Didn't faint

[cjsmith]

I got through the demo mostly okay. Only afterward did it hit me. I spent a good ten minutes sitting on the floor feeling cold and clammy and numb, but I got down there in a controlled manner.

Not too bad.

The vet tech and the office manager were both very helpful. The office manager in particular deserves a very nice thank-you note, as this is the second time in less than a week that she's seen me all apprehensive about what I'm getting into and has taken the extra time to talk to me, give me helpful hints, reassure me, and answer questions. She's superb.

Duchess was fine throughout. I'm not at all sure she knew she was getting a shot. (Either that or, after we picked up folds of skin and poked fingers at them about 3846 times, she was thinking well FINALLY.) The demo was with saline, since I hadn't filled (or indeed even picked up) my prescriptions yet, so she'll get her first real dose this evening.

Errands now: post office, pharmacy, groceries.

Comments

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

Yay for CJ! You made it! And I'm so glad Duchess was okay with the whole thing ... in the long run, I think shots are probably easier to give than pills because the cat usually doesn't mind. (Shots are much more of a nuisance to prepare, though -- so the aggravation value probably evens out, although it's better when it's easier on the cat.)

(Remind me of that if Val ever gets a diagnosis of diabetes. He's due for a checkup, and at his age and weight -- both pretty well up there -- I'll be surprised if he doesn't have it.)

You'll get used to giving the shots. When someone you love needs care, you find the resources to give it.

And when you have a phobia, constant exposure really does reduce it. My dentaphobia was so bad that I was terrified of even getting a cleaning, and had to take Valium in order to get through it. Now after all the times I've been in there, the only time I need a tranquilizer is when drilling is involved. I'm so used to going that I can manage pretty much anything else on my own by now.

You'll be the same way with the needles -- giving them to Duchess will eventually become just a routine inconvenience.

=BIG HUGS=

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Phew! Thanks! :-) Duchess is a good-tempered cat, too, which helps a great deal. If jackiecat ever gets this diagnosis -- and like you with Val, I worry, for the same reasons -- she'll be a lot harder to care for. I might not be able.

I think you're right that repeated exposure will help this one. I find it pretty annoying that the symptoms of my needle-hatred are so PHYSICAL; I can't "go on despite it" when it happens, because my muscles quit responding. But I do expect it'll get a lot better over time.

[sharya.livejournal.com]

Yeah I suspect you'll get a lot faster with it too. Once you have the needle ready, it will turn into a 5 second event. When I had to do it with Boots, he didn't even notice I was doing anything. We always gave him treats afterwards though, so he did grow to expect that when he was grabbed by the scruff he'd get a treat soon afterwards :P