Conference misery::feline_v1

    Julie,
    
    Giving shots of insulin aren't as bad as giving fluids.  It is much
    quicker, and the needles are much smaller.  Your kitty would not
    hate you for it.  I vaccinate my cats, and although I don't like
    it, they don't even seem to notice.
    
    Only you know what you can do, but I thought maybe I could help
    put the shots into another perspective.
    
    Good luck
    
    Jo

    Julie,
      Diabetic humans have to give themselves shots every day.  Its
    not so bad.  My in-laws had a diabetic dachschund for many many
    years.  He lived a long and happy life with them getting shots
    every day.
    
      Probably the most encouraging thing I can say to you is that
    when you've shared your life as closely with your cats as you
    have with yours, they *understand* when you're doing something
    for their good even if they don't like it.  You aren't being
    cruel or hurtful any more than a child's mother would be if
    her son or daughter had diabetes.  And the mother may be no
    more able to explain the whys to a small child than you can
    to your kitty.  
    
      Just pretend you're her private nurse  :-)
       Good luck.
       Nancy DC
    

    Julie,

    First, I'd like to offer my sympathy on Thunder's illness and your
    dilemma. My cats are very important to me, too, and when they are
    sick I get very anxious, so I understand perfectly well how you feel. 

    Will Thunder hate you for giving her the shots she needs?  No. I think 
    getting injections are a bigger deal to a human than to an animal. 
    I had an old cat, Junie (RIP), who became diabetic when he was almost 
    18. Junie knew he needed the insulin and would purr when I gave him his 
    shots. If I got distracted and forgot to give him his shot at the usual 
    time, he would come looking for me and remind me. 

    Some notes about diabetic cats: 138, 426, 629.13+, 864, 1013, and 1942. 

    I have some left over diabetic supplies that I'd be glad to let you
    have. If you would like to talk about feline diabetes or just get 
    moral support, please feel free to send me mail or call (DTN 381-0710).

    Wishing the best for you and Thunder.

    Linda

      Our prayers are certainly with you.  Hopefully you all will be fine.
    That's quite a story!  You're all a really close family and have been
    thru a lot together.  That should count for something!  
      I was just reading something about that recently,  and it seems that
    the hardest part is adjusting to having to give your kitty a shot every
    day, but it seems to bother the human a lot more than the kitty, the
    article said.  But with care, kitty should live out the rest of her
    life span. Love can do a lot......
    
                     Good luck,
                          Denise, Max, Chief, Pepper, Silvy, Pumpkin
    
    

    Julie --
    
    Thanks for leading me to this file.  As I've said elsewhere, me
    'n' Tiffany, and our visitors Ebony and Sunny-and-Sky (tweet!) are
    thinking of you and hoping the best for you all.
    
    					-- Ed

             -< Thanks, and an update>-
    
      Thank you all for your prayers and support.  It has really helped. 
                                       
    
    I took Thunder in to Tufts on Wednesday morning.   When I dropped
    Thunder off, the doctor, a woman named Minta Keyes [pron. Kize], said
    she'd checked one of her endocrinology books the night before to see
    whether glucose in the urine - usually a sure sign of diabetes - could
    be caused by the stress of being in the hospital.  Sure enough, it's
    possible.  So, she put Thunder on a I.V. to help cleanse the kidneys,
    and to re-hydrate her.  I visited her last night [they have visiting 
    hours!].  She was perkier, and almost plump-feeling, and appears less 
    scrawny.  
    
    The results of the thyroid tests also came back positive for
    hyperthyroidism.  Dr. Keyes said this would account for the diarrhea,
    vomiting, and weight-loss even though constantly hungry [and eating].
     It also could accoung for the aberrations in her glucose readings.
     So, now it's hyperthyroidism, rather than diabetes.  It's treatable
    with either surgery [not recommended] or by injecting radioactive
    iodine into the animal.  It goes straight to the thyroid.  And she
    has to be isolated for a period of time -- no visiting.  But, no
    daily injections either.
    
    Nuclear medicine work would be done in Boston, at the Angel Memorial
    Animal Hospital. [anyone been there?]  I'm waiting now for a return
    phone call from Dr. Marjorie McMillan. [anyone know her?]
    
                           
    This morning, her blood glucose was below normal! after a night
    of fasting, and she ate a big breakfast of her special K-D kidney
    disease food.  
    
    Again, thanks for the support, especially about the injections.
    I know I can do whatever is necessary now.
    
    Love and Light,
    JulieBrown

    Best of luck to Thunder and you!  This has been quite an adventure
    so far.  Please let us know how everything in Boston turns out.

    Boy oh boy,  Another Thunder visiting Tufts.  I am so glad that you
    won't have to be giving daily injections.  I also know that your baby
    would not hate you for trying to make her feel better.  
    
    I know my babies know when I am trying to help them.  My Thunder has
    gone through alot in her short life (1 1/2) and she still loves Mommy.
    
    Hang in there and do please keep us informed.
    
    
    Sandi (mom to Lightning, DejaVu & Thunder)
    
    

    Isn't that thyroid thing what Mrs. Bush was recently treated for?
    It sounded like it was not too bad.  PLease do let us know how
    things are going.
    

    The radioactive iodine will kill off some of the Thyroid cells so
    that she won't be producing as much of the hormones that are driving
    her metabolism up too high.  Not only will she not need shots, but
    she won't need pills all her life either - like Mindy who is
    hypothyroid. (my parents' dog) 
    
      I've been to Angell Memorial, but not for many years.  Mao was
    neutered there (She and Bumpy were adopted from Boston Animal
    Shelter which is in the back side of the same building)  My overall
    impression is that they are a good hospital.
      Let us know how you make out.   
       Nancy DC
    

    
    Thunder is home! and pretty rambunctious for a sick kid.  I'm beginning
    to wonder if she was faking it! 8-]  Even "re-entry" wasn't too
    traumatic for Crash, although she *did* leave a pile of poop for
    me where I wouldn't miss seeing it after getting Thunder settled
    down. [sigh, a mother's work is never done]
    
    The radiation procedure will be done at Angel Memorial by a Dr.
    Jane Turrel [pron. Turl], who popularized the procedure back in
    '81 at Univ. of Calif.-Davis.  The doctor whose name I had been
    given actually went out there to train with Turrel on this procedure.
     Dr. Turrel is just here for the summer and is running the program
    while she is at Angel.  What luck, to have the person who did all
    the research and development of this procedure be the one who does
    my Thunder.  She said the first cat that got it was her own!
    
    Anyway, on Sept. 5, I'll take Thunder in for the I-131, as it's called.
    Then, she'll be isolated for 8 to 14 days.  $600-$800. Dr. Turrel spent
    about 20 minutes with me on the phone this afternoon explaining
    everything, and telling me how she and one other person see the animals
    often, they play the radio for them, and that I can bring special toys
    or blankets for Thunder.  She even said that once a couple of guys made
    a tape for their pet ....and I had been just about to ask her if I
    could do that!       
    
    I am much encouraged, and relatively free of anxiety about all
    this...at last.  I owe you all a hefty dose of gratitude.  Thank
    you VERY much.  Thunder is already eating her K-D special diet just
    fine.  I'm giving her some pills for the hyperthyroidism until a
    week before the treatment.  And she has just curled up by my pillow
    on the bed - for the first time in weeks.
    
    Thank you all again. You've been terrific.
    
    Love and Light,
    
    JulieBrown, Thunder and Crash
    
    
    
    

    Julie --
    
    I asked Tiffany and Ebony if they wanted to say anything to Thunder,
    but no response.  I'm sure they're hoping she handles it well!
    
    					-- Ed

    Julie - I'm glad to learn that Thunder doesn't have diabetes and will
    be treated soon.
    
    Since this note is keyworded for diabetes I just wanted to add in a few
    words on that.  Last December my Willie (female, 7 yrs old) was
    diagnosed with diabetes.  I was very lucky that I noticed some weird
    symptoms and took her in.  Her condition was caught early, before any
    organ damage occurred.  She used to drink milk which never bothered her
    stomach.  All of a sudden she was eating & drinking like a pig, losing
    some weight and lots of diarrhea.  Anyway, as soon as the vet told me
    my Willie had diabetes I read this NOTES file for the 1st time and was
    helped so much!  I read several places that the kitty doesn't mind the
    shot, and even learns to expect it.  Well, when I went to vets office
    to learn how to give the injection I just didn't know how I was going
    to do it.  It was a choice between me finding some courage or losing my
    Willie.  The first week or so was difficult giving the shots, but now
    it is just part of our life.  If on occassion I forget, Willie reminds
    me.  I have adjusted just fine and Willie is doing great.  I did have
    one minor problem that the other NOTES didn't mention and that is the
    quantity of food Willie was eating.  She got used to eating like a pig. 
    Once on the insulin she was able to metabolize what she was eating and
    gained 3 pounds in 6 months.  The vet didn't want me to cut back the
    quantity of food she was eating since the insulin level was tied to her
    diet, but instead put Willie on reduced calorie cat food (R/D).  The
    previous diabetes notes were of great help to me and Willie and we
    wanted to thank you!
    
    Sandy & Willie