I can’t cope

The holiday was hit and miss but other than my brother I guess it was ok. I did get to see some stuff and finally feel the connection to the beach in the last 2 days. @AuntGlow

The holiday feels like a million years ago right now. I have too much other stuff going on. Pix is really really sick and I’m trying to get her through it. I think she should still be in hospital but being the weekend they sent her home. I don’t have to give her insulin over the weekend but I have to watch her glucose levels. She is still in incredible pain though.

Hows things with you?

Hey @Captain24 , I haven't been online for past few days after not a great Thursday lol. I am sorry to read also that it has been an incredibly hard few days for you too, and really glad to read that @MissGremlin has been here with you throughout and with some really really good wisdom too!

I need to go make dinner now, but before I do -- sending extra hugs for you re: gyno and Pix re: pancreatitis & maybe diabetes.

Not sure if its any encouragement or not, but one of the assistance-dog-raising pups I did later went to live with a friend of mine. Later in life this dog became diabetic, but it still had a really nice happy rest of life until a normal age for its breed. This dog actually had its own continuous-blood-glucose monitor 😅 on its belly, because my friend was diabetic and had one that was intermittent (and thus unreliable & unsafe for her to use on herself), but was OK for the dog who only needed occasional readings lol -- was easier for them than going to the vet every week for blood tests. I thought it was funny that the dog also got its own CGM device lol. I don't know much about managing diabetes in animals-other-than-humans, but I do know this dog still had a good life even with diabetes.

Of course I hope Pix hasn't developed diabetes, and it may just be the pancreatitus flair-up! But even if she has developed diabetes, it is totally not the end of her world.

I’m sorry it’s been so hard for you @AlwaysMyself. If you want to talk I’m here to listen.

@MissGremlin has been amazing even though they are going through their own stuff. I know how hard that must be for them

We had a dog previously that had diabetes and it’s exactly the same for dogs as humans. She did have cushings disease as well which made it harder to stabilise her diabetes. But the hard thing for us is my job and managing to get her meals at the same time everyday. Plus the constant transporting the insulin and needles. It’ll be a lot of work to get it all sorted and a lot for Pix to understand, I also do t think she will be as obliging with the needles as Misha was!

I was worried that it would shorten Pix’s life but that sounds reassuring.

I guess I’ll know in a couple of weeks. I’m just waiting for Pix to go out to the toilet so I can try and catch some of it to test!

Thank you for reading through when you didn’t have to, especially after going through so much yourself. I do appreciate it.

I hope dinner is good. I’m about to go and start cooking mine.

I wanted to read how things had been @Captain24 😊 - and especially when I read about the appointment and the trip to the vet! I had to know how they both panned out of course! 😛 (Because I care so I wanted to know, that is!)

Cushings disease would complicate things further yeah, poor old pup. Misha is a lovely name 😍.

Good luck with the pee sample! I am just visualising you running around after the dog trying to get a sample. Glad I haven't had to try to do that before - I cannot imagine how to manage to get one from a female dog; my female dog is very sensitive and if I was trying to put anything under her, she would walk elsewhere or else just stop and not pee I think. I remember when I was trying to toilet train here -- anytime I went to move her outside or even to a pee pad, nope - she'd stop and no longer want to pee. So if I tried putting a pee pad under her, nope she'd stop and walk away too!

Male dog soo much easier I think! As long as there is a spiky bush, my male dog will happily pee on it. 🤣

I don't mind telling you what is going on for me, but I also know (and respect in a very healthy way) that it can be hard for others to hear - even if they are doing well, and even harder if they aren't doing well. But if it would help you to know (as a distraction, for building trust/connection, for peer-understanding, etc) I am happy to. I just only want to do it if it is what is best for you.

Thank you for caring @AlwaysMyself

Im not sure how she is going to cope with trying to pee and me putting a spoon under her! Could take a couple of goes. Plus she isn’t peeing as much as she was so I don’t have many chances!

Im having trouble getting her to eat but she needs to have dinner so I can give her more pain relief. That’s going to be fun too. She doesn’t like it and is hard to get medication into!

Im ok to listen. It doesn’t trigger me at all. Well or not well. If you want to share I can listen but if you’d rather not then I respect that.

Oh.. how did dinner go?

Heya @Captain24 , I'm back for a bit.

How's Pix faring? I see you have to get a pee sample?? Good luck! That'd be my worst nightmare!

I know you are hanging by a thread @Captain24 and I know you are pushing yourself for Pix's sake. Who knows? Maybe this is actually a little helpful in that otherwise, your may not be able to do much at this time.

We're sitting with you as you ride this wave. It's not an easy wave to ride, but you have us all here for you.

Fingers crossed Pix improves.

As for diabetes in dogs, is it common?

@Captain24 my dogs aren't great with being given medication either - unless it is flavoured (eg liver flavour monthly chew tablets - but even then I have to persuade one of them!). Last week I used some peanut butter to give my dog anti-inflammatory medication. But with pancreatitis I imagine something low-fat is required... water-packaged sardines?

How did the Prime 100 roll go? Pix wasn't too keen on it either?

Dinner worked well (enough). It was still a little runny in the middle, presumably because I used fresh baby spinach rather than frozen-defrosted-and-squeezed-out spinach. But that doesn't bother me. The egg is cooked. I put a post of it in the What has been your highlight today, no matter how big or small? Come share 🫶 thread - I'll add you as a tag to that post with the pic.

As for me...

TW: chronic SI

Hey @tyme

I got the pee sample and the test didn’t go well. Her glucose was fine but her keytones were high. That’s not normal and I don’t understand it. I rang the emergency vet and she is concern. She thought Pix would be back to herself by now and she is nowhere near that. She wanted to put her in a drip overnight but there is no one at the clinic to monitor her. So I have to keep a really close eye on her tonight, re-do the test in the morning and call the vet back. The emergency vet is the one that discharged Pix this morning so she knows what is going on and I didn’t have to explain it to someone new.

Diabetes is not unheard of. They have quite a few here with it. So they are experienced in it. Having had a dog before also helps with knowing what to do. I’m really thinking that Pix has it though.

I can’t do much but look after Pix. So I guess that’s taking pressure off me from trying to do stuff. I’m barely hanging on though and with each step backwards with Pix is making it so much harder. I really am praying that she turns a huge corner tonight. I think she needs more treatment for her pancreatitis though.

The wave just keeps getting harder and harder. I’m not sure I can do it. I’ve run out of everything. I have absolutely nothing in me. Then if I lose Pix on top of it all that is going to cause all sorts of problems and close watching.

Okay is more than okay @Captain24 ☺️

How did it feel when you noticed that sense of connection?

Oh my goodness, Pix! This must be very stressful for you both... do you feel okay sharing what happened?

And what are you doing to take care of yourself today? 💛