1st Test!!!

We did it! I think the dumb bean hit the vein on the third try (or at least went all the way through ) but I got blood!!

Those 28 guage lancets did the trick. Now to teach Nikki to sit still long enough for me to put pressure on her ear....

ETA: How do I get my columns to fill color on my spreadsheet automatically?

 

Welcome to the Vampire Club! for your first successful poke on Nikki.

Those larger gauge lancets (25-26, 28) labeled for 'alternate site testing' can be easier to use in the first couple of weeks. The 30-31 gauge lancets are much finer and make a much smaller hole and more difficult to get blood at first.

Spreadsheet color coding Should be automatic. Let me go look at your sheet.

Ok, the 511 you got is color coded in black and that is the correct color for that number range. If you look at the top of the spreadsheet, there are a group of color coded cells with numbers in them. When your number falls into one of those ranges, the cell gets coded to that color. It's part of the conditional color coding built into the spreadsheet template we ask people to use.
For example, a BG between 300-399 gets color coded a bright pink.

Do you see what I am talking about? To confirm, tell me what color a BG in the range of 40-99 gets color coded to.

 

I just went in and figured out the conditional formatting. For some reason my sheet didn't have formatting for over 500. I'm all set up now!

Poor Nikki though. She really doesn't appreciate all this ear poking and shot giving.....

 

Congrats on the first test!

 

I know she doesn't. :YMSIGH: {{{big hug}}} to you to help you feel better.

Sometimes, we have to do things to our kitties that we really, really hate to do but know it will make them feel better. Weather that something is giving them a pill, brushing out a bad mat in their fur, giving them a bath because they got something sticky on their fur or poking them with a needle to get a blood test and shot, we know that we need to do it.

In time, as she starts to act like her old self again, you will know it was all worth it, no matter that it was really hard and stressful on the both of you.

Be sure to give her lots of hugs, play time, an extra low carb treat, sweet talk her and tell her how much you love her. She already knows that but a little extra loving never hurts.

 

Saw you got the conditional formatting.

I wrote instructions here.

 

Thanks for all the help and advice! It's particularly tricky because I am afraid to get her gastro issues going with treats. I've found if I take a tiny bit of the BFF food I use for my non sugar baby and mix it with a ton of water, she's so busy drinking the mix that I can get a test in without much fuss. And so far just a tiny amount of that food each day doesn't seem to bother her. I'm glad I'm finally testing as she seems to still be high and I can use this info to call the vet next week and get her dose increased sooner.

 

This food issue is killing me. Just giving her a little non-script food (maybe half a teaspoon total, mixed with water over several ear testings) has given Nikki diarrhea again. So I've had to scale back testing as I have no other way to reward her (pats and 'good girls!' don't do it for her). *sigh*

Think I'll need to speak to the vet though as her numbers are very high. Not sure if it's stress from this new routine, the carbs in her food, or both but I think we need to try a higher dose sooner rather than later....

 

How does she do w/ FortiFlora? Sometimes it helps.

 

On it's own it didn't help much. I almost suspect that she may have a pancreatic issue. Although her ultrasound last December was normal, the only food she can tolerate is the z/d. We tried aloe, enzymes, omega-3's, probiotics, and a variety of low residue and hypoallergenic foods. We were hoping that her loosing weight would calm any inflammation, but she still can't tolerate regular food. It's frustrating, because I know I could get the diabetes under control but her underlying issues will probably prevent it. We'll see, she may surprise me yet again.

 

Testing does get easier! Zoozey gave me tons and tons of trouble at first, and for awhile he seemed to take great pleasure in making me chase him (he would leisurely trot away, his tail high in the air). But now, 6 months into testing, he hops right up on my bed when it's time and it's much much easier to get blood.
Good luck with everything!