One Twenty Seven

Today after work, I tested Isabella’s blood sugar, like I always do. For the last two months her glucose has been stubbornly in the 300s, maybe with an occasional dip into the high 200s. Today: 127

Now, I don’t know why today it’s 127. But it’s because of these random low numbers that I keep subjecting my cat to the twice-daily blood-letting. 127 means no insulin – at least not right away. If I hadn’t tested and I just shot her up with 1.7U (this week’s preferred dose), she might have gone low enough to be hypo and need treatment. Or she might have dipped low and her pesky liver would get all excited and send out glucose (or make some other organ send out glucose, I can never get that part straight). Her liver always sends out too much, and she goes crazy high for days on end. I hate that.

So, 127 warrants special consideration. Do I skip a dose, and wait until tomorrow and see where her number is? That’s a very safe course, but it has its drawbacks, the main one being that I lose the overlap of insulin doses that I’ve so carefully cultivated. (Cultivated to no avail, apparently, judging from her recent streak of high glucose.)

Do I wait a while, see what her glucose is in a couple hours? That’s a good plan, but a late shot screws up her schedule. Or, do I pick a token dose, shoot her now, and hope it’s not too much? Nah. I’ve done that before with less-than-optimal results.

The hell with the schedule. I fed the cats and figured I test her again when I got back from swimming. But since Isabella was standing in the kitchen expecting an injection at the usual time (expecting a treat, more like), I gave her a treat and poked her with a capped syringe. A little placebo, just in case.

Four hours later: 177. Hmmm. That’s a surprise. I expected much higher, based on elapsed time since her last dose and the meal. Did Mr. Pancreas decide to deal with her postprandial glucose spike? (If so, thank you Mr. Pancreas. Nice to hear from you from time to time.)

Now I really have to decide. Insulin or no insulin? She’s rising, but not skyrocketing. I don’t want to lose all traces of overlap. I also don’t want to spend a sleepless night with a howling hypoglycemic cat.

I gave her a half unit. And more food (in case Mr. Pancreas really is awake today.) Hopefully this decision won’t keep both of us awake all night.

Such is life with feline diabetes