To the ophthalmologist and the chiropractor

Well, not particularly good news at the eye doctor. Both the nevi have grown significantly and darkened considerably. The right eye the doctor said can now be considered a melanosis; however, she still thinks that it can be watched for another 6 months to a year. She also said that she would research information on laser treatment of iris melanosis, which she has never done herself. The alternative is removal of the eye. I can't bear to think of the fact that he's got one of these things in each eye. I would be willing to take him to Ohio State or Cleveland or wherever to avoid the prospect of removing both of his eyes. I don't understand how this can happen to this poor cat. He seems to have missed out on the fairness gene.

The chiropractic appointment went shockingly well. No fuss, no feline carrying-on, and I'm thinking that it's going to help. He's walking oddly when he goes down steps now, but in general, his "carriage" and walking seem much more natural. For the last week or so, he's seemed so out of kilter that his stomach was almost dragging on the floor.

There's more inflammation in his right ear, too. The holistic vet gave us gentamycin otic for it. That's not going to make Scruffy a happy camper. When exactly does he get a break?

Definite improvement!

September's numbers are decidedly better. And the durations are much more similar to what I was seeing in the beginning weeks using Levemir. That said, I'm pretty sure I gave him too much insulin this morning. 2.0 units on a 269. Fortunately, I didn't have much of anything planned for this afternoon, so I guess I can sit here and poke him whenever.....

The leg injury does not seem to be improving much. It occurred on Sunday, 9/16, when Burble came leaping into the living room and jumped on Scruffy's back, wrapping his paws around Muffer's chest so he couldn't get him off. Scruffy dragged Burble off into the kitchen, and when he came back out, he had a severe and serious limp. Clearly in pain. Wiser heads than mine (okay, it was Hope...) suggested benign neglect for a few days to see if it got better on its own, reasoning that if something was broken in there, he wouldn't be able to walk on it. But it made me really nervous, so I dragged him to the vet on Monday afternoon. I took along the Rescue Remedy, thinking that maybe it might help reduce the overt hostility poor Scruffy has been showing at all the vets lately. It didn't. Dr. G. didn't think that an xray was necessary, and felt that it was a soft tissue injury. He gave me 3 more metacam syringes for this week. I debated about using them, but poor Scruffy was so uncomfortable.... The first one seemed quite successful. The next morning, he was sitting in the top of the cat tree - apparently it's harder getting down from there than up. But yesterday, he just laid on the bed the entire day. I carried him out to eat, but he went right back in. Even Rege noticed and said he thought there was something wrong with Puffy. I gave him the second syringe of metacam last night, and after about an hour, he did come out and start hanging around in the living room. It seemed less effective, though - he was still limping quite badly. Probably the lack of pain made him do more stressful things to it. Poor Puffer.

September numbers.

Okay, puhleeze let this month be better.

8/31/07
AM PS (+12) 504 fed .5uOldR, 1.5uLevemir
+4 219
+4.5 179
+5.5 139 fed
+6.5 155
+8.5 188
PM PS (+11.5) 296 1.5uLevemir ear drops
+2 368
+4 364

9/01/07
AM PS (+13) 589 fed .5uR, 1.5uLevemir
+3 377
+5.5 310
+8 285
PM PS (+11) 235 fed 1.5uLevemir ear drops
+5 407 .5uR ear drops

9/02/07
AM PS (+12.5) 181 fed, threw up 1.5uLevemir
+3 299 ear drops
+6 374
+10 378
PM PS (+11.5) 438 fed .5uR, 1.5uLevemir ear drops
+5.5 109
+7 85

9/03/07
+9.5 102
+12.5 89 fed ear drops
AM PS (+13.5) 122 1.0uLevemir
+4 318
+8 390 fed .5uR
PM PS (+10) 250 1.0uLevemir
+4 255
+6 249

9/04/07
AM PS (+12) 248 fed .5uR, 1.0uLevemir
+4 104
+5 91
+6.5 127 (at vet's)
PM PS (+11) 486 fed
+11.5 .5uR, 1.0uLevemir fluconazole
+5.5 389

9/05/07
AM PS (+12.5) 397 fed, threw up .5uR, 1.0uLevemir zeniquin
+3 245
+6.5 60 fed
+9 130
PM PS (+12) 221 fed, threw up 1.5uLevemir fluconazole
+2.5 204
+5 139
+6 127

9/06/07
+10.5 110
AM PS (+12) 140 fed 1.5uLevemir zeniquin
+5 93
+6.5 78
+8.5 87
PM PS (+11.5) 140 fed, threw up 1.0uLevemir
+4.5 220
+6 165

9/07/07
+12 57 fed
+14 85
+16 85
+17 78
+19 79
+20.5 86
+22 179
PS (+24) 213 fed 1.5uLevemir
+3 183

9/08/07
AM PS (+13) 283 fed 1.5uLevemir
+2.5 420
+3 .5uR
+7.5 (+4.5) 287
PM PS (+10.5) 345
+11 fed .5uR, 1.0uLevemir
+4.5 268

9/09/07
+11.5 419
AM PS (+13) 381 fed, threw up .5uR, 1.5uLevemir
+3.5 184
+4.5 99
+7 70
+8.5 92
+10.5 92 fed fluconazole
PM PS (+12.5) 138 1.5uLevemir
+4 57 fed
+5 70

9/10/07
+8.5 118
AM PS (+11) 135 fed 1.0uLevemir
+3 301
+4.5 348
+7 426 .5uR
PM PS (+11) (+4) 254 fed 1.25uLevemir
+1.5 251

9/11/07
AM PS (+14) 327 fed, threw up .5uR, 1.5uLevemir
+3 324
+7 306
PM PS (+10) 428 fed, threw up .5uR, 1.5uLevemir
+4 197

9/12/07
AM PS (+12) 201 fed 1.5uLevemir
+6.5 51
+7.5 70
+9 127
PM PS (+11.5) 146 fed 1.5uLevemir
+5 375

9/13/07
AM PS (+12) 412 fed .5uR, 1.5uLevemir
+5 282
+7 248
PM PS (+11.5) 211 fed 2.0uLevemir
+5 88
+6 59 fed
+7 94

9/14/07
+13.5 87 fed
+15 81
AM PS (+17) 160 1.5uLevemir
+2 216
+5 120
+7 120 fed
PM PS (+12) 301 2.0uLevemir

9/15/07
+6.5 95 fed
+9.5 55
+11 54
+13 89
AM PS (+14) 118 1.5uLevemir
+4.5 219
PM PS (+8.5) 262 1.5uLevemir

9/16/07
+5 192
AM PS (+9) 252 fed 1.5uLevemir
+3.5 315
+7.5 331
+8.5 fed
PM PS (+10.5) 397 fed 2.0uLevemir
+5.5 260

9/17/07
+12.5 107 fed, threw up
AM PS (+14.5) 133 1.5uLevemir
+3 141
+5 85 (just home from vet!)
+7.5 94
PM PS (+10) 136 fed 1.5uLevemir; 3ml Metacam for leg
+3.5 338

9/18/07
AM PS (+12) 419 fed 2.0uLevemir
+4.5 314
+10.5 76
+11.5 85 fed
PM PS (+14) 199 2.0uLevemir
+3 208

9/19/07
AM PS (+9.5) 31 (!) fed
+10.5 61
+11 81
+12.5 88
+16 81
+18.5 164
PM PS (+20) 197 fed 1.5uLevemir; 3ml metacam for leg
+5.5 49
+6.5 89
+8 153

9/20/07
AM PS (+14) 269 fed 2.0uLevemir
+3.5 343
+6.5 211
+8.5 108
+11 84 fed
PM PS (+14) 145 1.5uLevemir
+2.5 197

9/21/07
+7 214
AM PS (+9) 211 fed 1.5uLevemir
+6 53
+7 39 fed
+8.5 79
+12 78 fed, threw up
+13.5 67
+17 87

9/22/07
AM PS (+22.5) 351 fed, threw up 3 times 2.0uLevemir
+4 296
+8.5 40
+10 47
+12.5 62 fed
PM PS (+17) 227 1.5uLevemir

9/23/07
AM PS (+8) 399 fed, threw up 2.0uLevemir
+2.5 329
+3 246 (fed because I had to go out and he was dropping fast.)
+5.5 71
+6.5 43 fed
+9 28 fed
+10.5 70 fed
+11 76
+14 106
PM PS (+16) 121 1.0uLevemir

9/24/07
+7 137 fed
AM PS (+9 ) 146 1.25uLevemir
+2.5 130
+5 107
+7.5 96
+8.5 110
+10.5 122 fed
+12 101
+14.5 116
+15 113
PM PS (+16) 135 1.0uLevemir

9/25/07
+5 171 fed, threw up a little
+9.5 101
+11 94
+13.5 114
+15.5 114
AM PS (+17.5) 126 fed, threw up little piles 1.0uLevemir
+5 34 fed
+5.5 48
+6 51 fed
+7.5 123

9/26/07
+10 160
AM PS (+12) 230 fed 1.0uLevemir
+4 295
+7 197
+8.5 182
PM PS (+11) 154 fed .75uLevemir
+1 84
+3.5 237
+6 239

9/27/07
AM PS (+13) 356 fed, threw up 1.5uLevemir
+3 335
+6 100
+8 69
+9.5 80
PM PS (+12) 122 fed .75uLevemir
+3 133
+5 110

9/28/07
AM PS (+12) 194 fed 1.0uLevemir
+3.5 314
+5 367
+9 381 (after eye vet appt.)
+11 425 fed
PM PS (+12) 425 1.5uLevemir
+3.5 364

9/29/07
AM PS (+12) 317 fed 1.5uLevemir
+2 387 (at vet. chiropractor)
+6 192
PM PS (+11.5) 110 fed, threw up .75uLevemir
+3.5 229
+4.5 158 fed

9/30/07
AM PS (+11.5) 498 fed, threw up 1.5uLevemir
+5 355
+11.5 144 fed, threw up
+12.5 146
+13.5 101
+16.5 117
PM PS (+18) 132 .75uLevemir

Okay, fingers crossed. And toes.....

Scruffy has an appointment with the ophthalmologist on September 28 to have the iris nevi looked at again. I've been trying to get a good picture of the size of them - the one in the left eye has really grown and gotten darker. I'm thinking that this picture may be the best I can do. He blinks.

We finally got to see the veterinary dermatologist yesterday afternoon. (There was a picture of a really fat brown tabby on the vet's bulletin board - I think it was Scruffy, taken the month before he got diabetes and lost four pounds. How bad is it, though, to not be sure if it's your own cat or not? The stains on the blue rug under the fat cat looked vaguely familiar....)

Anyway, he was pretty good for the first ten minutes or so of the visit. The technician poked around and asked some questions, and THEN, she picked him up and went into the "back room." Where I, sitting in the exam room, was unfortunately able to hear EVERYTHING that went on. Not that it would have been possible, barring deafness, to miss the feline shrieking and howling and spitting and hissing that was going on. But they - two technicians and the vet - were all nice and patient with him. I was pleased about that. When they brought him back in, he was wrapped in an old green towel. Because he'd peed and pooped all over the place. This is the second time he's pooped at the vet. Never had a cat in all these years that did that. Actually, I think it's a sort of interesting comment on what he's thinking about them...... And better there than in my car, right?

Outcome of the exam? Right. I do wander. There was neither yeast or bacteria in the cultures they did. However, there was a great deal of inflammation, and the doctor speculated that maybe the Malaseb Flush had gotten rid of all the bad stuff but left the inflammation. Then she prescribed both an antibiotic and an antifungal. (It didn't make sense to me, but I wasn't about to argue - to have someone who knew what they were doing with him was wonderful.) One of each pill a day for two weeks, and then they'll call to see how he's doing; she doesn't want to stress him out by making him come back unless it's unavoidable. Or they don't want to have to clean up another mess like today's. Whichever.

His numbers have been odd. Aside from the frequent high 500's, there have been a couple of nice low numbers, 80-100, say. Yesterday before we left for the vet, he was 91. I was a little nervous, since it was only +5, so I gave him a little gravy FF. Tested him while the technician was messing with him, and he had only gone up to 127. We didn't get home for almost three hours, and I took him right in to get a bath. So by the time I tested him again, it was almost dinnertime, and he was 486. Could have been rebound, given the horrible numbers his body has gotten used to lately. I am giving a half unit of R at almost every shot, unless he's under 200 or so.

Anyway, hopefully, this will be the end of what has been a major ordeal for my poor little Muffer. Or it will be, once the agony of pilling him twice a day is over.

Cancel August, Please.

What started out so promisingly dwindled into a morass. I believe that Scruffy's got something going on with his ears again - especially the right one. Numbers have been horrible. Horrible. New R and Levemir made virtually no difference, although I am curious about the fact that I accidentally used the old vial of Humulin R this morning, and it seemed to have a whole lot more activity than the new vial of Novolin R......

I took him to Dr. G. yesterday. It was another episode of vicious hissing, spitting, clawing and biting. I don't know if there's a reason why Scruffy has suddenly become such a lousy patient. He was always so tolerant of everything a vet wanted to do. Maybe he's holding the two dentals against Dr. G, or something. Whatever, it was not possible to use the long tube-ish instrument to look into his right ear, which seems to be the primary source of distress. I've been using the Malaseb Flush almost every day, to Scruffy's extreme dismay, and until tonight, I haven't seen any sign of the brown waxy stuff that used to be in his outer ear. There was a tiny bit tonight. Dr. G. gave me two syringes of a thick yellowish metacam to give him every other day until Monday, in the hopes that it would perform some anti-inflammatory function on his ear, and that reduced pain would make him more pleasant, I guess. He gave him the first dose in the office, which didn't seem to have any particular effect. I don't think that reducing pain is the solution to this, personally. I believe that its original cause was the weeks of Clindamycin when he had the dental in the middle of July, and that now we're going to have to do something to treat that.

It's clear that there's something seriously wrong now. Scruffy's just not himself. He hardly sleeps on my leg any more. He's going off by himself more and more to nap, instead of laying in his kitty pi. While I haven't noticed anything particularly odd about his appetite, he has lost three ounces in the two weeks between vet visits.

I tried to call today to see if the veterinary dermatologist who treated his ears before might have an appointment available, but they're already closed until next Tuesday because of Labor Day. Not a very good time of year to need veterinary treatment, I guess. I am seriously concerned about this whole situation. I think he needs to be examined - and I have no idea how that can be done, given his unpleasant behavior at the vet's - and I think he has to have some sort of treatment to get rid of whatever's going on with his ear. We've wasted a whole month now with terrible numbers and a miserable cat, and I'm scared to death of ketones and DKA.

Not going well at all.

After a few really good days, things have continued to deteriorate, diabetes-wise. Probably in other ways, too. I don't even want to think about it.

For the most part, Scruffy's numbers have been horrible. Make that Horrible, with a capital H. On the 20th of August, I picked up a new prescription of Levemir, and a new bottle of R, which was Novolin, instead of Humulin. (I assume it doesn't matter. Well, actually, it hasn't mattered, because things are just as stinky as they were with Humulin....) We've had whole days of sitting in the upper 300's. Preshots in the almost-500's. Hardly any movement from morning to night, unless it's UP.

My new theory - I always have a theory, but never seem to prove anything - is that this is some sort of beginning ear torment again. I think it's related to the two weeks of clindamycin he had prior to the dental in July. He's not digging and shaking his head the way he did when his ears were really bad, and I've been checking them; there's not a lot of sediment or that greasy brown stuff inside them. But there is clearly some discomfort. He fusses when I hold his ear to test him. And, oh, how he hates those ear drops. The stuff actually doesn't smell all that bad. I use the cotton-ball-saturated-with-ear-drops-and- squeezed-into-his-ears-technique. If you can call it a "technique." Mostly, I just try desperately to hang onto his chubby little body with the churning claws while he's ferociously attempting to get away from me before the drops by some freak chance actually get into his ears. Then he shakes his head and soaks us both, and the curtains, and the floor, and the windows. It's not pretty. To make matters worse, he really holds a grudge. Once we've done the drops, he won't get back up on the window ledge voluntarily, even though that's where he eats twice a day. And where the water is. And where he can look out the window. Doesn't matter. He's mad and he's not gonna go there.

Anyway, about the lousy numbers. I started the new vial of R and the new pen cartridge of Levemir. I started at 1 unit of Levemir, because I did think that maybe part of the problem is that I've been sort of jumping around with dosages and Levemir doesn't seem to care much for that. I'll give it a couple days, and then go up. Back the last time that things were going well, he was getting 1.25 Levemir bid and no R. I guess that should be my goal. Or not. I don't need any of this right now. I'm in a panic about Milkshake and bottlefeeding him four times a day. I've got pills and insulin and blood testing and feeding and whatever, and I'm just afraid I'm not doing a good job with any of it.

We seem to have hit a snag.

Nothing like posting two totally opposite things in one week. Geez. Things were going pretty well, back when I said that they were (the last part of July), but the last couple of days, PS's have been high, and he's jumping back up again higher and earlier than I would have expected. I think his ears are still bothering him, and he's either got a cold, or he's having a herpes attack. Lots of snorting and snuffling. At first, I thought I'd just increase the Levemir a half unit or so and see if that helps, but it doesn't seem to be doing the job. (Plus, the stuff expires this month, if that means anything.)

So, this morning, I gave him a smidge of R again, along with 1.0 of Levemir. And at +2, it doesn't seem to be doing much of anything..... Rats.

The Animal Communicator

Dale and Hope and Linda and Wild Thing gave me an appointment with Morgan, the animal communicator, for my birthday. Dale recorded the conversation, since I don't retain stuff any more, but that meant I wasn't concentrating on remembering what Morgan said so much because I knew I'd get the CD later..... She didn't hazard a guess how old Scruffy is, or ask him how old he thinks he is - now, that would have been a good question, huh? She did say that he understands that his diabetes means that I have to keep poking him, and he's okay with that. And he likes his fur shaved, which is good, because I like it short, too. Easier to give him his shots, and to watch the bump, and none of those awful knots and mats. She said he described often feeling like he was in a haze and being jerked around when he was on PZI, but he likes Levemir, and for the last couple of weeks, he's been feeling really good. (She actually said that he's singing to himself that song "I'm Walking on Sunshine! Whoa-OoooH!) :) She said that he's got a couple of vertebrae that are really out of line, too, (same thing she said about little Milkshake), and suggested a massage therapist or chiropractor for him. I said I've been giving him cosequin because I thought it was arthritis, and she said he doesn't think it is, and he'd prefer I stop the cosequin. (It smells like something's on fire - not pleasant; I don't know if it tastes as bad as it smells or not.)

It was a really interesting experience. I just wanted her to tell them I'm doing the best I can....

August numbers

Starting with the last day of July:

7/31/07
AM PS (+9) 375 fed, 1.0uLevemir
+1 411
+5 121
+7 81
+9 77
+11 78 fed
+13 99
+14 122
PM PS (+15) 209 fed, .5uLevemir
+1.5 285

8/1/07
+7.5 123 fed, threw up
+9 133
+11 118
AM PS (+13) 209 .5uLevemir
+1.5 310
+6 396 fed
PM PS (+9.5) 451 1.0uLevemir
+2.5 427

8/2/07
AM PS (+10) 344 fed, threw up 1.0uLevemir
+2 310
+5.5 220
+11 91 fed, threw up
+12.5 82
+14 93
+15.5 119
PM PS (+16.5) 150 .75uLevemir

8/3/07
AM PS (+6.5) 511 ????? fed, 1.0uLevemir
+2.5 407
+5 314
+7.5 215
PM PS (+11.5) 170 fed, .5uLevemir
+5.5 250

8/4/07
AM PS (+12.5) 381 fed, 1.0uLevemir
+2 383
+7 152
+9.5 95
+11 81 fed
PM PS (+13.5) 178 .5uLevemir
+2.5 398

8/5/07
AM PS (+10) 414 fed, 1.0uLevemir
+2.5 400
+6.5 250
+8.5 128
PM PS (+11) 152 fed, 1.0uLevemir
+5.5 356

8/6/07
AM PS (+12.5) 380 fed, thin .5uR and 1.0uLevemir
+1.5 333
+6.5 164
+9.5 86
+10.5 80 fed
PM PS (+13) 116 1.0uLevemir
+4 114

8/7/07
+8 53 fed
+9.5 80
AM PS (+13.5) 428 fed, .5uR, 1.0uLevemir (forgot to check him)
+2.5 271
+7 331
PM PS (+8) 389 fed, 1.5uLevemir
+5.5 288

8/8/07
AM PS (+12.5) 164 fed, threw up 1.0uLevemir
+4 190
+6.5 207
PM PS (+11.5) 439 fed, .5uR. 1.0uLevemir
+4 294
+6.5 390

8/9/07
AM PS (+13) 440 fed, .5uR, 1.0uLevemir NEW CARTRIDGE OF LEVEMIR
+3 374
+6.5 108
+8 81
PM PS (+11.5) 132 fed, 1.0uLevemir
+4.5 242
+6 203

8/10/07
AM PS (+12.5) 188 fed, threw up 1.0uLevemir
+4 150
+7 63
+8.5 47 fed
PM PS (+11.5) 140 fed, .5uLevemir
+4 358
+6 408

8/11/07
AM PS (+13.5) 458 fed, .5uR, 1.0uLevemir
+4 304
+9 235
+10 178
+10.5 165 fed
PM PS (+11.5) 146 fed, 1.0uLevemir
+3 83
+4.5 102
+5.5 184

8/12/07
AM PS (+11.5) 286 fed, 1.0uLevemir
+4.5 384
+6 354
PM PS (+10.5) 417 fed, threw up .5R, 1.0Levemir
+4 131
+6 75 fed

8/13/07
AM PS (+11) 178 fed, 1.0uLevemir
+5.5 106
+7 57 fed a little
+8 91
+12.5 97
PM PS (+13.5) 102 fed, threw up fat .5uLevemir
+3 137
+6 289

8/14/07
AM PS (+12) 452 fed, .5uR, 1.0uLevemir
+3 226
+6 65
+7 92
PM PS (+10.5) 180 1.0uLevemir
+1 fed
+5 376

8/15/07
AM PS (+12.5) 472 fed, 1.5uLevemir
+4.5 333
+7 325
PM PS (+13) 262 fed, 1.5uLevemir
+2 373
+5 309

8/16/07
AM PS (+13) fed, 1.25uLevemir
+2.5 225
+4.5 171
+5.5 168
+8 189
+9.5 229
PM PS (+10.5) fed, 1.25uLevemir
+4.5 349

8/17/07
AM PS (+14) 440 fed, 1.5uLevemir
+4 306
+8 83
+10 89
PM PS (+12.5) 169 fed, threw up 1.25uLevemir
+3 340

8/18/07
AM PS (+10.5) 373 fed, 1.25uLevemir
+6 362
+9 360
PM PS (+10.5) 369 fed, 1.5uLevemir
+4 361

8/19/07
AM PS (+13) 396 fed, .5uR, 1.0uLevemir
+5.5 204
+8.5 133
PM PS (+10.5) 141 fed, 1.0uLevemir
+3 409
+6.5 460 .5uR

8/20/07
+11 296 fed
AM PS (+13) 452 fed, .5uR NEW VIAL OF NOVOLIN R
+2 349 1.0uLevemir NEW (UNEXPIRED) CARTRIDGE OF LEVEMIR
+5 (+4) 371
+8 385 fed
PM PS (+11.5) 467 .5uR, 1.0uLevemir
+4 361

8/21/07
AM PS (+11) 343 fed, .5uR, 1.0uLevemir
+3 347
+7 389
PM PS (+10) 395 fed, .5uR, 1.0uLevemir, ear drops
+3 260
+6.5 280

8/22/07
AM PS (+13) 254 fed, threw up 1.0uLevemir
+2.5 183 ear drops
+7 52
+8 62
PM PS (+10.5) 171 fed, thin 1.0uLevemir
+4 456
+6 430

8/23/07
AM PS (+13) 485 fed, 1.0uLevemir
+3.5 377
+7 316
+9 281
+9.5 fed, 1.0uLevemir, ear drops
+5 431

8/24/07
+12 AM PS (+12) 424 fed, threw up .5uR, 1.0uLevemir
+6 221
+8 192
PM PS (+11) 301 fed, threw up
+11.5 1.0uLevemir
+3 316

8/25/07
AM PS (+12.5) 384 fed, threw up .5uR, 1.0uLevemir
+5.5 147
+6.5 149
+9 254
PM PS (+10.5) 446 fed
+11 .5uR, 1.0uLevemir, ear drops
+6.5 221

8/26/07
AM PS (+13) HIGH
retest (+13) HIGH fed, .75uR, fat 1.0uLevemir, ear drops
+1 595
+3 313
+6.5 131
PM PS (+11.5) 136 fed, 1.0uLevemir, ear drops
+3 326
+4.5 436 .75uR

8/27/07
AM PS (+11.5) 367
+12 fed, .5uR, 1.0uLevemir
+7 294
PM PS (+11) 357
+12 fed 1.5uLevemir
+3 371
+6 388 .5uR

8/28/07
AM PS (+12) 245 fed 1.5uLevemir
+4 373
+6 329
+9.5 239
PM PS (+10.5) 299 1.5uLevemir, ear drops
+4 342
+7 350

8/29/07
AM PS (+12.5) 374 fed .5uR, 1.5uLevemir, ear drops
+4 259 (vet gave .3ml metacam during appointment)
+7 273
PM PS (+11) 470 fed .75uR, 1.5uLevemir
+4 342
+7 350

8/30/07
AM PS (+12.5) 374 fed .5uR, 1.5uLevemir, ear drops
+3 357
+8 295
PM PS (+12) 350 fed 2.0uLevemir
+5 420

8/31/07
AM PS (+11.5) 504 fed .5u(old)R, 1.5uLevemir
+4 219
+4.5 179
+5.5 139 fed
+6.5 155

Something's going on.

I don't know what or why, but there seemed to be a distinct change in Scruffy's response to Levemir. Not that I'm complaining - except that the drastic drops I was seeing seemed to only occur in the middle of the night. He's been below the 50 that I've decided is my bottom line a number of times; the middle-of-the-night that he had the 28, he hopped up on my lap with absolutely no indication that he was so low. I've actually given him laxatone to bring him up on two different occasions. And I hardly know what amount to shoot any more- the 1.5 and 2.0 dosages - and sometimes even 1.0! - now appear to be way too much.

And his ears are bothering him again. I think, probably because of the clindamycin he had prior to and after the dental in July. (Not complaining here, though - thank goodness for the dental!) He's digging at them and shaking his head. I have a giant size bottle of the ear stuff the dermatologist gave me a couple of months ago, and started giving it to him yesterday, much to his annoyance. Boy, does he get mad. I started out just trying to squirt the stuff into his ears, which was awkward because the bottle is big and heavy and I can't tell how much is getting in there. Then I remembered the cotton ball trick, so that's what I've done. The problem with it is that he shakes his head and struggles, and while I'm confident that most of the liquid gets into his ears, it leaves a mess on the fur on the sides of his head. And on my clothes and glasses. And on the carpeting on their window ledge. And wherever else he goes when he hops down indignantly. "High dudgeon." Words from some Victorian novel, but they're definitely appropriate. Today, he is refusing to step where I have been pouring out the ear medicine onto the cotton wads, the dope. Poor cat. And he's such a good boy. How come all this awful stuff keeps happening to him?

I've got a hammock!!!!

For weeks now, I've wanted to have a nice even, gentle curve (like a hammock!) like everyone else who uses Levemir seems to get. And now: TA DA - MY HAMMOCK! (Ignore the 28, please.) Anyway, IT'S A HAMMOCK!

And, even though I screwed it up by only giving 1.0 Levemir for last night's PS, today he looks pretty good again. Oh, how nice it would be if this is the answer for Scruffy.

Or NOT using R......

Well, after the last three days of surprisingly low numbers at surprisingly early times, I got to wondering if maybe Scruffy and Levemir were telling me that he didn't need the R any more. (He could have been shrieking "Just give me 1/4 unit instead of 1/2!", of course. Who knows?) At any rate, it seemed like an experiment that was worth trying. I did give him very "thin" 1/2 units for the last two R shots, and he still ended up lower than I want him to be.

On 7/18, the first morning without R, he zipped right up to the 400's. I was gone almost all day, but when I got back, he was in the mid-250's at +12, which isn't so bad. So Part 2 is: today, 7/19, I'm going to increase the Levemir by 1/2 unit and see what happens. I had done 2 units a couple of times before and thought that it dropped him too abruptly, but now that he's gotten a week of pretty decent numbers under his belt, so to speak, maybe it'll be a good replacement for R. We'll see. I'm expecting at least one day of really crummy numbers, which is what happened in the past when I increased the Levemir.

Using R

I DON'T WANT TO USE BOOSTERS. I said that from the beginning, and here I am. On the other hand, maybe if I had started Levemir that way, we'd have made big progress now. Yeah, right.

After Scruffy's dental on July 11, I was determined to try everything to get him into good numbers, and to get one of those elusive bg charts that look like a hammock that everyone else has. So, once again - I think this is the third time, the other two being during the two and a half years we used BCP PZI - I'm adding a small amount of R to almost every shot. The pattern in the past has been that it looks pretty good for the first day or two, and then it starts to seem like the R is causing its own rebound, with the high flat numbers. The good thing about this time is that Levemir does have the ability to get him into good numbers, much more than PZI ever did, so I'm trying to be hopeful.

So far, this is the fourth day of R. Not a whole lot of improvement. I have - stuck away in another notebook someplace - a detailed chart of what a variety of R dosages produced in the way of BG levels in Scruffy. It could be that using half a unit isn't nearly enough, since as I recall it took a whole unit to get him down consistently into a range where BCP could take over. But, and this is sad - I have to admit that last night in the middle of the night, when I tested him and he was at 324, I was actually relieved. Too much stress these days with Milkshake and the seizures; I don't have the energy to be stewing about hypo watches.

I guess I should either go and hunt up that previous data about R, or do another set.

And another thing: I want my emoticons here.

It's Dental Day.

Check out the shiny fangs!





And I'm nervous. I really hated leaving him.

We had a horrible night. I fed Scruffy around 8:30. PS was 329, so I gave him 1.5u of levemir. His numbers have been horrible for weeks, even with the addition a week ago of Clindamycin. (And he's thrown up after eating for the last two days, so he's not getting much of the antibiotic anyway.) At any rate, at +4, 1:00 AM, he was down to 178, to my surprise. And dismay. I gave him a can of FF sliced beef, because he tends to drop most between +7 and +9, and he still had a long way to go. At +7, 4AM, he was 150, even with the gravy food. I gave him three treats. He woke up around 8 AM and he was at 459 or something. He wandered into the kitchen and threw up, after much heaving and effort, a tiny little bit of foam. So, I assume that his stomach was sufficiently empty despite the food. By the time we left for the office, his bg was 516. Really crappy number, even if it was +13. The vet's answering machine doesn't take messages, and there's no one in the office until it opens at 10:00. I told the vet about our night, and he seemed to think it was still safe to do the dental, and I hated to think about putting it off because it's so necessary.

Okay, it went well, I guess. No extractions, no loose teeth, just cleaning and polishing. He was apparently fairly uncooperative; I don't know what happened to his sweet, accepting little personality. The technician said, when I came to pick him up, "My, he's quite the little hisser, isn't he?" lol. We were both sopping wet when we got home - stuck in a huge rainstorm. Scruffy made a beeline for the litter boxes, peed for about a half hour, and then ate and ate and ATE. I tested him and was disturbed to discover that he had just registered his first HIGH on the UltraSmart. Talk about stomach-turning. I gave him a half unit of R and 1.5 of levemir, and he wandered off to nap in his Pi. I just tested him a little while ago, and he's down to 238. I wish that this dental would be the magic answer to managing his diabetes. We've got an insulin I like now. If only it would operate like it seems to on everyone else's cat......

July numbers

Well, it'd be pretty hard for the July numbers to be any worse than June's were, so here goes:

7/1/07
+9.5 351
AM PS (+13.5) 439 fed 1.5uLevemir
+5.5 264
+9 215
PM PS (+10) 198 fed 1.25uLevemir
+6 398

7/2/07 Vet Visit
AM PS (+13) 456 fed, threw up 1.5uLevemir
+3.5 456
+8 357 starving - gave 1/2 can FF
PM PS (+10) 346 fed +Clindamycin 1.5uLevemir
+7 399

7/3/07 A Curve, So to Speak
AM PS (+14) 427 fed +Clindamycin 1.5uLevemir
+2 387
+4 343
+6 317
+8 253
+10 243 fed, threw up +Clindamycin
PM PS (+12) 311 1.5uLevemir
+2 379
+4 319 1/2 can FF

7/4/07
+10 295
AM PS (+12) 358 fed +Clindamycin 1.5uLevemir
+3.5 407
+8 285
+10.5 248 fed + Clindamycin
PM PS (+11) 1.5uLevemir
+5.5 197
+7 169

7/5/07
AM PS (+13) 160 fed +Clindamycin 1.5uLevemir
+2 348
+4 411
PM PS (+11) 382 fed +Clindamycin 1.5uLevemir
+4.5 312

7/6/07
AM PS (+13) 413 fed +Clindamycin 1.0uLevemir*
+2.5 395
+6.5 291
PM PS (+10) 201 1.0uLevemir*
+1 fed +Clindamycin
+3.5 116
+6.5 79 1/4 can FF
+8 81
+9 110

7/7/07
AM PS(+14.5) 324 fed +Clindamycin 1.0uLevemir**
+3 431
+4.5 397
PM PS (+11.5) 396 fed +Clindamycin 1.25uLevemir

7/8/07
AM PS (+11.5) 340 fed, threw up +Clindamycin 1.25uLevemir
+5 390
+9 348
PM PS (+11.5_ 338 fed +Clindamycin 1.25uLevemir
+3.5 283

7/9/07
AM PS (+12) 347 fed +Clindamycin 1.25Levemir
+2 375
+7 343
+11.5 408
PM PS (+12) fed, threw up twice + Clindamycin 1.5u
+4.5 318

7/10/07
AM PS (+11) 212 fed, threw up twice + Clindamycin
+11.5 1.5uLevemir
+5.5 298
+10.5 207
PM PS (+12) 329 fed, threw up +Clindamycin
+12.5 1.5uLevemir
+4 178 fed because of dental tomorrow
+6 162
+7 150

7/11/07 Dental Day
+11.5 497 NO FOOD, NO INSULIN
+12.5 516
AM PS (+17) HIGH (post dental) fed .5uR, 1.5u Levemir
+2 378
+3.5 238
+7 121 fed
+9 148
PM PS (+10) 225 1.5uLevemir
+3 321

7/12/07
AM PS (+9) 355 fed , .5uR, 1.5u levemir
+2 286
+5 109
+10 120
PM PS (+11) 121 fed 1.25uLevemir
+4 167
+5 140
+7.5 109

7/13/07
AM PS (+12.5) 293 fed .5uR, 1.25u Levemir
+2 315
+7 259
+8.5 267
PM PS (+10) 275
+11 fed .5uR, 1.5u Levemir
+3.25 141
+5.5 234

7/14/07
AM PS (+12) 430 fed fat.5uR, 1.5u Levemir
+2.5 301
+8 203
PM PS (+12) 256 fed fat.5uR, 1.5u Levemir
+4.5 76 fed - pretty big drop for this early on
+6 101

7/15/07
+9 102
AM PS (+13) 224 fed .5uR, 1.5u Levemir
+2.5 185
+5 83
+6 98
+8 119
PM PS (+11) 205 fed .5uR, 1.5u Levemir
+3 218
+5.5 205

7/16/07
AM PS (+12) 279 fed .5uR, 1.5u Levemir
+2 111
+3 78
+4 67
+4.5 77
+6 104
+8 136
PM PS (+11.5) 312 fed skinny.5uR, 1.5u Levemir
+5.5 362

7/17/07
AM PS (+12) 384 fed .5uR, 1.5u Levemir Humph - not thrilled about this.
+3 215
+6 103 fed
PM PS (+12.5) 249 fed thin .5uR, 1.5u Levemir
+3 63 ??? fed
+4 39 ???? fed
+5 52
+6 68

7/18/07
AM PS (+11) 168 fed, threw up twice NO R, 1.5u Levemir
+3 215
+4.5 179
+11.5 296 fed
PM PS (+12) 1.5 Levemir
+3 418

7/19/07
AM PS (+11) 256 fed, threw up 2.0uLevemir
+3.5 348
+11 239
PM PS (+12.5) 258 fed 2.0uLevemir
+4 threw up
+6 287

7/20/07
AM PS (+12) 100 !! fed
+13.5 97
+15 109 1.5uLevemir (I know, but I have to be gone all afternoon and evening)
+4 212
PM PS (+10) 185 fed 1.5uLevemir
+4.5 218

7/21/07
+12 75 fed
+13 77
AM PS (+14.5) 113 1.5uLevemir
+5 274
+8 310
PM PS (+9) 300 fed
+9.5 2.0uLevemir
+6 256

7/22/07
AM PS (+13) 290 fed thin .5uR, 1.5uLevemir
+2 107
+3 63 fed gravy FF
+4.5 91
+5.5 118
+10 80 fed
PM PS (+12 ) 102 1.5uLevemir
+3 61
+4 51
+5 28 fed and fed and fed
+5.5 53
+6 122
+6.5 112

7/23/07
+10.5 174
AM PS (+12) 172 fed 1.25uLevemir
+2.5 190
+6 70
+7.5 74
+10.5 79 fed
PM PS (+12 ) 102 1.0uLevemir
+2 288
+4.5 352

7/24/07
AM PS (+10.5) 400 fed
+11 thin .25uR, 1.5uLevemir
+2.5 313
+6 165
+9 132
PM PS (+11) 149 fed 1.25uLevemir
+4 63
+5 53
+6.5 41 fed
+7 30 fed, laxatone
+7.5 57
+8.5 126

7/25/07
AM PS (+14.5) 385 fed 1.0uLevemir
+1.5 439
+5 357
PM PS (+9.5) 332 fed, threw up
+10 1.25uLevemir
+2.5 354
+5 203

7/26/07
+12 80 fed
+13 90
AM PS (+15) 149 1.0uLevemir
+8.5 394 fed
PM PS (+9) 1.25uLevemir
+4.5 299

7/27/07
AM PS (+12.5) 139 fed 1.0uLevemir
+3 374
+4.5 332
+6 332
PM PS (+10.5) 325 fed 1.25uLevemir
+4.5 336

7/28/07
+10.5 268
AM PS (+13) 225 fed 1.25uLevemir
+2.5 118
+4.5 50 fed
+5 58
+6 102
+7 134
PM PS (+10) 158
+11.5 fed 1.0uLevemir
+4.5 197

7/29/07
AM PS (+11) 60 fed
+13 121 1.0uLevemir
+2.5 147
+4 117
+5 99
+7 131
PM PS (+10.5) 172 fed, threw up 1.0uLevemir
+1 110
+1.5 87 fed. laxatone
+2 70 laxatone
+3 119
+4.5 123
+6 111 fed
+8 170

7/30/07
AM PS (+12) 293 fed .5uLevemir
+3 265
+4.5 245
+8.5 111 (???? on a half unit????)
+10.5 96 fed, threw up (I repeat, ??)
+12 130
+14 162
PM PS (+15) 368 .5uLevemir
+1.5 414

7/31/07
AM PS (+9.5) 375 fed 1.0uLevemir
+1 411
+5 121
+7 81
+9 77
+11 78
+13 99
+14 122



* curious, huh? Three weeks ago, 1.0 did nothing.... Of course, that was before the antibiotic.
** so much for that hopeful attempt......