Devils Chick

My apologies for the kitty discussions as well. This season is just so darn boring! I only jabbed myself with a needle once in the six months of giving fluids. Funny, I barely touched my finger with the needle and didn't notice. When I pulled the needle out, I saw blood on my hand and thought it was my cat's. I felt terrible and searched all over him but saw no blood. It was a relief to see it coming from my own finger! Once you and your cat get the hang of it, it's not that bad. @CrazyDog Sorry to hear about your cat too. To jump on the sick kitty train, my Maine Coon was recently diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Wow, 19, that's great! Mine was two months from turning 18 when he died. The other was 2 months away from 16. It's never enough time though. You are so right about F&S. They are terrible! I love Chewy but they don't sell prescription items (other than food). I will say that after my cat died, F&S gave me refunds on all the fluids and meds I had left over, no questions asked.

@Michichick Once a week is not bad at all. I was up to every other day before things went south very quickly. He was on the fluids for six months. One more tip: not sure if you're in the US but Drs. Foster and Smith will have what you need much cheaper than your vet. But it takes FOREVER to get it from them, so if you use them, give yourself plenty of time! I hope you and your kitty have a long time together. I recently lost 2 of my cats six weeks apart and it has been devastating. And this damn show is not serving as a good distraction!

@Michichick I had to do that for several months. It's not easy, but it's not impossible. Do you have someone to help you? It's much easier if you do. I didn't, but I figured it out. Some tips for you: use a heating pad or hot water bottle to warm the fluids first. Just make sure it doesn't get too hot. If you have someone to help you, have them squeeze the bag so the fluids go in faster. I guarantee your cat will not be patient! If not, try to find a pressure infuser for the bag. It's something that you put over the bag and inflate to push the fluids out faster. I ordered mine from an EMT supply web site. Use something that will confine your cat. Maybe a box. I had a carrier that had a flap on the top that zipped open. I was able to confine him in the carrier while still being able to access his scruff. Finally, make sure you have yummy treats to distract and/or reward your cat during or after! I used baby food, which he loved. Good luck! It gets easier with practice. Back on topic, I'm excited for the celeb edition! You guys think we'll see some Teen Mom cast members?

@Callaphera Glad to hear Duke is on the mend! Duke for AFP!

Wait, Raven drank beer?! She should absolutely not be drinking if she has gastroparesis, which I don't believe she does anyway. I had an endoscopy today and talked more about my gastroparesis than I normally ever do. My nurse told me her daughter has it and was asking how I deal with it. I kept thinking about Raven, which annoyed me.

@Callaphera Sorry to hear about your cat! I can sympathize. I just lost one to kidney failure and currently have one with HCM. My tip for giving a cat pills is DON'T. I refuse to give mine pills. Compounding pharmacies can compound anything into a liquid, or sometimes even transdermal gel .The liquids can be flavored with tuna, chicken, beef, etc. I could never get my large Maine Coon to take his heart meds if they were pills. Ask your vet, he or she can call it in to the compounding pharmacy for you. Good luck!

You should watch Mommy Dead and Dearest, a documentary about a mother with Munchausen by Proxy who convinced doctor after doctor that her daughter had various illnesses she didn't have. She got all kinds of treatments she didn't need. I don't think it would be impossible for her scam artist mother to convince the doctor she needed the stimulator.

It doesn't seem that way to me. I have a mild case of gastroparesis and I can't eat the way she has been. Look how much weight she's gained since the show started. She actually looks healthy now. I think her mother convinced her and the doctor that she has it, but the only sickness I can see here is in her head.

I wasn't insinuating that she's overweight or anything. I do think she looks much better (except for her odd makeup choices on her face). But it can be difficult for people with GP to maintain their weight, so interesting she's gained so much now that she's away from her mother.

I'm just catching up and from what I'm reading, Raven's behavior is odd. I'm sure that shocks no one! I can't speak for everyone with GP, but I usually feel much better after I throw up. Like, it's instant. I'll feel horrible and hope I can throw up because I know it will help. And if she actually has GP, she should be used to vomiting and used to feeling nauseous. And she would definitely not be able to scarf down food. When I eat with my family, I'm always the last one finished. Also, I thought I noticed during the last temptation comp that she looks like she put on weight. Is that something others have noticed?

@wings707 I'm the other one who has it. The medication I take daily for my GP helps combat the nausea. My doctor also prescribed Emetrol for the times when it gets bad. But nausea and vomiting really become just a part of your life when you have it and often I just live with it and don't even really notice.

Damn, I could use $500,000! Seriously though, few people know I even have it. And if I ever went insane and decided to be on this show, I doubt I'd even tell anyone, let alone talk about it non-stop!

I am cracking up reading all your Raven bashing. I'm one of the ones who has gastroparesis, and you're all making me realize I have not been getting all the sympathy I deserve! I should be telling people I'm dying so they'll feel sorry for me and give me things! I never even thought of that...

Just catching up with all the posts. I wasn't offended by anything anyone said about GP, I understand it was all directed at Raven! As someone else said, it can be a complication of diabetes. Mine is idiopathic (no known cause). Mine is pretty mild and I manage it pretty well with meds only. I can still hold a job and I have not been hospitalized for it. The meds have some pretty bad mental side effects and not everyone can take them. And though my case is mild, it still sucks. I can't imagine how horrible it must be to have a more severe case. And I'm very confused by Raven. As someone else said, you have to have it pretty severely before they even give you the gastric pacemaker. And my understanding is they help a little but far from give you a "normal" life. I don't understand how she can even be on this show. There's no way she'll be able to eat slop and I don't know how she can do some of these comps. I was paying extra attention to her during last night's episode and I saw her eating a few times. She didn't appear to be having trouble. Good for her if she's in a good place with it, but if that's the case, she needs to dial back the drama. And more on topic, I'll be sad if Christmas has to leave too! This season does seem cursed!