FINALLY! I SUCCEEDED ADMINISTERING TUVOK'S SUBQ ON MY OWN!!!!!

 

First of all, I am not a nurse. I just have a lot of cats since 2010....owh wow after typing this I realised it has been almost 11 years since I rescued Ms Lily.... If she's still alive I hope she makes some family happy. If she passed....I hope shes happy out in the rainbow world out there....well today I am going to potpet about Tuvok; Lily's son. 25/9/2021 Tuvok had a bloodtest and diagnosed with acute kidney infection. On the same day, he was already receiving some fluids and given kzillion antibiotics, multivitamins and some kidney medicine. He then started with RC renal care initially with soft food but now he's fine with kibbles. Tuvok is 10 human years = 60 cat years. So he's pretty old. His gums had a lot of tartar and the vet manually extracted them on 25/9. Tuvok has to be administered subcutaneous fluid every 2 days. If he is responding well, the frequency shall be lessened. Whatever the frequency is, he is still needed to be injected with fluids. Every time if we do that at the vet  they are going to charge us so imagine over time how the cost will accumulate. If you are financially sound, then its alright. However, with the pandemic and loss of income, I simply cant afford it right now.......well, the vet has advised me to do it at home and gave me a 10 min training. During the training, it seemed easy. That's because you have "assistance" from the vet or the nurse. So when you are at home...the real challenge began....

1st attempt I failed miserably which I had to take Tuvok back to the vet to get his subq fluids. 2nd attempt also failed and I had to go back to the vet as well. Finally today, after threatening myself (not gonna reveal it here)...I made it!!!!

Here are some laymen things you need to do based on my own personal experience:

1. Mentally prepare yourself. You have to get yourself in a relaxed environment.
2. Build up confidence by getting some tips over the net. There are numerous videos on You Tube to learn how on to injecting your feline family with Subcutaneous fluids.
3. Make sure all apparatus are ready and tested water flow. Play around with the stopper to make sure no blockage.
4. Don't push too hard on the cat if you failed. Bring to the vet alternatively. 
5. Depending on the size of the cat, get vet advice on the right size of the needles. If you use needles that are too thin, the water flow will be slower which means the cat has to stay longer. If no problem cat that will be easy. However if the cat is not cooperative, this will create problems. Tuvok is just a small 4kg cat so the perfect one for him is 21G (green color base).
6. Get that "Cave" when pinching the skin to insert the needles. This is the part that NOT everyone can bear especially when you are not in medical field. inserting needles or even poking one is a stressful thing to do. However, I have 1 year experience in injecting insulin for Benjamin Sisko my diabetic cat, so a lot of anxiousness has gone with that experience.  If the cats ran....just leave it. Get some rest and repeat in another hour or so. Don't give up easily.
7. Make sure your cat is comfortable. I put Tuvok on my lap and make sure he gets a lot of pet under his chins lotsa love. 
8. Use fresh needles each time to ensure hygiene.
9. Dispose the needles responsibly or accumulate and bring to your vets to dispose. Be aware of your local dos and don'ts for needles disposals.
10. Give your cat a treat during or after treatment. As many vets advice, make it a positive experience. 
11. Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done....Im going to get ice cream now and i deserved it!

That's it for now. 

OUR NEW DIET - RENAL SUPPORT

 

Ahhhh here we go; After Tuvok is diagnosed with Acute Kidney Infection, his diet is changed as well. I started him on Renal support. He didn't eat it at first but he was ok today. Dah lapar betul agaknyer....Thank God...these things are not cheap either. The Diabetic kibbles are for Ben only when his BG was high. If within the ok parameter as per vet advice, I will just give Ben the normal kibbles.

Tuvok is acting back to himself again...cheeky but a bit wobbly....teringat kat Lily....where is she right now? Dead or alive? I tak tau.....she ran from home 8 years ago....she and kenit....ahhh thats another sad story...teringat kenit dropped by to say goodbye before I pindah 7 years ago.....alaaa da melodramatic pulak....nak cerita pasal kibbles ni ja...

Anyway....these kibbles are available at vets. Kalau kat shopee tu hati2 lah takut fakes....

Nampaknyer macam tuan kucing ni kene makan mee segera je lah ha ha....

MR TUVOK SUB Q ROUTINE

Mr. Tuvok is not too happy with this new routine

If your kidney is screwed, you have to get dialysis machine to do the job for ya. Same with cats. So after that blood test vet put Mr. Tuvok under this Sub Q routine for 3 days and today is his 3rd day. After today he will have to come back the next 3 days for another session. Tuvok is on antibiotics for the next 7 days. At this juncture I am not at the right mind to write more about Tuvok, how we arrived at this point. Tuvok is 10 human years which makes him 60 years old hero cat I was there watching him being delivered by his momma (Lily, the stray rescued from my old office). I am certainly don't want to watch him die like his brother Mr. Spock. 

Mr. Spock passed away 30th October 2020 from UTI. Get better soon big guy.

MR TUVOK IS NOT WELL

It's been 2 days Mr. Tuvok tak bising kat pintu waking me up as he always did…I woke up because of Azan dan Alarm. Later this morning I saw Tuvok puked white foam repeatedly. I wanted to rush to the veterinary but unfortunately they only open around 11am+- ….So I went at approximately 245pm after zohor. The one that is the nearest to my house. Mr. Tuvok super hate traveling and he meowed all the way to the clinic. Honestly I felt a bit “numb”… terasa seperti macam dah agak dah ….anak-anak Lily ni memang banyak health problem.

At the vet there were a few people so the waiting was manageable. As expected doctor suggested blood tests. Approximately 30mins later the results came in.  Tuvok has kidney problem/infections…ntah apa ntah dokter dok explain….masuk tinga kiri dan keluar semula la jawapnyer….so now kena masuk air…later bila nengok bills baru owh tau Subcuteneous Fluid…Doctor also buat manual descaling sebab Tuvok dah berumur katanya kalau dibiuskan dorg worry….so aku ok kan jelah

Possibly his diet are going to change as well. Doc said she may put Tuvok under Renal Diet.

Went home. I felt very heavy in my heart. Poor Tuvok.

It seemed like we are going to have a rough journey ahead of us.

DUNE 1984 REWATCHED

The Guild's Entourage

Dune 2021 is being released in some parts of Europe and people are flipping out about it. Well, that people includes me! Since it's going to take a bit more time for it to reach Malaysia or whatever available to watch it on eg Netflix etc, so yesterday evening, I decided to re watch it. The last time I watched it was in theatre sometimes in 1985 or 1986 (It took approximately 3-6 months movies to reach Malaysia those days after being released in the US ~ I think). That was some-TIME back.

Excerpted from Wikipedia:

"Dune is a 1984 American epic science fiction film written and directed by David Lynch and based on the 1965 Frank Herbert novel of the same name. The film stars Kyle MacLachlan (in his film debut) as young nobleman Paul Atreides, and includes an ensemble of well-known American and European actors in supporting roles. It was filmed at the Churubusco Studios in Mexico City and included a soundtrack by the rock band Toto, as well as Brian Eno."

I never read the novel. However, while listening to the narration about the Spice which can make The Guild to fold time in Space which can make you travel without even moving ...I think it's brilliant knowing that it was written in 1965 or perhaps way before that. Super brilliant Frank Herbert. It mentioned the prophecy and using Arabic terms referring to revolution/war as "Jihad" and Paul Atreides is seen more like a messiah. The emperor's name also resembling some Arab names : Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV 

Arabian theme is widely seen when Planet Arrakis (also known as Dune) are all desert and not a single drop of water (it may seem that way). The spice can only be found on that planet.

General synopsis:

Dune is about Power struggle on who controls the spice mining in Arrakis. Who controls the spice, controls the universe. The Guilds ~ an amphibian / fish look alike alien species suspected that the Atreides are bad news. They have instructed the Emperor to kill the Son of the leader : Paul Atreides.

Thoughts:

Although the movie critiques were so against this movie , I on the other hand quite like it. Yes the visual effect were atrocious given the budget at the time, I'm sure some bad decisions were made during the making of this movie. Even David Lynch retracted his association with this movie during that time.

As a sci-fi nerd, in the 80's apart from Star Wars and Star Trek, I think this was quite awesome.

I love the casts (in Bold & Red)

• Francesca Annis as Lady Jessica, concubine of Duke Leto and mother to Paul and Alia
• Leonardo Cimino as the Baron's Doctor
• Brad Dourif as Piter De Vries, the Harkonnen Mentat - I remember him the most in Lord of The Rings
• José Ferrer as Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV
• Linda Hunt as the Shadout Mapes, the Fremen housekeeper of the Atreides' Arrakis palace - I remember her the most in NCIS LA but of she was in a lot of others....
• Freddie Jones as Thufir Hawat, the Atreides Mentat
• Richard Jordan as Duncan Idaho, a Swordmaster of the Ginaz in the Atreides court I thought he was really handsome LOL but turned out to be Marcia Cross's late husband :(
• Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides, the protagonist ~ Oh wow whaddaya know...In desperate housewives Kyle was Bree (Marcia Cross) ex husband 
• Virginia Madsen as Princess Irulan, the Emperor's oldest daughter ~ Awww she was so damn young in here. I remember Virginia in Highlander II. She also appeared in Star Trek Episode ~
• Silvana Mangano as Reverend Mother Ramallo, a Fremen woman who predicts Paul's arrival
• Everett McGill as Stilgar, the leader of the Fremen that Paul and Jessica take refuge with
• Kenneth McMillan as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Duke Leto's rival
• Jack Nance as Nefud, the captain of Baron Harkonnen's guard
• Siân Phillips as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, the Emperor's concubine and Jessica's Bene Gesserit superior
• Jürgen Prochnow as Duke Leto Atreides, Paul's father
• Paul Smith as The Beast Rabban, Baron Harkonnen's nephew
• Patrick Stewart as Gurney Halleck, a troubador-warrior and talented baliset musician in the Atreides court ~ hahaha Captain Picard in da House y'all
• Sting as Feyd-Rautha, Baron Harkonnen's shrewder nephew ~ Well of course Sting...that Punk look can never escape me when people mentioned Dune. In fact a while back I thought that movie was about a Rock Concert ha ha...I wonder now who plays him in 2021 version? Or no such character altogether?
• Dean Stockwell as Doctor Wellington Yueh, the Atreides physician and unwilling traitor ~most fond of him in Quantum Leap and Battlestar Galactica, 
• Max von Sydow as Doctor Kynes, a planetologist in the Fremen
• Alicia Witt as Alia, Paul's younger sister
• Sean Young as Chani, Paul's lover Ahhh Sean Young used to be the reason I went to the movies...Blade Runner, No way out (with the handsome Kevin Costner), Wall St, Forever and A Kiss Before Dying just to name a few. Then I lost track of her.

Photo credit:

All pics are snapshots from the an old DVD.

Now I can't wait for 2021's version by Denis Villeneuve. Cheers

1ST DINING IN EXPERIENCE AFTER 4 MONTHS OF STAYING HOME

 

As I scrolled down my photo gallery on my phone, I saw the last dining in was my sister's birthday during Ramadhan at Plan B near TRX KL. That was 4 months ago! So my sister decided to come over after "rentas daerah" was allowed last Friday (10 September 2021). She WA me in the morning while I was having my coffee, toasts and eggs. I asked her to tapaw some food from this place near my house; Padangs on Wheel Nusantara, Subang Bestari. I guess when she arrived there the place looked good enough to dine in. She called me and asked if I was game to dine in after so long hibernating. I didn't blink and said, "OK". I quickly grabbed that old white long sleeve T-shirt and my favourite red hijab, in less than 10 mins I was ready to go!

Earlier, my SIL WA me about delivery. So I reckon its from MAMASAB since she's the new agent for that. 

L-R: Hasz, Ita and Moi

Nice Padang Dishes

Paru Goreng

The dishes were all so delicious. Particularly the Daging Dendeng and Paru Goreng. The Paru Goreng were especially a hit cause by the time we checked out the paru were sold out.

Sayur Pucuk Ubi Masak Lemak

The pucuk ubi masak lemak was alright. Less tasty than I had many times before.

Siput Sedut Masak Lemak

My Sister's favourite was the siput sedut. She enjoyed that very much.

Fried Potatoes with Sambal

Ikan Tenggiri Masak Lemak Cili Padi
Aduhsss this one so nice. The ikan fresh jugaklah rasanya.

Then we headed back to my house. 

Borak2 lama tak jumpa la wey....Video called Mak and Abah and My brother. Memang terubat rindu seeing all of them and praise to Allah they are well.

My SIL Mamasab package arrived (My Sister Ita bought)

Cinnamon Rolls

Oh my sweetness !

What a gorgeous day today and forever grateful for my sisters: Azita, Sue and Hasz. They are angels!

Restaurant Info:

Padangs On Wheels Nusantara: Address: 63, Jalan Nova K U5/K, Subang Bestari, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Phone: +603-7831 7712

For Cinnamon Roles Contact Mamasab Agent Liana:

+6017-740 0255

NO PROBLEM AT ALL

I was worried about everything over nothing

I overthink again

I have to chill

So many have suffered

So many have died

Life is definitely too short

I have to keep telling myself not to occupy time with waste

Of course there were bad days and good days

My mind is a weird place

Wandering all over

No end

No problem at all

Yesterday, I was thinking about someone (FY), cosmically coincidental enough , she messaged me asking about someone. Earlier, I wanted to talk to her about something. She asked me whether I know someone (ZS). I couldn't recall who that individual was. Probably I did know Z, but I couldn't recall. Probably old(er) age is catching up on me. We checked on ZS FB page, we have many common friends. I still couldn't recall. Asked another friend who was on ZS friend list (RM), she recalled wrongly at first. Then, just like me, RM mind went blank. No recollection whatsoever. Who is this ZS? 

ZS is not the real issue here, the fact that FY out of the blue messaged me; the fact that she messaged me after I intensely thought about her, that was insane. 

I wanted to talk to FY about some things which more on my own self pity, I wanted to lament to her about how difficult life was for me during this pandemic. I forgot that I am more fortunate than a lot of people during this trying time.

I didn't lament. She then told me the reason she asked about who ZS was is because her husband knows ZS. She was thinking maybe she should contact ZS. You see, (Ughhh now I sound like Dhar Mann) her husband just had surgery. He has Cancer stage 4. When she told me that, my heart sank. I did feel like schmuck. No, looking at my "problems" I have nothing. 

I didn't know what to say other than offering my prayers and if there anything I could do to help.

During this pandemic, a lot of people who were quite close to me had passed. Some due to Covid19 some of other illnesses. 

Last night, mak and Abah called. 

There....right there.....I am grateful, I have them alive and well.

I am grateful for the food I have to eat every day.

I am grateful for the roof above my head.

I am grateful for the 7 rescued ones.

I am grateful for everything good in my life.

I am now learning how to appreciate the bad things that happened which had made me stronger to face all sorts of obstacles.

I am still finding that balance Spiritual & Actual but I could feel the breeze....

I really hope this pandemic will be over soon no matter how skeptical the entire world may feel

I may feel differently tomorrow.....but I take the graciousness feeling I have today and hopeful it will continue on till tomorrow and after.....

Wallahualam.