Introducing Betty White

[tarasgirl06]

I haven’t been brushing her as much. But I have been trying to get in at least one session a day just because she loves it so much. She likes to bunt and brush her face against her yacht and her boxes (empty boxes her food came delivered in.) And if you don’t know this about her, you might suspect that she runs away from brushing. Nope. It’s my job to follow her to her box or yacht so that she can enjoy both. Such a glutton!

But yeah. I put two and two together rather belatedly. The hairball treats seem to work when she takes them and not so much when she doesn’t. The good news is that I found a price tag on the current bag. It’s from the local store. I’m hopeful the Chewy bag will be more to her pleasing.

I got a veggie dog in me with mustard and sauerkraut. My gut could use some fermented food probiotics. I have had two of the good Claussen spears already. It’s a shame they don’t provide more nutrition. That’s one of the few foods I’m not having trouble eating right now.

Betty finished the 2/3 lunch I set out for her and was still hungry. I still had the remaining third. I gave her the solid bits of it since the rest had gotten a little soggy sitting in enzymes all afternoon. So for a hairball day, she’s barely missing any calories. She’ll make calories tonight just fine. Assuming no more remainders.

Nothing wrong with sauerkraut! I should get some. It's been awhile. Yoghurt has fermentation, but I just don't feel too wonderful about dairy when I'm sick. You?
Well, you eat what you want to, and can, eat right now. I eat strange things when I'm sick and if I'm that sick, it's a major ordeal to eat anything, so you're doing great, I think!
So cute about Betty, brushies, and boxes

 

[daftcat75]

Betty ate her dinner in one pass.

So we have a Betty whose appetite is getting stronger and her hairballs are getting milder. Things seem to be going in the right direction for her.

It is warm in this apartment. I know I have temp issues right now. But I also know it is warm in here. I don’t mind terribly myself as I’m trying to cook my Covid. But Betty has disappeared to the home office for an after dinner sleep. I’m okay with that. Otherwise she would probably be cooking my lap if she weren’t sleeping.

 

[daftcat75]

Last night was just so miserable. Couldn’t get comfortable. Kept sweating. I had the fans blowing on me and I would alternate between too much draft, and can’t deal with a single sheet or blanket. I got so little sleep. And on top of that, one end or the other or both kept going back to the toilet every hour. It’s like my digestion isn’t working anymore. Several hours after I ate it, I threw up a couple of pickles largely unchanged.

I’ll be calling the doctor later this morning. I’m beyond frustrated and out of ideas.

 

[lisahe]

Last night was just so miserable. Couldn’t get comfortable. Kept sweating. I had the fans blowing on me and I would alternate between too much draft, and can’t deal with a single sheet or blanket. I got so little sleep. And on top of that, one end or the other or both kept going back to the toilet every hour. It’s like my digestion isn’t working anymore. Several hours after I ate it, I threw up a couple of pickles largely unchanged.

I’ll be calling the doctor later this morning. I’m beyond frustrated and out of ideas.

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear it was such a rough night, that sounds just awful. Fingers crossed that the doctor can help in some way.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Last night was just so miserable. Couldn’t get comfortable. Kept sweating. I had the fans blowing on me and I would alternate between too much draft, and can’t deal with a single sheet or blanket. I got so little sleep. And on top of that, one end or the other or both kept going back to the toilet every hour. It’s like my digestion isn’t working anymore. Several hours after I ate it, I threw up a couple of pickles largely unchanged.

I’ll be calling the doctor later this morning. I’m beyond frustrated and out of ideas.

*PRAYERS* and best thoughts/wishes that you can get some relief!!!
Good about Betty, though.

 

[daftcat75]

I know this is TMI. But if it were Betty I’m about to discuss, you wouldn’t blink. I could use advice or tribal wisdom. Or just to think aloud before my doc appointment.

Besides the temperature regulation issues, I think what this really feels like now is a gut bug. I’ve been having diarrhea for days. Except I haven’t been eating much so it’s just an awful annoying squirt at a time. Like a cherry’s worth every hour or two.

Appetite is lacking. And when I do eat something, there’s a good chance I’m throwing it up later. So after being up every hour last night either squirting something incomplete or throwing up what little I could eat, I gave myself an enema this morning. Two bags worth of warm water and took a shower after. My first shower in a week. The uncontrollable sweating has finally stopped. Or at least it seems to be on pause until the next time I sit on the toilet. It really makes me think that I’ve been keeping the last of this virus in my GI tract.

Cloud head and mild nausea is still here. My stomach hurts from hunger. But I can’t eat more than a few bites of anything. And when I do, I just lay feeling icky and consider throwing it up again.

As another point of data, I took Pepto more than the recommended two days—maybe four or five days. So I also wonder if there’s too much Pepto in my gut. I took an s boulardii capsule this morning and will take another tonight. Hopefully that will be more effective than the Pepto. And will help correct my gut from all of this.

I am laying in bed now sucking on ice cubes to stay hydrated and to slightly relieve the nausea.

So I don’t know what to do between now and my doc appointment at 2.

If it is primarily in my gut now, how can I clear it? If I thought it might actually help, I might choke down a salt water flush—an isotonic salt water drink that, because of its salt content, the water is not reclaimed by the kidneys or the colon. Instead, it is flushed straight through—like drinking an enema. I did these as part of a fad called the Master Cleanse a number of years back. They are truly miserable to drink and worse as it goes through. But if I thought it could flush out this virus, I would try to choke one down.

So yeah. I think it’s a gut bug now. Any advice?

I have a video doc appointment at 2.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I know this is TMI. But if it were Betty I’m about to discuss, you wouldn’t blink. I could use advice or tribal wisdom. Or just to think aloud before my doc appointment.

Besides the temperature regulation issues, I think what this really feels like now is a gut bug. I’ve been having diarrhea for days. Except I haven’t been eating much so it’s just an awful annoying squirt at a time. Like a cherry’s worth every hour or two.

Appetite is lacking. And when I do eat something, there’s a good chance I’m throwing it up later. So after being up every hour last night either squirting something incomplete or throwing up what little I could eat, I gave myself an enema this morning. Two bags worth of warm water and took a shower after. My first shower in a week. The uncontrollable sweating has finally stopped. Or at least it seems to be on pause until the next time I sit on the toilet. It really makes me think that I’ve been keeping the last of this virus in my GI tract.

Cloud head and mild nausea is still here. My stomach hurts from hunger. But I can’t eat more than a few bites of anything. And when I do, I just lay feeling icky and consider throwing it up again.

As another point of data, I took Pepto more than the recommended two days—maybe four or five days. So I also wonder if there’s too much Pepto in my gut. I took an s boulardii capsule this morning and will take another tonight. Hopefully that will be more effective than the Pepto. And will help correct my gut from all of this.

I am laying in bed now sucking on ice cubes to stay hydrated and to slightly relieve the nausea.

So I don’t know what to do between now and my doc appointment at 2.

If it is primarily in my gut now, how can I clear it? If I thought it might actually help, I might choke down a salt water flush—an isotonic salt water drink that, because of its salt content, the water is not reclaimed by the kidneys or the colon. Instead, it is flushed straight through—like drinking an enema. I did these as part of a fad called the Master Cleanse a number of years back. They are truly miserable to drink and worse as it goes through. But if I thought it could flush out this virus, I would try to choke one down.

So yeah. I think it’s a gut bug now. Any advice?

I have a video doc appointment at 2.

https://www.healthline.com/health/coronavirus-diarrhea#what-to-do My advice might be the opposite of everyone else's, but when you have something in the GI tract, the best thing to do is...nothing. Let it run (no pun intended) its course. You're basically healthy and strong, and your immune system is strong, right? So let it wear itself out. Rest, and yeah, ice cubes and bland, bland food, but not too much. Great that you've got an appointment today. Not too long now. Rest until then and hope the appt. will result in a workable battle plan.
There are a lot more things floating around than get publicized. For one, the food supply is pretty shady now and the regulatory/oversight agencies are understaffed, so they say. We can pick up something nasty from almost anywhere now. What's worked for me is to take NOTHING, rest, and eat what I can tolerate, nothing more. Your system doesn't need anything to throw it off kilter. It will reset itself.
But that's just my advice.
Keep us updated, please!

 

[lisahe]

https://www.healthline.com/health/coronavirus-diarrhea#what-to-do My advice might be the opposite of everyone else's, but when you have something in the GI tract, the best thing to do is...nothing. Let it run (no pun intended) its course. You're basically healthy and strong, and your immune system is strong, right? So let it wear itself out. Rest, and yeah, ice cubes and bland, bland food, but not too much. Great that you've got an appointment today. Not too long now. Rest until then and hope the appt. will result in a workable battle plan.
There are a lot more things floating around than get publicized. For one, the food supply is pretty shady now and the regulatory/oversight agencies are understaffed, so they say. We can pick up something nasty from almost anywhere now. What's worked for me is to take NOTHING, rest, and eat what I can tolerate, nothing more. Your system doesn't need anything to throw it off kilter. It will reset itself.
But that's just my advice.
Keep us updated, please!

I so agree with this advice, especially the part I bolded. (I used to have bad acid stomach problems -- like artiemom , ibuprofen sets me off -- and remember realizing it was often a bowl of pasta with some sort of heavy cream sauce plus Parmesan cheese that made me feel better. That's bland in its own creamy way but the high fat is probably exactly what the doctor would order!)

This doesn't mean I'm recommending fettuccine Alfredo... it's just that every gut has its own parameters.

Here's seconding the hope that the appointment will be helpful!

 

[tarasgirl06]

Whatever you put in there is going to feed whatever is in there already, so respectfully disagree lisahe .
A good thing for any time, if you choose, is hot/boiled water. By itself. It hydrates, and soothes.

 

[daftcat75]

Thank you for your replies!

Cheese and fat sound like a bad idea for an angry gut. I also have acid issues. I probably abuse Tums more than I should. That’s probably why my gut was so receptive to Covid.

I put together yet another Instacart with:
Apples
Bananas
White Rice
Quick Oats
Apple sauce (looking most forward to this one)
Electrolyte packets

I wonder why the enema provided so much relief for the thermoregulation issues. But I’m so glad to be done with black Pepto stools. I’ll ask the doctor. I’m guessing I had both diarrhea and constipation and it was useful to clear out what’s been there for too long. Still can’t stomach the thought of a salt water flush

 

[tarasgirl06]

Thank you for your replies!

Cheese and fat sound like a bad idea for an angry gut. I also have acid issues. I probably abuse Tums more than I should. That’s probably why my gut was so receptive to Covid.

I put together yet another Instacart with:
Apples
Bananas
White Rice
Quick Oats
Apple sauce (looking most forward to this one)
Electrolyte packets

I wonder why the enema provided so much relief for the thermoregulation issues. But I’m so glad to be done with black Pepto stools. I’ll ask the doctor. I’m guessing I had both diarrhea and constipation and it was useful to clear out what’s been there for too long. Still can’t stomach the thought of a salt water flush

Those all sound good, especially the applesauce. My roomie makes congee (which is a Chinese term for soupy rice. It's not very appealing, but it provides hydration and a little nourishment.) when I'm sick. Oats might be a little stout for you right now, but you know best what you can tolerate. The packets should be helpful.
Try to stay away from the quick-fixits if you can. I know it's hard. You want it to be fixed NOW. But that's not usually how this stuff works. It takes time.

 

[daftcat75]

The sweating is coming back. I wonder if it was the shower more than the enema that helped there. Regardless, I am grateful for the enema. I was tired of squeezing out incomplete black squirts. That alone has me feeling so much better even if I’m still getting up every hour. But that’s probably more the ice cubes now than the diarrhea.

 

[daftcat75]

One of the prescription drugs recommended for gastroenteritis is ondansetron. I don’t want to raid Betty’s prescription. But it’s something to bring up with the doc. I really want to take a Tylenol for the headache. But I can wait to see what the doc says.

I had a few spoonfuls of applesauce and it was amazing. Not only was I able to eat it without much fuss. But I don’t feel like giving it back either.

Sipping on three ginger tea while waiting for the next batch of ice cubes.

 

[daftcat75]

I wish I could say the call was helpful. I suppose it was just to bounce some ideas off a doctor. But ultimately nothing new came of it.

Doc said…

Tylenol is okay for my headache
Tylenol PM is okay if I need the sleep help tonight
Duration could be as long as ten days.
Not sure if that ten days starts from initial infection or when it started to show up in the gut
Doesn’t recommend enema or salt water flush
Said enema may have provided relief if I had some constipation that was relieved but that neither enema nor salt water flush would actually flush the virus.
BRAT (bland) diet, sucking on ice cubes, staying hydrated and using hydration drinks or powders all recommended.
And rest.

Betty has been off. She finished breakfast and most of last nights meals. But she hasn’t touched lunch yet. She spent most of the day sleeping. I mean even more than usual. But she’s also curled up on my shoulder again. So . It is pretty warm in here.

Tonight is a mirtz night.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I wish I could say the call was helpful. I suppose it was just to bounce some ideas off a doctor. But ultimately nothing new came of it.

Doc said…

Tylenol is okay for my headache
Tylenol PM is okay if I need the sleep help tonight
Duration could be as long as ten days.
Not sure if that ten days starts from initial infection or when it started to show up in the gut
Doesn’t recommend enema or salt water flush
Said enema may have provided relief if I had some constipation that was relieved but that neither enema nor salt water flush would actually flush the virus.
BRAT (bland) diet, sucking on ice cubes, staying hydrated and using hydration drinks or powders all recommended.
And rest.

Betty has been off. She finished breakfast and most of last nights meals. But she hasn’t touched lunch yet. She spent most of the day sleeping. I mean even more than usual. But she’s also curled up on my shoulder again. So . It is pretty warm in here.

Tonight is a mirtz night.

Yes.
1. It's hot.
2. She intuits your state of physical and emotional being.
So I wouldn't worry too much.
Good that you can assuage the head pain, anyway, yes?
Ah, the old BRAT diet. Well, let's hope it stays down.
Just FYI not that it helps or hurts but I was in pretty much the same state all day AND our refrigerator was failing. Luckily, before my planned grocery shopping later in the week, but still. I just about melted down but I told my roomie who said she understood...but didn't. Went online to see cost to replace this big beast-- with tax, around $1K. Anyway, Later I texted her and explained in what detail I could, asking her to involve her husband, as I did the first time. Several back and forths later, he got a repair guy out who replaced a part and was reasonable; and roomies split the cost as was fair.
Working refrigerator; hopefully no more food-caused crud. We had to throw a bunch of stuff out, but better that than more crud.
*Misery loves company?*

 

[daftcat75]

Yes.
1. It's hot.
2. She intuits your state of physical and emotional being.
So I wouldn't worry too much.
Good that you can assuage the head pain, anyway, yes?
Ah, the old BRAT diet. Well, let's hope it stays down.
Just FYI not that it helps or hurts but I was in pretty much the same state all day AND our refrigerator was failing. Luckily, before my planned grocery shopping later in the week, but still. I just about melted down but I told my roomie who said she understood...but didn't. Went online to see cost to replace this big beast-- with tax, around $1K. Anyway, Later I texted her and explained in what detail I could, asking her to involve her husband, as I did the first time. Several back and forths later, he got a repair guy out who replaced a part and was reasonable; and roomies split the cost as was fair.
Working refrigerator; hopefully no more food-caused crud. We had to throw a bunch of stuff out, but better that than more crud.
*Misery loves company?*

Wait. You had the squirts and spits due to spoiled food? Sorry to hear that.

Tylenol helped somewhat. I think I’m probably still losing more water than I’m replacing. But gosh. After last night, it felt so good to get some real rest today. It was a little sweaty. But that’s to be expected. It is hot in here and I’m sleeping under a couple blankets. Not every blanket like earlier.

I had a couple more spoonfuls of applesauce. I made the smallest piece of toast out of a corner of a hot dog bun. And I made a small batch of white rice and had a few forkfuls of that. All total, it was probably less than a fistful of food. But I still worry that might have been too much. We shall see. I also took a second s boulardii. In fact, both Betty and I took an s boulardii tonight. Hers a much smaller size 4 capsule. Mine a gigantic 00. Hopefully this helps dry up my squirts and also starts to repopulate the microflora lost to all that.

I took away Betty’s soggy looking 36 gram lunch and scooped out 25 of the more solid grams of it and plated that at about 4 pm. She came around and ate 15 grams of that. More than it looked like she would eat this afternoon. It seemed like she was going to leave all of lunch behind if I hadn’t manipulated it as I did.

For dinner, she did really well. 26 out of 32 grams. Those 6 grams remainder will be gone before second dinner. I shaved off just a little bit of her mirtz tonight so hopefully she won’t be too restless and crazy.

I remembered I have a couple Arctic Airs (mini swamp coolers.) hopefully that should make the front room a bit more comfortable tonight. Betty is sleeping off dinner in the office. I don’t blame her. There’s a lot of fan noises and breezes in the front room.

 

[daftcat75]

Well how bout that? It took her two weeks. But she finally used one of the fountains I got for her. I will be happy to buy a couple more of these so I can keep one on hot standby when it’s time to clean this one.

Homerunpet Cat Water Fountain... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CYMXC2F/?tag=thecatsite

 

[Margot Lane]

Cats are soooo sneaky that way, pretending they could care less about a thing, lah dee dah, lah dee dee.

 

[artiemom]

Glad you called the doctor. I think Betty is just responding to the excessive heat. I think she will be fine, once--if it ever--breaks.

When I had my specific GI issues: My GI doc told me to eat rice and chicken... I survived on that.. I got the rotisserie chicken from the store, and rice.. and rice... bland stuff. I could eat some carrots; but that is what I survived on..
No coffee. I had tea. No dairy.

The electrolyte water--Smart water was really good for me. I think the Gatorade will be good for you.. You need to replace the electrolytes which you lost. The Tylenol is for the fever, chills.

Betty will be ok.. I seriously think it is the heat.. Even if it is cooler in the house, animals seem to feel the excessive heat, and respond thusly.

I hope you are improving and that Betty is just responding to the heat.

 

[daftcat75]

I feel sooo much better today. I got up a few times to pee last night from all the ice cubes and water. But I didn’t squirt once. In fact, I think I’m actually brewing up a solid for later—as much as I can for how little I have eaten. The headache and cloud head is almost gone. Today is the first day I feel like I am finally going to beat this.

I don’t eat chicken. I don’t eat meat except fish. And somehow I don’t think that’s bland enough

I expect today will be another day of bland food, ice cubes, fluids, and rest. Perhaps tonight or tomorrow, I might slowly start back on normal food again.

And although I work from home, I expect I’ll probably just close out the week on sick leave and start back to work next week.