Introducing Betty White

[daftcat75]

It was about time to get up and change the plates and get ready for bed. I set her on the pillow stack to get her out of my lap and she continued on to her plate to finish dinner. I waited for her and then changed out a clean plate for another with food. I’m not a cat. But I have to say the other case’s food looked more appealing. Still. She finished the plate. Sometimes she seems extra stoned from the additional gabapentin. And other times, like when I washed her old plate and got a new plate ready, she came bounding up to the kitchen counter and looked disappointed that the sink got its share of her food. “You’re dumping that?” “Don’t worry! You get your share too.”

And now finally, the moment she’s been waiting all day for. Head on my chest. Watching Star Trek Discovery with me. Or at least not dreaming twitching yet.

 

[tarasgirl06]

It was about time to get up and change the plates and get ready for bed. I set her on the pillow stack to get her out of my lap and she continued on to her plate to finish dinner. I waited for her and then changed out a clean plate for another with food. I’m not a cat. But I have to say the other case’s food looked more appealing. Still. She finished the plate. Sometimes she seems extra stoned from the additional gabapentin. And other times, like when I washed her old plate and got a new plate ready, she came bounding up to the kitchen counter and looked disappointed that the sink got its share of her food. “You’re dumping that?” “Don’t worry! You get your share too.”

And now finally, the moment she’s been waiting all day for. Head on my chest. Watching Star Trek Discovery with me. Or at least not dreaming twitching yet.

On the possible stressors, you forgot (?) PRC balloons over "over 40 countries," N Korea parading more ICBMs than ever before, Iran upping the capability of the drones it's supplying the RuZzians with, and yeah, the eternal tech/human follies. For starters. We won't think about those, though, will we?
Glad to see Ms. Betty's enthusiasm for her food is getting stronger (?) and yeah, STD (the series, not the nasty healthy problems!) is a good refuge right now. *Wishing we cat loving people and all cats could all boldly go where no crazy idiots have gone before!*

 

[daftcat75]

This morning we both woke at 4am. I got up for a pee and she came back to bed with me for a snuggle. I waited until we were closer to 5am to start breakfast rather than having her wait until the 5:15 alarm. At 4:45, we got up. I used my capsule filling machine before 5am to split a 25 mg into two capsules and gave Betty 37.5 mg this morning. That seems to have done it. She was a cuddle puddle before my 6:30am team meeting. Then when I rolled over to put the meeting on my iPad, she rolled over to fill the space behind me. Don’t roll back. When the lights came up and it was time for me to “get my morning teeth in” (mouthwash and brushing before breakfast), she beat a path off the bed before me and finished her breakfast. So that seems clear and convincing that her mouth is still bothering her and we just need to up the gabapentin. Sad! But there was always this risk. Doc said that premolar that was resorbing was going to be too hard to extract. The tooth got burred down below the gum line and the gum flaps sewn back over it. The doc is assuming the body will eventually finish the job. I’m thinking Betty’s been through enough and so has my pocketbook and we’ll do our best to control this with gabapentin. From what doc says about her limb rads, that’s going to make her more comfortable not just in her mouth. Let me breathe here for a minute before I start thinking about how to spend my money next. I should probably get her into a dentist consult to see if a trained specialist might be able to give her more relief than a general vet who has likely had only a single course in dentistry. Maybe the hospital up the street where her IM specialist is also has a dentist. If they do, it was probably more along the six month than two month wait time. Because down the street wasn’t an option for Krista when she needed it. Since Betty likes car rides less than Krista did, I’d rather find her something closer even if it’s a longer wait time. Right now, we’re managing and we still have some headroom on how much gabapentin she can take before that becomes worrisome.

 

[tarasgirl06]

This morning we both woke at 4am. I got up for a pee and she came back to bed with me for a snuggle. I waited until we were closer to 5am to start breakfast rather than having her wait until the 5:15 alarm. At 4:45, we got up. I used my capsule filling machine before 5am to split a 25 mg into two capsules and gave Betty 37.5 mg this morning. That seems to have done it. She was a cuddle puddle before my 6:30am team meeting. Then when I rolled over to put the meeting on my iPad, she rolled over to fill the space behind me. Don’t roll back. When the lights came up and it was time for me to “get my morning teeth in” (mouthwash and brushing before breakfast), she beat a path off the bed before me and finished her breakfast. So that seems clear and convincing that her mouth is still bothering her and we just need to up the gabapentin. Sad! But there was always this risk. Doc said that premolar that was resorbing was going to be too hard to extract. The tooth got burred down below the gum line and the gum flaps sewn back over it. The doc is assuming the body will eventually finish the job. I’m thinking Betty’s been through enough and so has my pocketbook and we’ll do our best to control this with gabapentin. From what doc says about her limb rads, that’s going to make her more comfortable not just in her mouth. Let me breathe here for a minute before I start thinking about how to spend my money next. I should probably get her into a dentist consult to see if a trained specialist might be able to give her more relief than a general vet who has likely had only a single course in dentistry. Maybe the hospital up the street where her IM specialist is also has a dentist. If they do, it was probably more along the six month than two month wait time. Because down the street wasn’t an option for Krista when she needed it. Since Betty likes car rides less than Krista did, I’d rather find her something closer even if it’s a longer wait time. Right now, we’re managing and we still have some headroom on how much gabapentin she can take before that becomes worrisome.

A basically good update. Maybe she just needs a little more time to heal before feeling better? I know, we don't ever want our loved ones to have any pain/discomfort/stress, but everyone does from time to time. Keep on doing what you're doing and see if Betty doesn't bounce back a little more each day. We mostly all want a quick fix and for everything to be okay (especially you, and me, and so on) but sometimes patience IS a good thing. In the meantime, you could still be looking for a good dental specialist closer to home.

 

[daftcat75]

I'm not sure if she needed a 25 mg for lunch. She probably still had some of her breakfast dose in her. She hasn't shown up for first pass on lunch this early since maybe when we stopped the bupe. I think we had about five days of bupe. Thursday - Monday. I'm not sure when her eating started to drop off. But I was definitely noticing it by the weekend. It sounds I could give up to 50 mg twice a day. I was thinking 37.5 twice a day and maybe a lunchtime 25. But perhaps I'll give her a 25 with dinner tonight and we can try 37.5 twice a day from tomorrow. I want headroom in case she develops further tolerance before we figure this out. These are all questions for the doc if I ever get her ear. But I'm sure yesterday sucked for her too. She was planning to be finished with surgery by 3:30 and was still at it at 4:15 when we showed up to our delayed appointment. She had just enough time to pop Betty's mouth open and tell the tech everything looks good and she'd call me another time. I do have her text number. But I'm not going to abuse it.

But yeah, I think we're on the right track because she finished breakfast for the first time in a week and she showed up for first pass on lunch. Even with all the gabapentin in her, she's a feisty little one. She has been showing up on the counters during meals again. Sometimes during my meals. Thankfully she knows the difference between the counter she is allowed on and the one she is not. And although she is getting bold about coming into kitchen sometimes when I am cooking, I simply have to point at her and kindly remind her, "you don't come into the kitchen except on your counter" and she goes back to the carpet edge again. Smart girl!

 

[tarasgirl06]

I'm not sure if she needed a 25 mg for lunch. She probably still had some of her breakfast dose in her. She hasn't shown up for first pass on lunch this early since maybe when we stopped the bupe. I think we had about five days of bupe. Thursday - Monday. I'm not sure when her eating started to drop off. But I was definitely noticing it by the weekend. It sounds I could give up to 50 mg twice a day. I was thinking 37.5 twice a day and maybe a lunchtime 25. But perhaps I'll give her a 25 with dinner tonight and we can try 37.5 twice a day from tomorrow. I want headroom in case she develops further tolerance before we figure this out. These are all questions for the doc if I ever get her ear. But I'm sure yesterday sucked for her too. She was planning to be finished with surgery by 3:30 and was still at it at 4:15 when we showed up to our delayed appointment. She had just enough time to pop Betty's mouth open and tell the tech everything looks good and she'd call me another time. I do have her text number. But I'm not going to abuse it.

But yeah, I think we're on the right track because she finished breakfast for the first time in a week and she showed up for first pass on lunch. Even with all the gabapentin in her, she's a feisty little one. She has been showing up on the counters during meals again. Sometimes during my meals. Thankfully she knows the difference between the counter she is allowed on and the one she is not. And although she is getting bold about coming into kitchen sometimes when I am cooking, I simply have to point at her and kindly remind her, "you don't come into the kitchen except on your counter" and she goes back to the carpet edge again. Smart girl!

Is that a perfect cat, or is that a perfect cat???

 

[daftcat75]

This does not seem like an over medicated cat. Indeed she was a bit chatty and wanted her fuss. Makes me think and wonder how many afternoons she spent silently suffering trying to sleep off pain instead of doing her very important cat business. Like making sure I have plenty of afternoon sun in my eyes.

 

[tarasgirl06]

This does not seem like an over medicated cat. Indeed she was a bit chatty and wanted her fuss. Makes me think and wonder how many afternoons she spent silently suffering trying to sleep off pain instead of doing her very important cat business. Like making sure I have plenty of afternoon sun in my eyes.
View attachment 443361

Well, ya gotta admit, all that sun is apt to keep you awake and alert, ready for fusses and/or feeding. Or even playtime. It's not easy being a cat.

 

[daftcat75]

I took the dumb route around trying to get a video from my iPad to Google Drive to IG as a Reel Back to my phone with an IG watermark and then, wait what?! Why don’t I just upload it from the iPad? Does this mean I’m old and I don’t understand technology anymore?

 

[tarasgirl06]

I took the dumb route around trying to get a video from my iPad to Google Drive to IG as a Reel Back to my phone with an IG watermark and then, wait what?! Why don’t I just upload it from the iPad? Does this mean I’m old and I don’t understand technology anymore?

Absolutely PURRfect Betty girl! What cat takes her own medicines??? Only one, that I know of
Great bonus pix, too! Love the first still, of Betty by her yacht.

 

[daftcat75]

I effectively doubled her gabapentin dose without doubling any specific dose. Instead of 25 twice a day, she now gets 37.5 twice a day and a bonus 25 at lunch time. Given how many times she came to interact with me yesterday afternoon, I don’t believe that extra dose is detrimental. I’m happy to report that she left no remainders yesterday. And while I slept all the way to the alarm this morning bringing her out past twelve hours since her last dose, she was a trooper and ate a few bites with meds for breakfast (thanks to the A/D I smeared in it.) Then we cuddled for third sleep. When she woke from that, she was good and stoned and waited for me to get my morning teeth in (mouthwash and brushing) and she came to the kitchen’s edge for her treats. She just loves these green tripe treats that I don’t feel like going back to Greenies. These have extra protein, a little fiber, and even some natural probiotics. After her treats, she stuck around for just a couple pets and then made a beeline to her breakfast and pretty much finished it. There is a small smear remainder that I'm sure she will lick clean before lunch.

Doc finally got back to me. She offered another in-person consultation at no charge to me to discuss Betty and next steps. So that will likely be noon tomorrow. I'm just waiting for the flurry of appointment confirmations (email, text, and app notifications--they are as thorough as my dentist in making sure I am aware of keeping my appointments.)

I'm thinking we'll discuss:

- Her increased need for gabapentin, dosing schedule, and tolerance.
- Whether a repeat dental might be called for in six months rather than twelve
- Whether a dentist consult might be recommended
- Whether to try new foods
- Thoughts on alternatives to Solensia. Like I said earlier, I'm not opposed to it. It's just not something I want to sign up for just yet in terms of time and money commitment as well as the stress on both Betty and me of monthly vet trips.
- Anything else I may have mentioned here but can't remember now?

 

[tarasgirl06]

I effectively doubled her gabapentin dose without doubling any specific dose. Instead of 25 twice a day, she now gets 37.5 twice a day and a bonus 25 at lunch time. Given how many times she came to interact with me yesterday afternoon, I don’t believe that extra dose is detrimental. I’m happy to report that she left no remainders yesterday. And while I slept all the way to the alarm this morning bringing her out past twelve hours since her last dose, she was a trooper and ate a few bites with meds for breakfast (thanks to the A/D I smeared in it.) Then we cuddled for third sleep. When she woke from that, she was good and stoned and waited for me to get my morning teeth in (mouthwash and brushing) and she came to the kitchen’s edge for her treats. She just loves these green tripe treats that I don’t feel like going back to Greenies. These have extra protein, a little fiber, and even some natural probiotics. After her treats, she stuck around for just a couple pets and then made a beeline to her breakfast and pretty much finished it. There is a small smear remainder that I'm sure she will lick clean before lunch.

Doc finally got back to me. She offered another in-person consultation at no charge to me to discuss Betty and next steps. So that will likely be noon tomorrow. I'm just waiting for the flurry of appointment confirmations (email, text, and app notifications--they are as thorough as my dentist in making sure I am aware of keeping my appointments.)

I'm thinking we'll discuss:

- Her increased need for gabapentin, dosing schedule, and tolerance.
- Whether a repeat dental might be called for in six months rather than twelve
- Whether a dentist consult might be recommended
- Whether to try new foods
- Thoughts on alternatives to Solensia. Like I said earlier, I'm not opposed to it. It's just not something I want to sign up for just yet in terms of time and money commitment as well as the stress on both Betty and me of monthly vet trips.
- Anything else I may have mentioned here but can't remember now?

"... I'm just waiting for the flurry of appointment confirmations (email, text, and app notifications--they are as thorough as my dentist in making sure I am aware of keeping my appointments.) " UGH. I KNOW. This drives me up the wall! I'm currently engaged in a war with the dentist's office over the amount of "reminders" they give me. One human and 2 robocalls in one day. I don't need ANY of them. I work at home. I request a card with the date/time on it. I keep the card. So I know when the appt. is. WTH do I need 3 annoying calls? I don't. If their fix isn't done, by next time, I will be blocking them.
Sounds like a good plan and I hope you do get it tomorrow. Hoping you get all those queries answered to your satisfaction.
You've probably got me beat here but just in case you haven't:

Solensia

The first and only FDA-approved treatment to control osteoarthritis pain in cats.

www.zoetispetcare.com

 

[daftcat75]

"... I'm just waiting for the flurry of appointment confirmations (email, text, and app notifications--they are as thorough as my dentist in making sure I am aware of keeping my appointments.) " UGH. I KNOW. This drives me up the wall! I'm currently engaged in a war with the dentist's office over the amount of "reminders" they give me. One human and 2 robocalls in one day. I don't need ANY of them. I work at home. I request a card with the date/time on it. I keep the card. So I know when the appt. is. WTH do I need 3 annoying calls? I don't. If their fix isn't done, by next time, I will be blocking them.
Sounds like a good plan and I hope you do get it tomorrow. Hoping you get all those queries answered to your satisfaction.
You've probably got me beat here but just in case you haven't:

http://[URL]https://www.zoetispetcare.com/products/solensia

[/URL]

I actually appreciate all the reminders from my dentist. We book appointments 3 months out and I'm going to do my best to forget about them between now and then because the dentist gives me anxiety. Not soul-crushing anxiety. But enough to give me that nervous moaning feeling inside like Tina Belcher's nervous groan if you watch Bob's Burgers. And if you don't, you should. Because it's so clever and funny. I don't even bother putting the appointments in my phone anymore because I know the reminders will start from about two weeks out. That's plenty for me. And the repeated reminders? I just figure dentists and vets are two of the most negatively anticipated appointments that it's within their right to make sure they are kept.

I have read so much about Solensia. Unfortunately, all of Google reads like a Zoetis ad. Aside from a few threads here, I can't seem to find any candid opinions and experiences and nothing about long-term use. I'm sure we'll probably go there eventually. But I still haven't paid off my credit card from the other month. I did raid savings to pay Betty's dental. But there were several other charges that still haven't been paid off. It bothers me to carry a balance. That's why I put my own dentist appointment off a month. I'm hoping I'll be caught up by then before the new charges. But beyond the cost, it's the stress and hassle of a monthly appointment. Even if we simply go in for a shot with the tech and we're out again. The drive takes more time than the appointment and the drive is probably what stresses both of us the most. Well, it stresses me. And even if Betty learns to associate the monthly vet trip with feeling better, it is still stressful for me to drive her across town and back. Now maybe if they could also give me a Solensia shot, I'm sure my own joints would appreciate that.

 

[daftcat75]

Seeing Betty show up and nearly finish lunch on first pass, I don’t know that she needs the lunchtime gabapentin after all. That’s something to discuss with the doc tomorrow.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Seeing Betty show up and nearly finish lunch on first pass, I don’t know that she needs the lunchtime gabapentin after all. That’s something to discuss with the doc tomorrow.

Absolutely! It'd be great if she doesn't need it any more!
No, I don't and my sense of humor is very different from most people's here. I'm not a sitcom fan at all. My sense of humor is rooted in suffering and overcoming it, so anyone from any group/nation that's endured it and still appreciates that kind of humor usually is pretty close to me, humor-wise. I have friends in Ukraine, for instance, and the humor that's shared by the military there usually makes me laugh and share. It's very, very dark.
Wow, how do you deal with that? I know most people here do that, but as bad as my insomnia is, I couldn't sleep at all if I had balances. Really hoping you can find something other that $$$ stuff to help both Betty and you.

 

[daftcat75]

Absolutely! It'd be great if she doesn't need it any more!
No, I don't and my sense of humor is very different from most people's here. I'm not a sitcom fan at all. My sense of humor is rooted in suffering and overcoming it, so anyone from any group/nation that's endured it and still appreciates that kind of humor usually is pretty close to me, humor-wise. I have friends in Ukraine, for instance, and the humor that's shared by the military there usually makes me laugh and share. It's very, very dark.
Wow, how do you deal with that? I know most people here do that, but as bad as my insomnia is, I couldn't sleep at all if I had balances. Really hoping you can find something other that $$$ stuff to help both Betty and you.

Let’s be clear. I could wipe out the balance in one more swipe from my emergency savings. I did that for Betty’s dental. I’ll probably do that for my own. But I have a few monthly subscriptions that I switched to annual. I get the pain distributed over the first few months of the year. By April, I should have my bonus and be all caught up. Though even if the bonus doesn’t come this year, I can probably catch up without any more raiding of the rainy day fund. Oh. And I just got a text from my CC that I just paid off today that my monthly Sling bill got paid off that card. For the Hyatt points. That I can’t use because they don’t accept cats and Betty isn’t sitter ready yet. Or rather I’m not ready to incur the expense of the training feeds needed to get her comfortable with the sitter. More $$$ that I don’t want to spend yet. Never ends does it? I’m far from living month to month. But I’m also over trading savings for bills.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Let’s be clear. I could wipe out the balance in one more swipe from my emergency savings. I did that for Betty’s dental. I’ll probably do that for my own. But I have a few monthly subscriptions that I switched to annual. I get the pain distributed over the first few months of the year. By April, I should have my bonus and be all caught up. Though even if the bonus doesn’t come this year, I can probably catch up without any more raiding of the rainy day fund. Oh. And I just got a text from my CC that I just paid off today that my monthly Sling bill got paid off that card. For the Hyatt points. That I can’t use because they don’t accept cats and Betty isn’t sitter ready yet. Or rather I’m not ready to incur the expense of the training feeds needed to get her comfortable with the sitter. More $$$ that I don’t want to spend yet. Never ends does it? I’m far from living month to month. But I’m also over trading savings for bills.

YUP! I know the feelings.
My ancient water heater may be on its last legs. Or it may be a pipe leading into and out of it that's got the slow leak. I know as much about plumbing as I do about brain surgery. Well, more, actually--I know it's $$$. SO I called my roomie out to see it and he analyzed it and said we need to watch that slow leak to ascertain its origin. Wipe up the moisture already deposited. SO, guess who's having an aspy crisis?

 

[daftcat75]

The extra A/D starter strips she’s been getting combined with finally finishing all her plates has resulted in some weight gain. I’ll be reducing her portions a slight amount to account for the extra A/D she gets both in the starter strips as well as the extra gabapentin pill she’s taking. I’ve found her hanging out in her carrier again in the mornings. I love that she doesn’t blame the carrier for any ordeals it transports her to.

 

[tarasgirl06]

The extra A/D starter strips she’s been getting combined with finally finishing all her plates has resulted in some weight gain. I’ll be reducing her portions a slight amount to account for the extra A/D she gets both in the starter strips as well as the extra gabapentin pill she’s taking. I’ve found her hanging out in her carrier again in the mornings. I love that she doesn’t blame the carrier for any ordeals it transports her to.
View attachment 443530View attachment 443531

Hmm. Well, not a lot of gain so not to worry, right? And yeah, it's good about her not being afraid of her carrier. I guess she, like most of us, like to see the world from different places. But IDK. If I had one of those floofs in my size, I don't think I'd be in that carrier much.

 

[daftcat75]

Hmm. Well, not a lot of gain so not to worry, right? And yeah, it's good about her not being afraid of her carrier. I guess she, like most of us, like to see the world from different places. But IDK. If I had one of those floofs in my size, I don't think I'd be in that carrier much.

She sleeps in the floof. I think the carrier gives her a comfy place to watch and wait for me to wake up. Krista would climb Dad Mountain and sing a morning song. Betty prefers to watch from a distance.