We have spent every waking moment taking care of this big guy here. Saturday I discovered that he wouldn't come out from under the bed. Sunday he was not eating and seemed very lethargic. Monday we decided we better take him to the vet. We discovered Dave has diabetes, and we should not have waited so long to get him seen.
He was almost to diabetic coma state. He was at the point right before seizure. He spent 24 hours at the trauma clinic we were transferred to and is home now. They wanted to keep him for a couple more days but I convinced them that I could take care of him, plus our bills were almost at $1000 and we just didn't have anymore money. Never in my life has finances dictated health care. Something is really screwed up with the medical system, at least for vet care when payment plans are not even an option.
He had gained a lot of weight over the past few years being an indoor cat. My mother kept telling me I was going to kill him by feeding him too much. Harsh, I thought. No, she was right. When we moved in to our new home a few months ago he began going outside and running free and happy on our 7 acres. He got thin quickly. We were really happy to see him looking so good.
We didn't know his rapid weight loss was actually his body no longer producing insulin. Besides always eating a lot, we saw no signs.
I am watching him around the clock. Feeding him food and water with a medicine dropper, giving him glucose to bring him out of his constant hypoglycemic state and injecting him with insulin. This is my first time ever using a needle. Sorry for the practice, buddy. Tomorrow I have to go purchase a glucose meter thing because I think the insulin dosages may be causing increased hypoglycemia.
This is my first personal experience with diabetes and it sucks. I have learned a lot in just these past couple of days. I know it will get better. I know he will get stronger and be able to walk and feed himself soon. Hopefully not too much longer, this is hard.
I just needed to write this down on paper. It feels good to share, thank you for listening.
3 comments:
Sorry you're having to go thru this. I've never dealt with insuling dependent diabetes either, but HAVE given daily injections (to myself)... We don't have any pets right now, but we did until about 3 years ago and the bills for just the regular things were insane so I can only imagine how much it would have cost if you'd let him stay.
Poor kitty!!!! I am just asuming here, but if kitty is getting insulin and not eating kitty would get low sugars. I know I do when I do not eat enough after taking my insulin shots.
It is sad just how much the cost of medical care is for pet's, even tho we have pet insurance its only for prevenative things not major things, and out kitty has a liver issue that causes her to need a liver test at the tune of $120 bucks every other month and then meds if they are out of wack, it does get expensive.
Erin, I hope all will go well for you. I've had to nurse a number of little guys through all sorts of things, and I know how difficult it can be. Please let us know how it goes.
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