Hi everyone good morning,
One week from NYC and just wanted to give an update. I spent all day yesterday going through my to-do list, shopping, organizing, and setting up his crate in the car. It took me a few times to get it "flat" with three layers of blankets and a layer of bubble wrap underneath. The more I think about it, I want to leave the litterbox on the outside of the crate on the floor because I really do not think he is going to use it while driving and it gives him more room (I actually was thinking about maybe putting a small cardboard box in there for him to hide in if he wants). Or at least leave it out for the first few hours, and then after our 30 minute break if he does not use the litterbox maybe I will put it in the crate then. This is my tentative schedule:
Google Maps shows the drive taking 7 hours and 20 minutes. Google also has a feature where you can pick the departure time, so I did that for a Sunday night into Monday morning. This added 1.5 hours. Dr. McCue also said to add three hours to that for Monday morning Manhattan traffic
. So that brings us up to 11.5 hours, or leaving at 10:30pm (10am appointment). The
travelling with diabetic kitties document said to allow ample time on breaks, so you can open the crate and let them walk around in the car (possibly outside, he has the harness and leash but I have not tried to put him on the leash yet. I think he might be more scared outside, he's not used to it). Anyway, I am planning two 30 minute breaks so that brings us up to leaving at 9:30pm. My vet also said Shmee can only have the Gabapentin every 12 hours....
- 6:30pm - Give Gabapentin (and PMPS food/shot)
- 8:30pm - Give a few drops of Rescue Remedy
- 9:15pm - spray Feliway in the car and crate
- 9:30pm - start journey
- Drive four hours until 1:30am, break until 2am. (open crate, test sugar, show him where the litterbox is/encourage litterbox use, give more RR with treats if he will eat them, see if he will eat any - he usually gets 1/2 can at 9:30 so he will be hungry by 1:30. I was thinking of leaving food in the crate but I really don't think he will eat it in there and it might be a mess. So I think he will be ok waiting until the break. If he is meowing a lot like he's hungry maybe I will stop for a break at 12:30 instead)
- Drive another four hours until 6, break until 6:30am. 6:30 should be his shot time, and 12 hours from the last Gaba dose so I will give him another Gaba. Although the doctor said he is not allowed to eat the morning of the MRI.... so I am lost here. He said he should also get a half dose shot. If this is the case, then maybe I will give him a very small amount of food for the Gaba and that is it. I really don't know if I should even give him a half shot...?
I am also nervous that we leaving way too early. Dr. McCue said to add on 3 hours for traffic, but Google has the feature that estimates traffic on its own and added on time like I explained above, so... is the extra three hours really necessary? I am mostly nervous about my 6am break. This will be 8 hours in... and Google Maps said it should only take 8.5 hours with traffic. So is waiting until 6:30am for a break cutting it too close to being in Manhattan? His shot is at 6:30 though.... so if I do give him a half shot it needs to be at that time unless I move up his times.
I was doing well yesterday getting everything ready, but last night when I was driving with the crate in the car it really hit me.... I really do not know how I am going to do this, I cannot imagine driving with him back there all that time and then leaving him a week at the hospital.... I am getting cold feet. He is SUPER attached to me, is not used to traveling/going outside at all, and sleeps with me every night (he's the little spoon). This is terrifying.
Things I have packed so far:
- Emergency hypo box - honey, oral syringes, a few cans of HC and LC food, (
@LuvinThisPig @Wendy&Neko @JeffJ - did you strain the gravy on the road? If so that's fine I was just thinking I should probably do that beforehand, but then again it would have to go in the cooler then if its needed I know he won't eat it cold). HC treats, flashlight, Ziploc bags. I chose not to do an ER vet list because I wasn't sure what areas to look for, I think typing in emergency vet in Google Maps would be better to find a closest location at any given place? I know it could be hectic but I picture myself finding my paper then checking Google Maps anyway to be sure its the closest location.
- Spare blankets and towels
- Front seat bag: my snacks, his testing supplies, an old Spacekeeper (90's much?) lined with bubble wrap for his RR, Feliway, and Gabapentin, and the food/water Tupperware containers.
- Cleaner box: paper towels, multiple garbage bags and plastic grocery bags, Ziploc bags, baby wipes, Lysol wipes, dish soap, sponge, washcloth, small towels.
- Two large jugs of water for both of us
- Small cooler with his insulin; packing his vial wrapped in bubble wrap as well as a pen just in case. Both will then be put in a Tupperware and then put in the cooler with an ice pack.
- His food box: he usually gets 2.5 cans a day, packing 30 cans of LC with three different flavors. Not sure how many HC cans to bring... I'm thinking 15?
- Vet bag: catnip toy, tee shirts from DH and myself, his favorite blanket, a chasing toy that I'm sure he won't be in the mood for but bringing it just in case he wants to play when I visit, and all three of his brushes.
- Two jugs of kitty litter, scoop
(I haven't put the top blanket layers over the pee pads on yet)
This is on the passenger side (opening on my side). I thought he might like to explore the car on our breaks and I really don't think he will use the box in the crate so I might leave it here?
All advice / comments welcome please & thank you
Last night I was honestly feeling very alone in all of this. I do not have many good friends, and the few I do have rarely ask about how this is going. I don't want to come off sounding bad about them either, I know everyone has their own things going on in their lives. We went to a party last night where there were a few people I haven't seen in a long time so we were talking and I explained the trip, I just feel like so many people probably they think I'm crazy.... I really don't care what others think but it still kind of hurts. I am so grateful for this group I want to cry.
although they have come a really long way with so many different specialists available.
Our first day we had mapped out to the mile and minute from city to city. We had gas stations planned, snack breaks, and pee breaks. All of that went out the window. Immediately. All I am saying is, you will never have too much extra time. I even planned 3 extra days into our schedule incase something happened and had a backup appointment just in case as well. I ended up tacking 5 extra days over what I thought I would need. So, we used all those initial 3 extra days and added 2 more. 
Here is to hoping you will not have to use it. 
