Letter to the Newly Diagnosed

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by milosmommy, Sep 21, 2010.

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  1. milosmommy

    milosmommy Member

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2009
    Dear Newly Diagnosed Diabetic:

    My name is Milo and I am 9 years old. In November 2007 my mommy received the news that I was diabetic. She had noticed I was drinking more, I would clank my water bowl around because it was empty. My litter box was full all the time also. The vet took my blood and my levels were in the 300's. The vet showed mommy how to give me 1U of PZI, gave here syringes and sent us on our way. We also had the big bag of dry Hills Diabetic catfood...I LOVE THIS STUFF!! Mommy went home and cried wondering how she was going to give me shots everyday and how I was feeling. She was not happy with the way the vet treated us so a few days later we went to a new vet who was much more helpful and told her the same things but was much friendlier. We stayed at this vet until August 2009. Every year I would go in for my physical and get my shots. The vet would ask how I was doing and mommy would say fine. My grandpa learned to give me shots so my family could go on vacation and I would go stay with grandma and grandpa. I had fun making him chase me around the house but I would get at least one shot a day from him. I was very good when mommy gave me a shot. Mommy didn't realize that every time I went for my physical the vet should be checking my blood levels....

    In August 2009 mommy noticed I was drinking more water again and my litter box was full. She called to make an appointment to take me in to the nice vet but all the said to do was increase my insulin to 2U twice a day. Mommy did this but something didn't seem right to her. She started reading about feline diabetes online and found this site. She tried another time to make an appointment not feeling comfortable increasing my insulin without seeing a vet and having bloodwork done. The vet once again said just try for a couple weeks and see what happens. Mommy made a call and we went to a new vet at the kitty care clinic. The new vet was young and mommy was worried when he walked in but we LOVE HIM! He took my blood and could not believe that it had not been checked in two years since my original diagnosis. My levels were in the 400's, he also told mommy to check my glucose at home and she bought an AlphaTrak meter from them. We cried again as mommy learned to poke my ear, mommy had to give me 2U twice a day and do curves for the vet. She cried when my numbers were in the 300's to 600.

    My daddy told mommy about this site. She came and read and read and posted. She started to learn that she needed to check glucose all the time and how BAD that food was the vet told us to use. The DRY food was not good for me. So mommy read through the Fancy Feast list and went out and bought wet food for me. I decided that I liked it lots. She would post questions here and people were so nice and helpful to her. They would tell her an amount to give me of insulin if my levels were lower. It was so scary for mommy to trust people she didn't know who were not vets but she had read through so many posts here about kitties going off insulin or having the amounts reduced (the vet had said we might even have to up to 3U twice a day if numbers didn't go down). After a few days on the Fancy Feast without dry food my levels went down, and mommy decreased insulin more and more.

    On September 21, 2009 I received my FINAL dose of insulin. Mommy was poking my ears (mainly just my left one cause my right one doesn't like to bleed) several times a day to check levels. They stayed low. After a couple weeks people said mommy didn't need to poke my ears much...she had also received a human meter and learned that she could buy test strips on ebay. People here are so smart and helpful!!! Now mommy just pokes my ear once or twice a month and my glucose ranges in the 50's - 70's. I feel so much better...I have lost 4 pounds and have so much energy. Before I would sleep all the time. Now I am awake most of the day with a short afternoon nap.

    My new vet had never heard of the lowcarb diet. Mommy copied the list of foods, copied my levels from the chart people here told her to use, she copied info from this site. He can't believe how well I am doing and that a lowcarb diet worked. At the start he said to keep me on the dry food, but mommy listened to the people here and didn't let me eat that. I haven't had dry food in a year, I miss it but when mommy is gone I eat out of my electronic feeder which people here told us about.

    As I celebrate my one year anniversary I want you to know even though you were just diagnosed things will get better. Your mommy will learn so much from this site. You might not go off insulin like I did, but your mommy can learn that lowcarb food is a key, testing at home is a key, trusting the people on this site is a key, learning all they can is a key, changing vets if you are not happy or comfortable is a key and trusting their instincts is key. It was hard for my mommy to change vets, to trust people she didn't know and to go against what the vet thought (my daddy thought she was crazy too) but she proved that learning all you can and working with everyone can make a difference. I feel so much better and know my mommy loves me so much!

    If your mommy or daddy is having a hard time tell them to post here....the people here love kitties and are so helpful. Tell them if they can't take care of you there is someone out there who can take care of you. Having diabetes is not a fatal disease, we can live happy healthy lives but just need some help.

    Today I am celebrating one year off insulin and want you to know how thankful I am my mommy found this site. I hope you feel better soon.....we have tears of happiness today and have lots of prayers for all the sick kitties and worried and scared mommies!

    Love
    Milo and mommy

    By the way....the vet laughed at me last week when I told him about snacks I eat. I enjoy muscle milk (protein milk and it is chocolate flavor), cocoa puffs milk, chicken and basil pasta, taco meat, chicken, pork, etc. Yes, I only eat the 'bad' snacks once in a while and a small amounts. On Sunday I did get two helpings of basil pasta mixed with chicken which in sooo good! My mommy does check my glucose after those things and I stay right in what my body says is a normal range.
     
  2. Sue and Oliver (GA)

    Sue and Oliver (GA) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Awwww Milo and Mommy, that's beautiful. Thanks for posting it.
     
  3. Hope + (((Baby)))GA

    Hope + (((Baby)))GA Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Happy 1year OTJ Anniversary! What a wonderful post to read and so happy for you and Milo.
     
  4. dbg

    dbg New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2010
    Happy one year anniversay. What a lovely inspirational post. (have just changed my cats diet thanks to this site).
     
  5. Linda and Mandy

    Linda and Mandy Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2009
    Milo, Loved your letter. Congrats to you and mommy.
     
  6. Libby & Callie

    Libby & Callie Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2010
    What a wonderful letter. I am holding out hope for Callie, that she can do as well. But no matter what, we will keep at it and she will be a much healthier and happier cat now that I have this site to help. Libby and Callie
     
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