Back to the Beginning . . .

Well, it's day 28 of NaBloPoMo. And I've got absolutely nothing to post about. Really, I've wracked my brain and I can't think of a thing. So I decided to go back . . . . way back. I'm going to re-run one of the first posts I ever wrote for this blog, since it will probably be new to most of you!  Actually, I wrote this for my blog on DiabetesFriends.net - I used to post there before I started this blog.  This is the second post I did.  I'm not running the first, because it was just a boring little introductory post.

Needles, Needles, Needles

Anyone who is a diabetic is very used to needles. Blood draws, finger sticks, and for some, insulin injections. How many times a year do we deal with needles? Too many.

I've never really thought much about it, and never found anything good in the fact that I jab myself all the time. Until this week.

This is Charlie, a sweet little 16+ year old kitty we adapted four months ago. In the past two weeks, he has suddenly become very sick. He has feline renal failure (and isn't kidney failure something we all fear as diabetics as well?). He is also severely dehydrated. If we can get him strong again, we may be able to manage his kidneys with medication. So how do we get him strong again? Well, every day I have to hook him up to an I.V. for 5 - 10 minutes. When the vet asked if I would be comfortable handling the needles, I was happy to be able to say yes.

Mind you, I was surprised to find out it is much harder to stick someone else than it is to stick yourself. The pain I feel every time I insert the needle into my poor little guy is much sharper than any pain from a needle I've given myself. But it's making him better, and that's the best news ever! So today, I am very thankful for needles and for my familiarity with them.

*** Unfortunately, we lost Charlie on February 9, 2008, just a few days after I wrote this post. I still miss him a lot.