Introducing Betty White

[daftcat75]

Awww, no! How did you get that, we wonder??? Glad you feel some better and are not having the respiratory gunk. Hope it stays that way!
Yeah, I know it's really not possible to isolate from Betty but no Frenching. Okay? Okay. Seriously, cats can get it from humans.
Good on ya for making the call and I hope and pray they can get you that treatment.

Burger and a beer. I do it twice a weekend. While I usually mask up to pick up my food, that’s not practical at the taproom. It seemed inevitable that my luck would run out at the taproom. I was just hoping to have an updated booster before then. Can I get a booster with the Bill Gates microchip? Maybe that way it can automatically download periodic updates.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Burger and a beer. I do it twice a weekend. While I usually mask up to pick up my food, that’s not practical at the taproom. It seemed inevitable that my luck would run out at the taproom. I was just hoping to have an updated booster before then. Can I get a booster with the Bill Gates microchip? Maybe that way it can automatically download periodic updates.

I shouldn't laugh. But I am.
Yeah, there's that. I only go to grocery store, dentist and vet, always masked and I still and always will obey the safety protocols stringently. I remind my roomies about it, too, just to make sure.
Really sorry and hoping it leaves you soon and without all the bad stuff.

 

[lisahe]

Can I get a booster with the Bill Gates microchip? Maybe that way it can automatically download periodic updates.

If only! I hope you're feeling better soon, daftcat75! Though Betty is obviously a great nurse.

 

[daftcat75]

Doctor called me. Said while he could prescribe Paxlovid, we haven’t kept up to date on our lab work. Because Paxlovid is contraindicated in those with impaired kidney function, while he doesn’t believe I have impaired kidney function, he doesn’t want to prescribe it based on five plus year old lab work. And since I’m Covid positive, he doesn’t want me to come in to run those labs. He said it doesn’t sound severe and I don’t have any high risk factors. Treat it symptomatically and call back if it gets worrisomely worse.

Although the nasal symptoms are starting, this doesn’t feel nearly so bad since I started taking Advil for the aches and pains and gave up on the notion that it would impair a fever; a fever I have no evidence of ever having. Every reading says normal.

I’m sure I’ll live. It’s just worrisome not knowing how this is going to play out. Will I wake up worse or better tomorrow? Is it going to be days, weeks, or months to recover?

 

[Margot Lane]

We are all with you in spirit!

 

[artiemom]

daftcat75 I can understand why you are so worried. If I understand correctly, you are vaccinated and boosted..
That is good.

From what I understand, Advil and Tylenol are the best for the current variations, if boosted.

I have known of several people, workers in here and my IMVet who have fairly recently come down with Covid--a variation. Because of their vaccination status, they were able to only be out of work for a week. They said the symptoms were ranging from a bad cold, to a bad flu, which left after a several days... not long term...

So I am hoping you recover, sooner rather than later...

Only kind of goes to show you, that everyone needs to see their PCP yearly... even if you are feeling ok.. It is important to keep these yearly appointments; especially now, that all these weird things are going around.
((hugs))

Betty is a good nurse!

 

[tarasgirl06]

We're all in your corner, daftcat75 and with all that C.A.T. you will hopefully be feeling better very quickly.

 

[daftcat75]

I feel like I’m through the worst of it and now on the long tail of recovery. The body doesn’t ache so much anymore but now I have the nasal junk. Sadly, the decongestant I have has guaifenesin which hits my stomach like a rock. The antihistamine is Benadryl which comes with its own side effects. 🥱

Neither of them seem to be lasting long enough. I dosed at 6am. It’s 9am and I feel like they are both starting to wear off already.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I feel like I’m through the worst of it and now on the long tail of recovery. The body doesn’t ache so much anymore but now I have the nasal junk. Sadly, the decongestant I have has guaifenesin which hits my stomach like a rock. The antihistamine is Benadryl which comes with its own side effects. 🥱

Neither of them seem to be lasting long enough. I dosed at 6am. It’s 9am and I feel like they are both starting to wear off already.

Benadryl or its equivalent knocks me on, well, my bed. It's such a heavy soporific. And it renders me useless and incapable of any kind of thought processes. I bought a box a few years back and still haven't opened it. Drugs have so many side effects I've elected to limit my intake to aspirin. All of the rest of the problems I may have from time to time just have to be endured.
Really hoping the duration is short for you!

 

[daftcat75]

Benadryl or its equivalent knocks me on, well, my bed. It's such a heavy soporific. And it renders me useless and incapable of any kind of thought processes. I bought a box a few years back and still haven't opened it. Drugs have so many side effects I've elected to limit my intake to aspirin. All of the rest of the problems I may have from time to time just have to be endured.
Really hoping the duration is short for you!

I don’t mind that effect of Benadryl if it clears up sinuses and lets me sleep without issues. After all, the only thing I have to do the rest of this week is keep feeding Betty.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I don’t mind that effect of Benadryl if it clears up sinuses and lets me sleep without issues. After all, the only thing I have to do the rest of this week is keep feeding Betty.

Sleep is pretty much guaranteed with Benadryl.

 

[daftcat75]

Sleep is pretty much guaranteed with Benadryl.

I wish.

Betty has been especially clingy today. I spent more time humoring her pit sitting than I have sleeping today. And just when I thought she was going to move on and I could catch some rest… she leaps down and is picking at carpet fibers by the door.

She did eventually bring up a small and uneventful (no yowling) hairball. I can’t tell if she’s done spitting for the day. She is sleeping in my lap right now. I just want to kick her off so I can re-up my meds for the afternoon. They seemed to have worn off an hour ago. But I’m trying to stick them out to the four hour window anyway. Betty is pressing that to five hours now.

And the specialist’s office called to check up on Betty. I’m not in a huge rush to get her back in there. But he did want a checkup after everything she’s been through. Probably not a bad idea just to redo a physical. And if he thinks it’s warranted, we could repeat labs. No repeat endo!

Okay. C’mon Betty. Wake up! I need meds.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I wish.

Betty has been especially clingy today. I spent more time humoring her pit sitting than I have sleeping today. And just when I thought she was going to move on and I could catch some rest… she leaps down and is picking at carpet fibers by the door.

She did eventually bring up a small and uneventful (no yowling) hairball. I can’t tell if she’s done spitting for the day. She is sleeping in my lap right now. I just want to kick her off so I can re-up my meds for the afternoon. They seemed to have worn off an hour ago. But I’m trying to stick them out to the four hour window anyway. Betty is pressing that to five hours now.

And the specialist’s office called to check up on Betty. I’m not in a huge rush to get her back in there. But he did want a checkup after everything she’s been through. Probably not a bad idea just to redo a physical. And if he thinks it’s warranted, we could repeat labs. No repeat endo!

Okay. C’mon Betty. Wake up! I need meds.

Hoping Betty obliged and that you're snoozing.

 

[daftcat75]

As I went to fix my mug of Theraflu, Betty followed me up to the counter and gave me her thoughts about withholding food after her hairball. I opened a new can of A/D just to scoop out a 5 gram pinch for her. I matched that with 6 grams of her regular food butting the A/D up against her regular mix. Sure enough. She started with the A/D and kept going. 11 grams of trial portion. I served a 15 gram portion of her regular food which she came around to about an hour later.

For her dinner, I wasn’t sure she was going to leave her poof. But she seems to understand now that often when I run the water, I’m cleaning dishes and it’s going to take me awhile to get to the food prep. In other words, she’s learned a new feed time noise to key in on. Like a normal cat, she now comes running at the sound of the pop top on the cat food can. So after a slow start, she finally does emerge from her poof and joined me on the counter. I finish mixing her food and repacking her meds and to the floor we go. She is such a pro at taking her capsules now. It’s as if she finally figured it out that the sooner she swallows both food coated pills rather than licking and flicking them, the sooner she gets her meal. And ready for her meal she was. Finished a 28-29 gram portion in one sitting. Maybe she periodically needs to clear out a hairball to heal her appetite.

It’s been almost a month since the last hairball. I’d be okay if this was the best we can do. Especially if her hairballs going forward are more like these baby carrot sized hairballs that come up with little fanfare or repercussions.

AnimalBiome received her post-flox sample. Now we wait. It’s been about two to three weeks turnaround on those reports. I will be ordering another month of poop pills too.

Okay my drugs have been taken. Betty has first dinner in the books. Let me see if I can sleep through a few innings before next Betty feed.

 

[daftcat75]

My Theraflu is expired. A year past. I wonder if that’s why it’s not lasting three hours. I have decongestant and antihistamine that is not expired. I can cobble up something until I can place an InstaCart or Popcorn order in. It’s so hard to get any decent sleep when I can’t breathe for more than a couple hours at a time.

 

[Margot Lane]

If only we had that “cat off switch.“ Seems to be connected to Circadian rhythm. They curl up into croissants and out they go.

 

[artiemom]

I think Betty's excessive cuddling is because she is trying to give you some 'love'. She senses you are sick, and is doing her best to be your 'nurse'. It is her way of paying you back for all the love and care you have given her.

Cats are notorious for sensing when their loved one is sick or not feeling well. I know Artie was always there for me, when I was feeling low, or was really sick. I knew I was sick when he would not leave me.

Geoffrey is kind of the same. He cuddles on the bed with me, sooner and longer when I am sick. And he used to cry for me to cuddle with him when he knew I needed rest.. Not now, because he is going through a lot, but he is still lovey with me.

I think Betty is one of the sensitive creatures.. giving her love back to you---to help you heal..

Take care.

 

[tarasgirl06]

artiemom is right! For me, it was my sweet angel Rani who was the best nurse, always there for and with me when I needed consoling and camaraderie. Cats are very intuitive and sensitive, and I'm sure there's also an element of, "Well YEAH! Monkeyboy (or girl) has the opposable thumbs. Gotta keep him (or her) well so (s)he can operate those!"
I've never used any of those things so don't know about them but hope you can find something beneficial!

 

[daftcat75]

Day four of Covid and I’m still dying.

Nah. Today is the first day I feel like I’m going to make it after all. The body aches and chills are mostly gone. The sinus symptoms don’t feel so bad. I still have sick head. But thankfully my appetite is starting to recover. Slightly. It is still a struggle to eat enough. But at least I’m getting something in there to buffer the meds.

Betty spent some of the morning under the bookcase. She spent some of the morning refusing her hairball treats. She spent much of the morning sleeping in my lap. Then she leapt down and finished breakfast. Whew! That’s a relief since she left a remainder yesterday. Then she pooped and came back for the hairball treats she had refused earlier. And her circle is complete. She’s back in my lap. And now I’m stuck here with a poop in the box and a cat in my lap. Thankfully the poop doesn’t smell. And the cat is all caught up on breakfast and hairball treats. Yesterdays hairball set her back only half a lunch. At least one of us has been doing well this week.

Oh thank cat! She finally moved on back to her poof for her late morning sleeps. No offense. But I was starting to get Betty’ed out. I think this sick has been tough on us both. I think she really enjoys the sleeping opportunities that our home office setup provides her. I think we’ll both be relieved to be back to normal again.

I have to figure out an InstaCart order and my appetite is meh.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Day four of Covid and I’m still dying.

Nah. Today is the first day I feel like I’m going to make it after all. The body aches and chills are mostly gone. The sinus symptoms don’t feel so bad. I still have sick head. But thankfully my appetite is starting to recover. Slightly. It is still a struggle to eat enough. But at least I’m getting something in there to buffer the meds.

Betty spent some of the morning under the bookcase. She spent some of the morning refusing her hairball treats. She spent much of the morning sleeping in my lap. Then she leapt down and finished breakfast. Whew! That’s a relief since she left a remainder yesterday. Then she pooped and came back for the hairball treats she had refused earlier. And her circle is complete. She’s back in my lap. And now I’m stuck here with a poop in the box and a cat in my lap. Thankfully the poop doesn’t smell. And the cat is all caught up on breakfast and hairball treats. Yesterdays hairball set her back only half a lunch. At least one of us has been doing well this week.

Oh thank cat! She finally moved on back to her poof for her late morning sleeps. No offense. But I was starting to get Betty’ed out. I think this sick has been tough on us both. I think she really enjoys the sleeping opportunities that our home office setup provides her. I think we’ll both be relieved to be back to normal again.

I have to figure out an InstaCart order and my appetite is meh.

Hopeful news that you're not feeling AS bad, and eating something! And Betty is doing very well, it sounds like! But yeah, I'm sure you'll both be glad to see the end of that. Get plenty of C.A.T.
Hope you can get some good food in that you'll feel like eating.