9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +6/58 pmps 263

Yesterday we had to check out of the hotel a couple of hours before punkin was ready to go. We decided to kill time at a beautiful test garden at CSU with Anya - and this is where she stayed. she's behind me on the park bench. not much of an outdoor adventurer! :lol:

yesterday

punkin is one happy kitter - there's no place like home!

we met yesterday afternoon for quite awhile with the radiation oncologist, Lynn Griffin. She showed us punkin's CT scan and MRI and went over all the details of all of it. his tumor is about .4 cubic centimeters. a normal pituitary gland is .1 or smaller.

the whole thing was pretty interesting. the radiation basically disrupts the DNA so that when a cell goes to replicate itself, it will die. so the tumor life cycle isn't just ended with the radiation - each cell will still go through its life cycle, but it won't be able to replicate itself. if we did a scan or mri in a year, the tumor might still be the same size.

the difference is that these tumors are "secretory" meaning they secrete growth hormones. the radiation will interrupt this cycle and the growth hormones will decrease. those hormones are what causes an acromegalic cat to need increased amounts of insulin to do the job. most cats start to see a decreased need in insulin about a month after the SRT. about 50% go off of insulin, the rest need considerably less insulin.

that's your education in acromegaly for the day!

Google Doc with Pics from CSU/Acro Treatment

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

ohhh Julie so happy to see an update on you and your gang! I always love reading anything and everything that all of you learn when going for these treatments.

Can I add your info as a link to the google doc we have made up on the treatments for acrocats now. All of you have so many wonderful pics and things to say. I want everyone to know alllll about you!

I'm just so glad Punkin did so great. Give him a huge hug for me! And one to you too!
xxxx
patti

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

oops PS: meant to tell you - Fiona is being seen by one of the Dr's who worked with Dr LUnn. He's here at the specialty center in Tacoma,WA. He is soooo nice!

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

Love the pic of Anya on the bench and so happy all went well for his treatment and that you are home safely

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

Hi Julie and punkin and a big welcome home. You explain so well Punkin's treatment. It is truly amazing; I've learned so much here about acromegalic kitties. Home sweet home now. Have a wonderful weekend. So nice that anya was also with you.

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

Welcome home!!! What an amazing experience, and wonderful explanation. I'm anxious to see how Punkin's numbers do over the next month or so - I'm sure you are too! Fingers crossed that he goes OTJ!!

Love the picture of Anya - how adorable is she?!?!

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

So happy to hear you're home safe and sound! Loved the picture, and so happy you've got so much to share about your experiences at CSU. Will enrich the knowledge base of the board tremendously! Will be keeping Punkin in my prayers over then next month, with healing thoughts for a reductions in both tumor size and growth hormone production. Give the kids some scritches for me!

Loved the pic of Anya as well!

Hope you guys are able to get some rest and relaxation this weekend! You've earned it!!

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

Welcome home, and I'm so glad to hear that everything went well for punkin. I'm sending you guys tons of :YMHUG: , and major tons of healing vines for punkin. I also send tons of wishes and good thoughts for that tumor to leave permanently. This is terrific news!!! :YMHUG:

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

I bet you're almost as glad as Punkin and Anya to be home!

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

WELCOME HOME, PUNKIN, JULIE, DH, and ANYA!!

It has been quite a journey and I'm sure that being home is wonderful. Thanks, Julie, for sharing Punkin's experience with all of us. We will continue to think good thoughts and send prayers for Punkin to have a good response to his treatment.
Onward, ever onward!

Lots of hugs to you all,

Ella & Rusty

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

So Glad you are Home & safe!! Sounds like this trip was a big success--Paws & fingers crossed for a great result!! Love Anya's safe place pix!!-Now you are home, and I hope you can find some time for yourself to RELAX!! Hugs & Lub from us!!

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

Wow. What a great explanation, thanks for the update! I am so happy Punkin is home and you are all doing well. I can't wait to see Punkin start to respond to treatment! :mrgreen:

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

welcome home!!! I'm really glad you decided to do this. Can't wait to see what's next.

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

Welcome! :YMHUG: :thumbup Can't wait to see how well it worked. I'm glad the trip went smoothly. Anya's pic is adorable I think the furkids are the happiest about being home.

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

Oh good! So glad to hear you are home safe and sound. Anya's picture reminds me of a story when Anne was a little girl and had a rather traumatic experience at the doc's. She told her mother "Pay the man and let's go home." :lol:

Great explanation of the whole process - thank you. Tillie just got in my lap (rare occurrence) to wish Punkin good luck with this next phase. She's feels a connection with Punkin because she's orange too. We are all sending Punkin positive healing energy.
Liz and Tillie

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

Glad to hear your trip went well
Welcome Home family!

Thanks for the excellent explanation and the adorable pic of Anya! You just know Punkin was happy his girl was there with him :smile:

Wishing great results for Punkin.

(((hugs)))

 

Re: 9/23 punkin amps 223 +6/111 pmps 226 home from CSU/recap

Welcome home from your big adventure!!!! Love the updates and praying for the best outcome possible. :YMHUG:

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home from CSU/recap amps 211

hi all - YES - so glad to be home! that's the understatement of the year! glad we went, glad we took anya, glad we had it done, glad we drove, but extra glad to be home.

and feeling so incredibly blessed for all of your support through all of this! from the bottom of my heart - thank you! :YMHUG:

Patti, of course, use any of it. this might be a better link to include http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=52744&p=570013#p570013

i tried to summarize it all on the acro forum in case people went there. I have tried to include all the detail for the future people who might be considering it. i know others' experiences helped inform my own decisions. just fyi, at punkin's current dose of 15.5units, in 15 months we would spend as much on supplies at home as the SRT cost. if kitty's dose was 31 units it would take 10 months. that would suggest the earlier one had the SRT done the greater the cost/benefit ratio - not to mention the cat's body wouldn't have had as much damage by the acro hormones.

Not that i'm criticizing anyone who isn't having it done, that's for sure. it is expensive! and there are a zillion other factors besides cost - even just getting there, what else your cat has going on physically, etc. i put it on my credit card. i didn't think we'd do it on punkin, but a couple of conversations tipped it for me in balance of doing it. a very personal decision and Dr. Lunn did say to me that there's absolutely nothing wrong with just treating acro with the appropriate amounts of insulin. it also looks like for some cats the tumor will can quiet down & lessen the amount of hormone output. only about 50% of the cats go off of insulin with this treatment, so it's no guarantee.

i'm just giving as much info as i know for those folks who are considering it some day in the future.

today's agenda - vacuum the car interior - i swear you could weave a blanket from the amount of hair in there! positively gross!

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home from CSU/recap amps 211

welcome home, julie!
thank you for sharing your journey. like libby, i can't wait to see what's next. :mrgreen:

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102

well . . . +3/102 - could it be that fast already? i almost didn't check the +3 today, just cuz i think i'm a little obsessive about the testing.

eta: i just looked back at his ss - the last time he got to 103 at +3 was may 9/10 when he was on clindamycin following his dental infection. he was on 7 units at that time.

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102

Welcome back! :mrgreen:
So glad to hear all went well - it's fabulous that you were able to do it!

I'd keep an eye on Punkins BGs. He could have surprises up his sleeve.

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67

Punkin is moving along quickly....looks like you have movement already! Nice to see him low for you.

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67

Yay! Welcome home Punkin, Julie and the rest of the gang!!! Glad to hear that all went well and Punkin is happy to be home.

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67 +6/5

definitely decreasing his dose tonight . . . good thing i don't have too much going on to be able to monitor him a lot. wonder what this journey's going to look like. our sugar cats do all the leading, don't they?!

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67 +6/5

Welcome back to all of you.

It is wonderful that Punkin has such good numbers today. Yes, with all that insulin I would watch him closely as he might just surprise you big time.

Julie, I think it is wonderful that you did this for Punkin. Money is there to add joy and comfort to life and to help those in need, IMO. Punkin brings you joy so why not do what you can? Besides, when you consider the costs of treating him it really is a no brainer.

Keep us posted.

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67 +6/5

Wow! Punkin, you know how to get your bean's attention. Like you didn't have it before. :lol: :lol: Good luck, Julie. You might be in for quite a ride.
Liz

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67 +6/5

Posting before I get side tracked. I've loved reading about Punkin and Anya's road trip. I've really loved the pictures. Wishing Punkin will be one of the ones that goes OTJ. Thank you for sharing the acro journey in natural language. :mrgreen:

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67 +6/5

Looks like a dose decrease is coming soon for Punkin!!

Julie, we are thrilled that everything went so well. Continued thoughts and prayers for your boy,

Ella & Rusty

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67 +6/5

way to go Punkin! I forsee some sleepless nights in your future as you have to cope w/ a whole new situation, Dose Decreases!

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67 +6/5

Welcome home!!! Looks like Punkin is happy to be home as well! Hope he surfs safely for you so you can get some rest. We are sending good thoughts that the treatment was a success! Have a great evening!

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67 +6/5

WOW :shock:

Go, Punkin, Go​

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67 +6/5

Look at Punkin go tonight :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

Re: 9/23-24 punkin home CSU/recap amps 211 +3/102 +5/67 +6/5

such a nice surprise today!

now he's bounced! too low for his furry purry body to take - but hopefully this is a trend and he'll get used to it. we decreased just a tiny .5 down to 15 units - i'd rather have him a little slower, a little higher, than fighting a shed the size of "lake michigan."

today
amps 211
+3 102
+5 67
+6 58
+7 61
+8 82
pmps 263

 

Those darn bounces! Hope the decrease agrees with him.
Liz

 

Julie!
This is the first post I've read in a few weeks so I have some catching up to do, but all's well!!! Yeayyyyyyy so glad! And look at Punkin's #s today! Wahoo! I've been thinking of you and I'm just ecstatic to hear how well everything went.

LOVE the pic of Anya!!

Hooray!

 

A giant WELCOME HOME from Gus and I. I'd be willing to bet that the star of the show was way happy to see his home. What a trooper little Anya is. Stayed right by her buddy. Punkin shot you some really low numbers today! All the time you were reporting from Colorado, I was amazed at the numbers that he tested. Really awesome for what was taking place in his little life. It looks like Punkin has some plans in store as soon as he can convince Mr. Liver to chil out. Better have lots of HC and Karo on hand for the future. I'm so excited for Punkin to have a real chance at this!! (Excited for mama bean, too dancing_cat )

 

Funny, but the neater the cellar got, the fewer workers showed up to help. I'm tackling the closets now. One at a time. That's not quite as interesting, though. I start out with a full kitty crew and lose them one, by one! :lol: I have all the help i can handle.

 

Welcome home guys!! I bet all concerned are glad to be there. I thank you for sharing your journey, it has been informative. Each day we all wanted to ow ow Punkin was doing. The photos were so much fun - I love the one today of Anya on the bench - way too cute.

Good numbers for Punkin today too. Welcome home big guy!

 

:lol: :lol: Punkin is so happy to be home he is orange AND green!!

I'm with the others, Julie...truly grateful that you have shared this journey with us...
and in such an informative and entertaining way.

and I must say...Anya's face is so expressive in that picture...

"If only my bean had a bigger butt...I'd be invisible!

 

Glad to see everything is going well!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: