in the future should I ever need to do this again (I didn't get any 'practical' training, as the cat and I were never at the vet at a time when I could get shown).

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I hope so! Thanks.

Oh wow, you managed without anyone to show you at all? I'm impressed! O'course my level of medical savvy is limited to first aid and Google searches, so maybe I need the help more. ;-)

[hnybny.livejournal.com]

You can do it!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Intellectually I know I can but those pesky emotion things are not getting with the program.