Six Year Update (big grin)

Six years ago on April 23,1995 Queenie was diagnosed
  I remember this day as if it was yesterday. 
It was the most devastating news and I thought why my Queenie. 
How will I ever give her needles in order to keep her. I remember putting a
mattress on my living room floor and literally sleeping there with my pet
because she was too weak to climb on the bed.  I remember thinking 
what is this going to cost because I had no idea what insulin, syringes 
and anything else I needed would cost. I was so frightened at the 
thought of losing her....I sobbed for hours just thinking of not having her.

Of course this happened on Saturday, always on a weekend.
The vet gave her a shot of insulin...take her home and  I'll meet you
here tomorrow at noon to give her another shot.  He did the same 
thing on Monday and then said go to the pharmacy, get a bottle of nph insulin,
needles and diastix to check the urine.  Give her a shot once a day and
call me tomorrow with the results of the urine test.I think he 
thought I would give up within a week. Little did he know of my
dedication and determination to save this furball of mine. 

I have to tell you the first two months in my house was crazy.
Everything revolved around needles, etc. it was like I was waiting for her to
die ...I realized I had to take control and I did and have not looked back.

It hasn't been an easy six years, she has developed asthma,
but we have learned to manage this.  A severe skin infection, 
thrush included when she had a severe reaction to creams applied
all over her belly and in the cracks of her back legs.These creams
literally removed the top layers of skin leaving an oozing 
bleeding belly.  This was the worst problem we have encountered
since diagnosis.  We even brought in a human doctor from our local 
hospital for consultation.  With nystatin and daily cleanings 
we made it though this.  YEAH!

Then when she walked through poison a farmer dumped on the ground
...but again she got through that with all the prayers from the 
muffin group.  This last year she fell down a set of stairs 
but the vet said her fat saved her life.....queenie says
told you Mom all that roast beef and rice would pay off. 

Queenie has been very lucky. She has not yet developed cataracts.
(Touch wood)
She still has full vision. Dr Bob just examined her eyes on March 26, 2001.
He said he still can see the back of her retina clearly and all
she has is nuclear sclerosis...a blue hazing on the eye which
does not affect vision...sometimes hard for a vet to tell the difference
that is why Dr. Bob sent her to an opthamologist four years ago
when we noticed the blue haze to make sure of the diagnosis. 
I have made a lot of wonderful friends that their pets have diabetess if
I passed them on the street I would not know them
but I can tell you their pet's name
and problems they have encountered and what has been done to help
them overcome them. This past year Louise flew in from Australia
for a visit...she was in Las Vegas and took time to visit as many of
us as she could....what a marvellous couple of days we had here
in Canada....honest Louise there is a country .... it was just foggy 

And I want everyone to know Queenie has beaten that silly
2 to 5 year life expectancy after diagnosis. 

GO QUEENIE! 
Everyone give your pet an extra hug from me today. 
Judy and Queenie 
April 23rd, 2001