? Pig 7/21 pmps +8 138; amps 113; +4 133; +5 68; +6 38; +6.25 51

Yesterday's

Well, it seems as if we are getting a hold on some of these bounces and getting closer to where we need to be. He is breaking this one far quicker than the last two, which says that this pesky toxicity is waning. We have not beat the bladder just yet, but we have made a massive amount of progress. I increased his Prazo by a third of his usual dose this morning to see how that goes. I am starting to think that Prazo has a cumulative effect. Also, I have noticed that him being in higher (or to low) numbers is one of the leading causes of retention. A month of regulation had him clear and we didn't blow that until I had to mess with dose to meet these reductions. Its a work in progress and we are making headway, that is for sure.

Yeah, so get this... How is this for treat manipulation @Wendy&Neko? I swear to Bastet, last night he pulled a very cunning fast one. I heard him moving the litter and waited a second so that I would not disrupt him. I peered around the corner to see what he was doing. This kitty was literally crouched with his tail end resting on the side of the LB. I thought he was peeing, but no. He was 'pretending' to pee... Seriously. As soon as he saw me he jumped up and chirped at me as if to say "Look what I just did!!! Now food!" And in fact, he kept going back to the box and just sitting or laying in it, just waiting. Every time I got near, he would jump up and chirp and run to the fridge. Clever little butt face...

Also, I have come to another wild revelation. These two boys teach me so much about life and myself everyday. Tail has taught me that it is okay to be a goofy, fun-loving ball of furry playdough. He has also taught me that everyone but Mom is a stranger, regardless of how many times you have met them and that it is okay to run into a small Tupperware box when you are scared. Pig teaches me that no matter how difficult times get there is always room to fight and that even through our pain we need to make time to be with those we love. He has also taught me that it is perfectly okay to intimidate others, especially if those said others have food, in particular pork cutlets... Because, well, food. And that its also okay to chase previously mentioned furry playdough cat into a small Tupperware box if he gets too close to you.

But, the lesson that I have learned in the past few weeks is just how important and integral establishing communication is. I have long been a proponent for clicker training, but not in the sense of training for tricks. I am not interested in jumping them through hoops, but I am interested in keeping them safe and healthy. For example, they have a recall command that I can use if they were to ever bolt out the door. We practice it periodically. This recent clicker training with his bladder has made such an impact on his health (he has greatly increased urination frequency even when not feeling well) that I cannot discount that. I have made up my mind and decided that when I finish this degree in a year and half (if they do not keep adding course requirements to it... Can they even do that? They added like 12 hours to the degree just this year... ) I am going to pursue a feline behavioral degree. As in, become a kitty trainer. Seriously, don't laugh. I am not joking. If I can utilize training (both cat and owner) to help a kitty live a happier life, then why not?? I see it as being a positive thing that can really improve upon quality of life. I bet I can take my English degree and my certification and write a tell all... lol. That would be awesome!

Enough rambling for the day. Sorry. Great days to all Kitties and Beans!

 

LOL that is just amazing. He is such a great kitteh. I would give him treats for just getting close to the box. You have him trained real well.

And it sounds like Tail is doing great too. I don't know why some cats are afraid of strangers. Chinus is the same way. We haven't had a real vacation in over 2 years. But we do day trips. The day "sitter" comes over, and she doesn't usually see Chinus until the 3rd or 4th visit. As if someone would actually come into a house just to harm a kitteh.

 

I know, right!?

But, he has weird phobias, most likely from his past. He had a rough one until he was about 3 months old. He is terrified of trash bags, but not shopping bags. I can promise he has never been attacked by a trash bag, but reach for the box and he is gone! Also, brooms. Same thing with the broom. Never ever touched by one, but if I just so much as reach for it... Gone!

Pig on the other hand, there is not much that will rattle his cage. He will greet anyone and always has a puffed out chest. They really are polar opposites as far as personality goes, but I planned it that way. I picked Tail based off temperament because I knew what a strong personality Pig was. At his foster, Tail kept going up to this one momma kitty and the momma kitty would just beat thee hell out of him. He would stalk off for about 10 minutes and come back to see if things had changed. He NEVER ever once retaliated. All he wanted was some loves and physical interaction. He has retained this sweet and goofy nature his whole life. I have never had a cat like him, so forgiving, so loving. He just wants to be touched. That is all.. He really is something special, also.

Ah, the way these little guys get into our lives..

 

@Wendy&Neko so, need some dosing advice for tonight. Typically, when he drops below 70 I would run a BCS (50% of new dose amount) and then continue as normal. Well, it is only the 3rd cycle on this dose and he is already earning a new reduction. The issue is, he retains that depot for so long. I have noticed he has a extended residual effect, at least I think so. I am worried if I reduce then it will not hold since it is so early in the new dose. But, he got the lowest he has ever been on this dose and I do not want to really play around with that... Should I skip and resume with the same dose to see what happens?

Okay.. Had to leave for a bit. 38 does not like this boy. He was pretty shaky, but not confused or anything. I gave the equivalent of 3/4 tsp honey and he ate some RadCat to help prop that up and keep it up. So, dosecrease tonight, skip, or BCS?

 

38 is a heavy hypo in our house. I am glad he came back up quick. As you know, not all cats show hypo symptoms.

 

Oh I agree... 38 was a big one. I got the number on the meter and did not even bother to put it away. I literally threw it down and went straight to the kitchen and grabbed my honey and RadCat. By the time he made it to his 'waiting stool' his little body was shaking like mad. He will normally be a bit shaky in certain positions owing to those front carpals, but not ever this bad. It scared me and I admit... I might have let him eat a bit more than he should have.. But, he did not complain. Now he is sitting at 100. I will test in 30 to make sure it is holding. I just need to figure out tonight's dose. The 18u is still fresh and the larger depots from the last two doses are still in play... But, he did hit a 48 just the other day and I imagine that is causing a bit more hypersensitivity to the insulin.

If he dips again and I have to administer honey, I will likely skip and then resume with a 16u dose. If he holds, I am thinking 9u. I just hate to confuse the depot like that because it eliminates all predictability. He was on doses that be previously hypoed on, so I can't say that I was not expecting something like this. I am thankful for his responsiveness, but these reductions make me so nervous!

 

Ugh.. And to top it off, tonight is what my little weird a** town calls Cruise Night. Basically, hundreds of people come from miles around to cruise the town. But, here is the kicker... They quite literally remove all the laws of the road for 2 hours. As in, no speed limits, nothing. So, people come from all around to drive non-street legal cars all through town doing burnouts and driving like 70 in a residential 35 zone. I live on one of the main drags, which is normally peaceful and considered a residential lot. In fact, the elementary school is almost directly across the street from me. But, for these two hours it is like me and the boys live at the drag races... I am a quite and private person. My kitties are as well... Poor Tail does not even know what to think and Pig paces the house... I am giving Rescue Remedy...

 

I do not understand how the town can sufficiently profit from that Cruise Night crud. Maybe you could do a petition to elect new peeps to office who will get rid of it.

Yeah, that BG=38 was scary. As you know, I keep Leo in higher numbers. Maybe every hypo adds up over time and is bad for them. I hope Pig doesn't have any lasting issue from that hypo. Poor kid.

 

38??? What the pig?? glad you caught it. Love the stories of your boys. Boo on cruise night.

 

Jeff! He went BACK to 36! Even after 2 clean tests with him on the rise... Now that was a shocker! This boy is so full of meat and honey... Ugh. We will see the digestive upset over this for days! I do believe that he has answered my question though and earned himself a no shot tonight... No way I am shooting a doubly hypo that is not holding up after food and honey both...

 

Oh my! That was scary! It was even scarier when he decided to dip back down to 36 after those last two clean tests... He did a similar number the other night, but not that low... I think he has earned himself a no-shot tonight..

 

36!! Pig!! You trying to scare your bean to death??

That's enough of that nonsense!!!

I don't know as much about the high dose kitties as Wendy, but I'd skip tonight too!!

 

Holy Shxt. That is scary. That is my worst nightmare with Leo. We have been pretty lucky - he usually comes up. Leo had 2 hypos in the past 6 weeks:
6/22 = 48 on Alphatrak
6/27 = 39 on Alphatrak, his worst hypo

So we are keeping him at 100 or more generally. It looks like you have too much insulin in Pig. Can you put a straw in him and suck some of it out???

 

@Chris & China my only concern is that he is already starting to bounce. He got too used to those yellows and now is taking an elevator to the top floor ever chance he gets... What do you think about a 1/2 dose of his new dose of 16u? I will have eyes on him all night... Last time he hypoed and I gave a 50% he reached 315 on a bounce... That was a few days ago

 

Yeah... tell me about it. One minute he was in blue, the next in lime green. I just fed him with no-shot... I am stalling. I feel a big bounce coming and I hate the thought of not having any insulin on board to combat that... But, this depot is like a freight train right now.. And his depot is so big! I suppose it is better to skip and let that thing clean out... I just am so needing good regulation for this bladder that it is hard for me to not dose that.

 

Yeah, I can see you are stalling a bit. Maybe a half dose would keep some insulin in there without dropping him.

Leo does the same thing when goes low. We try to just give him some 100-150 periods as much as possible. We are not trying for the flatter curve like you are.

 

@JeffJ @Wendy&Neko

Even though I am certain he is heading into a bounce, after looking at his SS, I decided to not shoot. His depot is so confused already and I didn't want to do that any further. Besides, tonight has proven that what ever residual action he has going from those elevated doses (when he was sick and I needed to meet that) is like an unstoppable freight train. Normally, a bit of honey early on in his cycle (+5-+6), will halt that action. Not today and not two days ago. So, to 16uL we go after tonight's depot draining no-shot. I just hope he does not go to high...

 

I didn't dose... I think that depot needs cleared a bit, its obvious that it is too big for his need.

 

I agree skipping was probably the best thing.....at least you can start "fresh" tomorrow instead of worrying about him crashing all night tonight

When "something" has changed, it's always a good idea to pay attention!!

Better too high for a day than too low for a moment as they say!!!

 

I agree. I am starting to think that while I had to increase him to 22uL to meet whatever intestinal illness he contracted (really still not sure what it was), that those increases were meeting a pancreatic diabetes and / or illness/pain related BG increase. I also think, too, while his body was increasing his insulin need, his SRT was working to decrease his Acro insulin need. As in, both types of diabetes work differently and independently of each other and as one increased its need the other decreased. He had previously well earned reductions on the 20 and 22uL doses, so that only compounded the situation further...

My only concern is his bladder issues. He does not urinate much if he is not feeling well and also if his numbers are not in a comfortable range for him.. *Sigh* He is such a balancing act, but one I am more than willing to balance forever! He is my heart!

Thank you for the advice Chris!