Andy and Dougy slept (and crept) nearby all night last night, but I still got a good night’s rest. Good thing, too, because I had dialysis at 6:15 AM.
Dialysis went without a hitch for a change. I got the full four hour treatment, something that has been rare lately. I am impressed with the local dialysis unit for working up a solution the first time I went there and successfully applying it this time. Instead of lots of warning alarms for the session, I had smooth (quiet) sailing.
Speaking of the local dialysis unit, not only are the recliners comfortable and heated, the nurses give you a cup of ice to deal with thirst or being warm (I have no idea which) and headphones to watch the television without disturbing your fellow patients.
Oh! And everyone has a small locker to keep one’s “blankie” in. Mine is a particularly nice one sent me by Liz of maggie0019 when I was in the care center in Denver. It arrived around the same time as the basket of citrus from Chris of contrafactual. They were the first bloggers to contact me, and their support through my ordeal was well appreciated many times over!
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Today is a pleasant spring day in Western Nebraska. I have doors open for the fresh air and to let the kitties get noses full of exciting outside scents. Dougy especially likes to sniff around and would follow his nose to Fargo if I didn’t stop him at the door.
Andy didn’t get his medicine when I was gone. I talked with his veterinarian yesterday about that. I will make an appointment to get his blood pressure checked now that I know my dialysis schedule (6:30 AM, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday). He seems normal, like humans with high blood pressure can seem, but we need to verify one way or the other if he needs to have the medication still.
As for Dougy, his eyes got “goopy” again while I was gone because he wasn’t getting a dietary supplement that helps Persian cats with that issue. I bought more of it while at the veterinarian’s yesterday. You can manually remove “eye snot” (as one Persian cat breeder on YouTube calls it), though I prefer to use the supplement that stops the condition in the first place. Nothing’s too good for my kitties!
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Good to hear the dialysis is going smoothly and they are taking good care of you, Doug! Hopefully Any will not need his medication anymore, which will be easier for both of you.
New routines – we are going through that ourselves. Rick’s mother, who lived with us, passed away in early December. Life changed when we took her on, and has changed again now she passed on. Catching up with 3 years of projects that were on hold.
The place is becoming more home-like as things fall into place. I even feel like I can take a nap this afternoon and not be shirking any responsibilities.
That sounds like a good first step!
Hope so….
Good to have you back. Glad that your dialysis at Box Butte is going well.
Things are shaping up on the home front, too. A lot of the stress is gone now that I found the letters verifying I have coverage for the 20% not covered by Medicare. That was a huge weight lifted from my head!
I wondered how your two had managed without you, now I know … You need to keep healthy and going, Doug – The Boys will need you for a decade or even more to come ..
I’m very keyed into that thought. I’d hate to have to give up my kitties, but my health could deteriorate to a point I had to make that decision. I’ve thought a lot about it while in the hospital and the care centers, and put down my thoughts on paper to help me clarify my thoughts. I have to get it right so they will always be together.
You’ve hit the ground running, Doug. Andy will be quite happy if he doesn’t have to take the dreaded medicine any more (and so will you), so here’s hoping his BP has stabilised.
Amen to that!
I am so sorry to learn of your ill health! I wish you well. You just have to love those Persian cuts, eh? 🙂
Thanks! I deal with what I have, and life is still pretty good for me. And yes to the second part of your comment!
Sending good vibes
Take care
Pets are important too
As always Sheldon
Totally agree with you…
I am glad you have started the dialysis in the best conditions possible .
Thanks for this reassuring post.
In friendship
Michel
I was very impressed with the facility. Much nicer than those in bigger hospitals I was in!
Good to hear that dialysis went well. Did the vet ever figure out what caused the high blood pressure? Spooky was on blood pressure meds, but once his hyperthyroid was adjusted from meds, his bp stabilized.
No, that is still to be determined.
Hey guys! What do you use to remove this here, “eye snot”. Kali gets it too…think its an allergy symptom but she is white and blue eyed so the snot looks horrible. So what is this stuff, Doug?
Shoko
It’s a Canadian product, actually. Some people think it isn’t effective, but I know Dougy loses the “eye snot” when he eats this supplement mixed in his wet food. Andy eats it, too, though he has never had it as bad as Dougy. I note that I am not compensated for recommending this and that you can ask your kitties’ veterinarian what he thinks about it.
The product is: Enisyl-F, an oral paste for cats. It is basically an L-Lysine supplement you mix into their wet food. It also comes in a tablet form, though I never had any luck getting them to eat that when I crushed it and mixed it into their wet food. It’s made by Vetoquinol.
Do you ever need transportation to the hospital? If so, let me know!
Not so far, but thanks for the offer. It could happen.
Glad today went relatively smoothly 😊
The hardest part of returning is over, I think. I made my first two meals (breakfast and lunch), having finally found time to go for groceries. I’ve been eating somewhat “legal” meals at restaurants up till now, but I can do better at home, eating only these things recommended by dieticians for people on dialysis. I do try to be the good patient!
Keep going!! You’re doing amazingly! 😊
It is grueling sometimes, but the things that were bothering me the most (financial issues related to insurance) have resolved themselves.
These things have a way of sorting out… 😊
Yes, and patience is the key when dealing with them, Unfortunately, I sometimes an=m not that patient. This time, though, the worst problem solved itself rather fast when I found a letter verifying that I had an account that paid for the 20% of my expenses not covered by Medicare. Had the insurance company with the account not told the hospital in Denver that my account was cancelled in 2007 (six years before I even was eligible for Medicare and supplemental insurance!), this problem wouldn’t have occurred. The policy that was cancelled was one I had with my company before I retired. They changed from one insurance company to another at the end of 2007.
Aw man! What a pain! !!