Hello,

My name is Missy, and I am part Tabby and part Siamese. In other words my hiss is worse than my bite; I just love to tell people when I am unhappy. My Mom's name is Michelle, and I just wanted to tell my story to give hope to those of you who have worried owners out there.

Back in October, I started to have problems with jumping up on the bathroom counter which is where I get my hair done every morning, and Mom started to get worried. Mom took me to my doctor, and he said that it was old age, and proceeded to give me a shot. (I hated that shot!!) My mother called my great-grandpa to get him to make me a step stool, so that I could have my dignity while getting onto the bathroom counter. (I hate to ask for help when I go to get up in high spots.)

Then I started to have stomach problems in November, and again I went to the doctor. Again I was diagnosed with old age (They said the hair was bothering my stomach more now that I was older.). I mean I am only 12 years old, but humans seem to worry when we get above 10.

My health just seemed to go down hill as time went on. I even stopped playing with Socks, my adopted baby, she was 2 at the time, but she understood, and gave me plenty of space. All I wanted to do was sleep on my Mommy.

Then I started to have some eye problems, so (you guessed it), back to the doctor; only this time Mom took me to another doctor. Mom thought about my eye before taking me, and she figured out that I had stopped eating, and that I might have had a tooth infection. The doctor confirmed it, and the date was set for surgery. Boy, was I mad at everyone when Mom came to pick me up. I let them know about it, too. But, as soon as Mom put me in the car, I let her know how much I appreciated her making my mouth feel better. I purred all the way home. Mom held me so tight that night, I thought I was going to burst. She kept saying that she would do anything for me. I believe that she would, and that's why I love her so much.

Then Mom took my to see my great, great aunt in Tennessee (I live near Cincinnati), and I really didn't mind the trip too much, but I was happy when I got back home. You see; while I was down there I started to drink a lot of water. Mom didn't think anything of it, but my cousin did. You see she was the pet of Sassy who was Diabetic. She told my Mom to have me checked for Diabetes. Mom went into a little denial about the whole situation.

When we got back, I was having some hair loss on my ears. Guess what? Yep, back to the doctor; only they couldn't get me in that week, so Mom made a deal to leave me there one day to get check out. Needless to say I was ticked!!! I wouldn't even let the doctor touch me, and I threatened to bite. In the process because I had refused to go potty all day while I was there I lost my urine. So the doctor did a test, what a good doctor!

They called my Mom, and asked to sedate me. Then they told her the news: my Glucose was too high, and they wanted to do a blood test on me. She agreed, and boy was I tired after that. Mom was real worried when I got home because I was looking pretty frail. Mom works with computers, so she went out on the internet, and found this site. It made her feel better because of all she has learned from all of the nice people here. Two days later the blood test was back, and they were pretty sure I had Diabetes, but because of the stress I was under; they wanted another urine sample. Mom gave them one, and it was confirmed.

The next problem was that my Ketones were too high. I heard the doctor say that he would normally put a cat as sick as me in the hospital, but because I was so stressed and uncooperative with doctors; he felt that I would do better at home with my Mom. He told her to keep a real close eye on me, and if there was any trouble to call the emergency room. Also, he said that I needed to eat. I remember when we left; he said that he had no idea how Mom was going to give me an insulin shot by herself.

Well, that weekend mom never left my side. I laid next to her the whole weekend, and my grandparents were real worried also. They were too far away to come and visit me, but I knew they were praying for me. Mom prayed that I would feel better, and Grandma suggested feeding me baby food. (You see I still wouldn't eat).

When I was younger I ate something I shouldn't have, and the only thing I could keep on my stomach was baby food. So mom fed me the baby food (second food meats), and boy did I eat. She would only give me a little at a time though. Gradually, I started to eat my hard food again. I even climbed the boxes in our house for the first time, and started playing with Socks again after a couple of weeks.

What surprised my Mom, the doctor, and everyone else, is that I love to get my shot, and we've only been doing this for about four weeks. I even try to get my shot a little earlier than I'm supposed to.

Mom, Socks, and I have a routine now. Mom locks us up with her at night, and then each morning Mom gets a urine sample from me (I cooperate fully for Mom). We do the urine sample whenever I get her up, and then the shot at 5:15 morning and night.

I even purred the other day while Mom gave me my shot. I guess the best part of my shot, is that I get to lie on my Mommy at least twice a day for several minutes, and we talk to each other.

Mom broke her wrist last week, so I just lay extra still for her, and understand when Mom has problems making the tent with my skin.

Mom says I'm extra intelligent because I have put the shot together with feeling better; maybe so, but I just like being with my Mom.

The moral of the story for humans: don't just pass problems off as old age. Look at all of the possibilities for what can be wrong with us. Finally, just pay a lot of attention to us; it shows us that you care for us very deeply. I know my Mom has never regretted treating me; instead of putting me to sleep, and now I live a normal life. Isn't it funny how animals and humans are all so much alike? I imagine that we are more alike than either of us want to admit.

If anyone doesn't believe my story (especially the part about the shots), they can confirm its' existence by e-mailing my Mom at m_banes@yahoo.com. I hope you enjoyed my story, and you can send comments to my Mom at the same address.

Thanks for listening, and enjoy your shots they are making you feel better!!

Missy
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Spider (born 1980) was diagnosed with diabetes in February on 1998.The night he was diagnosed, I held him on my lap and cried and cried. Having seen his reaction to shots at the vet, I thought there was no way I would be able to administer his shots without making life miserable for all of us. I really thought that his time left with us was only a matter of weeks or possibly a few months. Spider proved us wrong.

The first shots were tough for all of us- at first he growled. Then he hid. Then he tried to wiggle away as we were giving them. Now (7 months later) he merely sits quietly and waits to get his treet. Little did I know that giving the shots would be the easy part.Over the 7 months leading up to his regulation, Spider has been on 3 insulins. We started on Humulin NPH, the went to ultralente, and now are on Humulin lente. A few months into this process, Spider was still wildly unregulated. Everyday was an agony of wondering about his blood levels. He was so weak that he couldn't get in and out of bed. I lay awake at night for fear that he would roll of the bed and hurt himslef. One night I woke up to find that he had slid off the pillow and was caught between the bed and the wall. We had to cut down his litter box so he could get in and out. But the worst part was when he would come out to see us (as he always does-every night at 8:30). He didn't have the strength to walk, so he pulled himself down the hallway by his elbows-we called it the marine crawl.

I thought it was time to let him go but my husband said- "NO! Look at how he''s fighting!". So we continued to fight with him. Things were somewhat better on the ultralente. He regained some of his strength, but there was no consistency. (We had begun home bg testing by this time. We never would have been able to regulate him without it.) After 3 months of 2-steps-forward-and-4-steps-back on ultralente, we began lente in June 98. I'm happy to say that Spider is now (after 7 months!) basically regulated. He currently gets 7 units at 7am , and 1 unit at 10 pm. This was the only schedule that works for Spider, The lente was lasting about 18 hours with him. Too long for 2 shots and not enough for just one. We timed the "booster shot" to be given just as his bg #'s start to go upward again for the night. The one unit helps extend the 18 hours just long enough.

Spider is now strong and happy again. Whenever people see him they are stunned when I tell his age. He looks like a healthy, middle-aged cat. Not a sick old man. We've all been through a lot together. But hang in there. If Spider can do this, there is hope for all.

Cara and Spider
August 98

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