How do I do it?

I'm asked so often "How do you do it?  How do you care for Cami day in and day out?"

I can tell you it's easy, but I'd be lying.  I can tell you I don't give it a second thought and I'd be lying.  I CAN tell you that Cami makes it all better and I'm telling you the truth.

I've learned more with Cami than I ever thought I'd know.  Who DREAMS about learning about canine diabetes?  Who DREAMS about learning about canine mammary tumors or dental disease?

I can tell you that the ideal blood glucose range for a diabetic dog is 150-250.  I can also tell you that with Cami, we seldom see her in that range.  We're constantly working toward that range, but the possibility exists that we won't see it.

I can tell you that Cami and I have our own routine every day.  When it's time for her blood test (pre-meal or "fasting"), Cami and I go in another room, all by ourselves.  She runs around for just a few minutes, as I ready the glucose meter and get the lancet ready to go...and then it's my kisses from Cami!  Yes, she lavishes kisses on me knowing full well the next thing she feels is going to be a pin prick on her paw!

Our girl "parks" herself down in front of me and picks up the paw she wants me to use, and then sits patiently while I prick that paw and gently massage the blood out to get just the right size drop of blood!  As soon as she  hears the "beep" of the glucose meter that indicates a good reading, she bounces off and heads for the kitchen door!  She KNOWS what comes next!  If she doesn't hear the beep, she sits quietly while I ready yet another test strip and take yet another prick at her paw.  She's such a good girl!

We've established an "injection" routine too!  The alarm on my phone that I use for Cami, plays her own special melody!  Cami knows I'll sit on the floor while she climbs up in my lap and sits down.  With syringe mixed and held in my mouth, Cami gets a two handed gentle spinal massage...she loves it! and if she were a cat, she'd purr!  It relaxes her so that the injection doesn't hurt...well, hurt as much.  She sits there and "takes it" as I tent the skin and inject!  We both try to ignore the little wince!

We carry a "Crash Kit".  When you have a diabetic dog, you have to carry a crash kit...especially if they're as unstable as Cami can be at times!  I'll pull the car to the far edge of the shoulder of a highway to test Cami...or pull off the highway into an area with nothing...just miles of grass, woods, fields...it doesn't matter where!

We don't go out to dinner at dinner time.  We don't.  That's Cami's time.  Constantly aware of Cami's schedule and Cami's needs, our lives run on "Cami time".  We don't go away for long weekends like we have in the past...when we're more comfortable traveling with our little diabetic darling, we might...only when we find places that accept dogs, provide refrigerators in the rooms and have safe areas to walk dogs.

We don't go visit family the way we used to.   Not in state or out of state.  Some are dog people, some aren't.  Cami can't go, we can't go.  And besides, how do you take one dog and not the other two? (Or other three, with Stella here?)

I've told you a lot of things "we don't do", a lot of things we've given up doing.  Have I told you about the love this tiny little 11 lb. girl lavishes on us?  The affection we're showered with every single day of her life?  Have I told you how she inspires us to do better, to be better?  Can you understand the fighting spirit in a little girl?  That spirit that hasn't allowed her to give up?

When I slow down long enough to think about all of this, there's only one thought that stands out in my sometimes overworked mind...We love Cami.  We'll continue to do what Cami needs.  Yes, we'll put Cami's needs before our own.  We'll continue to tell the story of Cami's Journey.

Our little foster, Stella, had her mammary tumor surgery last Thursday!  She is a champ and thought she was ready to rock n roll by Thursday night!  It's tough to hold her down, but we have to...Stella is having a bit of bleeding, small amounts but annoying more to her than anyone.  It's as if she's embarrassed by the drops of blood; always licking them or "worrying" at them.  Poor little girl just can't relax if she's had any bleeding from where she knocked that scab off!

So.  Well, my job this last few days has been to do one load of laundry after another...Stella's bedding has been 3 loads today alone, and that's just because I want Stella to relax on fresh bedding.

Just this afternoon, I posted in Canine Diabetes Support and Information that Cami's blood glucose has been very good for more than a week.  NEVER NEVER NEVER should I "brag" about Cami and her "blood glue"!  NEVER.  Tonight, her fasting blood glucose (just before her evening meal) was 57.  Oh I HATE HATE HATE those super low numbers!

One teaspoon of Karo syrup, 5 pieces of kibble and her evening meal...quickly!

When a diabetic dog drops low, it can be so dangerous.  Sometimes leading to loss of consciousness, convulsions and even possibly death.  

We used to struggle on a near constant basis with Cami's blood glucose.  Ups and downs and lows and highs, no "curve" at all, a mountain for a curve, once in a great while a "valley" (ideal according to the vet) for a curve.  We've had to lessen our expectations for Cami's blood glucose.  We no longer strive for the so called "ideal" numbers of 150-250.  

Now we strive for her 24 hour average to be below 350.  We're there and I've set a new goal.  Now I want her average below 300.  We're almost there on a consistent basis.

Of course, we also have to add in there that we do  NOT want to see those super lows that indicate potential hypoglycemia!  As serious as it can be to see the high numbers, it's even more threatening to see the very low ones!  

No cute, light hearted post tonight.  Stella's tired.  Cami's tired.  Stormy's tired.  Miss Molly's tired.  I'm tired.  Bill's tired.  Frank the old Siamese cat is the only one with any pep in his step and that's just strange!

I'm going to take myself out of here, take these sweet babies outside to take care of business and put them to bed so that, in spite of the fireworks currently exploding next door, we might find a relatively restful night.