Spirit Crossed the Bridge Today..... June 9, 2016

[jim maceri]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

I just don't understand why when everything seems to finally be on track, something really strange happens. It's true for all of us!

Judi is right. You are so good at managing these oddities that for sure neither you or Spirit has anything to worry about.

Judy (and Sadie)

I just don't get it either.....what the heck could cause that kind of a change? Why after almost a month does the big guy have a dramatic change in his fasting number? That is what is so frustrating about this disease. I would LOVE to hear possible explanations for this.

Once his BG got back up (way up) we did take our walk @ 8:00 a.m. just like normal...just about a mile. When we got home his post walk reading was back down to 111 so there is that big drop again (231 to 111) that we got rid of over the last 3 days. Can't put too much emphasis on the numbers today since I introduced the "safety net" of Karo. I'm just going make sure he doesn't go to low. I can manage the highs with walks.

[Rubytuesday]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

I have thought about you and Spirit with regards to the Levemir. Of course it is expensive and that would be a real factor with Spirits size.

I will have curve results to post today, but is has taken a very difficult case to practically cruise control. I am sure there will be fine tuning ahead and sometimes it does seem to run out a bit before her next shot, but what an improvement. The only time I see big changes in the numbers is if it doesn't last till the next shot time.

[buddingartist]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

Jim
You are handling this whole situation like a <pro< so far from me to offer advice. Just throwing the following as a possible cause.

My challenges with Buddy were because of slow and very erratic digestive problems. He also was diagnosed with cholestasis (sludge in the bile ducts).

Some days, he digested well and his numbers were constant. Some days, he could go potty 5-6 times in a period of 3 to 4 hours, and I could always predict how his numbers would be like based on how he behaved between noon and 4pm. I even started recording how many bowel movements, consistency and times to try and see a pattern. Buddy did great when his belly was empty.

He had a mountain curve most of the time. Towards the last weeks or so, he ate very little and I had to drastically reduce the insulin dosage (once from 11units down to 3) and he threw me a hypo.

Have you noticed anything like that with your boy?

Louise

[jim maceri]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

Jim
You are handling this whole situation like a <pro< so far from me to offer advice. Just throwing the following as a possible cause.

My challenges with Buddy were because of slow and very erratic digestive problems. He also was diagnosed with cholestasis (sludge in the bile ducts).

Some days, he digested well and his numbers were constant. Some days, he could go potty 5-6 times in a period of 3 to 4 hours, and I could always predict how his numbers would be like based on how he behaved between noon and 4pm. I even started recording how many bowel movements, consistency and times to try and see a pattern. Buddy did great when his belly was empty.

He had a mountain curve most of the time. Towards the last weeks or so, he ate very little and I had to drastically reduce the insulin dosage (once from 11units down to 3) and he threw me a hypo.

Have you noticed anything like that with your boy?

Louise

Funny, but I have been tracking spirit's poops since the start. Like clockwork, he goes 3 times a day. Once after eating in the morning, again about 3 hours later on his walk and a final poop during his mid afternoon walk.

Sometimes if I take him out late at night between 9-10 he may go again but if he does that then he doesn't generally go in the morning. Before diagnosis, spirit had firm stools in the mornings and diareaha in the afternoon which was one of the indicators that there was a problem that led me to the pancreas. Now the consistency of his stools are always the same.

[Patty]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

Good catch Jim. Always hated those fasting lows when thrown at us.

[jim maceri]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

This is definitely a curve change day....but for how long.

73 5:00 a.m. fasting (1tsp karo+1/2 buiscuit + drizzle karo on food)
Delay shot 20 minutes, cut dose from 15.25 to 14)
94 5:15 after food before shot.
118 6:00 a
231 7:00 a.m. (took walk, 1/4 mile @ 7:15)
205 8:00 a.m. (pre walk) 1 mile walk in park
111 post walk
192 10:00a
157 12:00
121 1:00p (gave 1/2 large milk bone)
109 2:30 (gave 1/2 milk bone)

One more reading to go at 4:00 before evening meal. This is a mountain curve but it looks like I will need to add some snacks after 12:00 to keep him from going below 100 at meal time. normally a half a milk bone will get a good rise but not today. I think I will give him a milk bone around 11 p.m. tonight to help him avoid the lows in the morning hopefully. All in all, this is a very good curve (number wise). I think one of the reasons he got so low at fasting was that Monday we traveled to Detroit (4 hours) for mothers day and on the way home I stopped 4 times to let him and I stretch at rest areas. This is a lot more walking than he normally does at night and car rides also drop him and he was in the car for 8 hours. Wonder if the travel had anything to do with the change in curve?

I believe I should keep the dose at 14 for now. Poor guy, 10 tests and it isn't even dinner time yet...

[jgr789]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

Jim,
Looks like you did a great job managing a potentially dangerous situation.

You seem to have a really good feel for what and how much to feed in order to keep the numbers in a good range. I wonder what tomorrow will bring now that you are back home.

Spirit is a very lucky boy!

Judy (and Sadie)

[jim maceri]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

Here's the final conundrum today...spirit was 109 @ 2:30 and I gave him another 1/2 milk bone right.....well at his 4:00 test before meal he goes up to 241!!!!! What is that all about? I was looking for something between 90-100 and BAM. Not gonna give it to you buddy....it's as if spirit is saying you'll never figure me out dude, I got your number!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

[momofdecker]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

I would have had a similar guess based on his day. He sure does like to keep you guessing. So glad you are able to monitor him throughout the day. Maybe he has been chatting with Craigs Annie and has decided that he likes to be tested too...lol.

[Patty]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

I think the impact of travel and stops makes a lot of sense. Days like this I often say if I poured water into Ali, it would leak out all the holes

Looks like you finally "ran out" his insulin.

[Rubytuesday]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

Here's the final conundrum today...spirit was 109 @ 2:30 and I gave him another 1/2 milk bone right.....well at his 4:00 test before meal he goes up to 241!!!!! What is that all about? I was looking for something between 90-100 and BAM. Not gonna give it to you buddy....it's as if spirit is saying you'll never figure me out dude, I got your number!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

Ok, here is my shot at the mystery called Spirit.
Didn't you reduce the dose this am? And if the low was due to the walks during the car ride could he now be going higher because of the reduction this am, not traveling and just the normal rise pre meal shot time. The rise would be more pronounced due to the decrease.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could start a betting pool and whoever guessed right got 1 month of easy regulation!

[jim maceri]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

Ok, here is my shot at the mystery called Spirit.
Didn't you reduce the dose this am? And if the low was due to the walks during the car ride could he now be going higher because of the reduction this am, not traveling and just the normal rise pre meal shot time. The rise would be more pronounced due to the decrease.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could start a betting pool and whoever guessed right got 1 month of easy regulation!

Yes, I reduced the dose this a.m. to 14 units. The only thing I can think of is that he did flat out run out of insulin....I'm hanging up the towel tonight. The guy is already sleeping in the shower and I put some vaseline on his callus elbows because of the beating they got today. Ruby, your guess is the winner as far as I'm concerned....you get one month of GREAT regulation.

The one heart warming thing is that each time I came over to him to test him he gladly sat up wagged his tail and let me do it.

I've been up since 5 too and I think spirit has the right idea. The last test at 7:00 he was 196 so I'm sure he will be fine tonight and we'll try and solve the mystery in the morning. The fasting number will be interesting. If it is high he will be back to a bowl, low and its a mountain. Through all this today, he actually ran very nice numbers except that first low reading. This is one baffling, crazy, frustrating, challenging and down right #@%*'ing disease.

Night all and thanks for the input today....

[buddingartist]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

This is one baffling, crazy, frustrating, challenging and down right #@%*'ing disease

Couldn't agree with you more.

See Jim, Spirit gave you plenty of time to learn all about the disease, set up a diary, learn all about trends, test and get blood every time, he didn't want to ruin your vacation when you travelled and now, he is saying: <OK big boy, now we're even<

I so feel for you Jim and fully understand the frustrations. He was doing so good and you were both coasting.

Good luck and hope he gives you good numbers

Louise

[jjefferjo]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

Jimbo
fabulous job you are doing and guess what? spirit is very lucky to have you and you him!
Almost 2 yrs into this with Ed and we still have daily challenges-

[jgr789]

Re: Spirit-Newfoundland

Looking forward to finding out what Spirit has decided to challenge you with this morning.

The big problem I have with regulation is the inability to control unregulated activities like car ride, UPS man, weather...

I don't really have a regular schedule or routine so I've resigned myself to trying to maintain a range of between 100 and 300 although I really do worry about any drops that are more than 100.

I've been most interested in how you and jesse girl use treats to stablize the numbers. I know there's no one size fits all but I'm beginning to understand the idea of insulin running out because of no food left or too much activity vs too much food and not enough insulin. The results are the same- high numbers. It's just that each requires a different approach to bring the numbers down. It's the figuring out which is which that's the biggest challenge but you seem to have a great handle on it!

Judy (and Sadie)