Oh, come on. (Varicose veins)

Hi folks,

Was just wondering about something. I have varicose veins, a few spidery ones which don't matter, and a few deeper ones... Those deeper, bigger ones hurt every now and again, get inflamed or something. They hadn't for quite a while though. But... A week ago our cat was put to sleep. We don't have kids, we had cats, and now both Mouse and Night are gone. And losing Night was rough: it's a very empty flat now, and I'm hurting a little too much to get started on a new cat any time soon. So anyway, I fell off the wagon, and while the meals were still keto, it was in between the meals that I kind of, sort of.... Demolished my husband's stash of chocolate. I decimated it, basically. My bloodsugars still remained within the normal range, surprisingly enough, but they were about 1.0 to 1.5 mmol/l higher than I'm used to. Add the flu-jab and a lot of sleepless nights to that, well, you get the idea. And now one of those varicose veins is acting up. And another one close to it is getting a little angry too. Auch. Just wondering... Did I do that to myself with the chocolate binges? Or is it just a coincidence? Dr. Google tells me the usual about high bloodsugars damaging veins, which is old news, but it wasn't that high. Certainly never over 8,0, always well below that. So... Just hope that being back on the wagon'll fix the inflammation soon. Hope is quite welcome!
Thanks, people,
Jo

KK123 said:

Hi @JoKalsbeek, I'm afraid I just don't know but I wanted to give you a massive hug because you are an inspiration to us all and I'm really sorry about your beloved cats. x

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Thank you so much. *hug back*

Antje77 said:

I don't know anything about varicose veins, but I'm very sorry about Night. Have a big knuffel.
Just a thought; I fully understand not being ready for another cat, but maybe you can take your camera to a nearby petting zoo and steal some goat and rabbit cuddles between making pictures? I can imagine those being enough unlike cats to not make you hurt worse and still provide some animal attention that you lack now you're cat-less. With the current weather you shouldn't be bothered by other people in the petting zoo.
Sterkte!

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We actually went to BestZoo yesterday, which might not've been a good idea already, but it was still nice... They have Sri Lanka panther cubs. In the enclosure next door there's usually a pair of black panthers, but they didn't come out, guess it was too cold/wet. Both Kornelis and I were relieved not to see them, already started tearing up with the spotted cubs! Black cats would've been too much. You think you're fine one minute, the next... Not so much. I did get to pet a Japanese squirrel's tail, -so fluffy!- and this past week it's like cats are coming out of the woodwork for a cuddle. Met one on the way to get the flu jab, ran into 5 (!) in Utrecht, and even Ben from Number 4, who likes to play with a little too much claw, was cuddly as heck and didn't try to draw blood. Normally we'd've gone to our favourite cat café, but their Diesel is an adorable black cat, and I think I could mop Kornelis up if we go, not to mention how I'd feel. Still... We're both cat obsessed, so it'll come. I wish we'd thought of a petting zoo ourselves. BestZoo was nice yesterday, but maybe a bit too much, too soon.

Dankjewel. Je bent een schat.
Jo

Pipp said:

I would think it is a combination of all those things you have mentioned, @JoKalsbeek .
Grief at your loss compounding them. No need to add guilt to the mix. You are not to blame. Be kind to yourself as you are to others on here.
Hope you feel better soon.

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Thank you. It makes sense when you put it like that, and you're right. I'm a little too close to it to see it clearly, I guess.

Mike D said:

The Australian head of the RSPCA always advised pet loss owners to do one thing. Go out and get a new one. They fill gaps Jo, they don't diminish the love for those that have gone

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Oh, there will be another, eventually, and maybe more than one. I wear cat socks every day, my purse is covered in kittens, my scarves are cat themed, so's my necklace's pendant... And while my obsession with cats is quite a lot more evident than my husband's, we're on the same page.

Right now it's a bit too hard... But we have a little too much kitty-love to share, to keep it to ourselves, and there's too many kitties in the world who need TLC.

Brunneria said:

Have a hug.

I’m always devastated when they go.
Such a huge, loving, part of our lives. and it isn’t just a hole, it’s a gaping chasm.

took me 6 months after Toed (black cat) died before I could cope with inviting someone else in. Although of course we had Sidney (tabby) during that time.

because of where we live we decided not to get another cat (dangerous traffic), so we went for dogs. And now Sidney has passed on, and I am catless for the first time in 30 years.

as I say, a gaping chasm. I used to feel that my servitude (well, slavery, really) was a privilege and an honour. Stockholm Syndrome at its best. Still miss it.

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Slavery, well, yes... We have a load of freedom now and we barely know what to do with it! Both Night and Mouse were traumatised cats, and Night did some extreme bonding to us. When he became insulin dependent, the vet's kitty hotel had a hard time giving him his insulin, as he butchered everyone who came near him. He was the gentlest cat ever. Towards us, anyway. We didn't believe all those wounds came from our little fluffbutt at first, but the entire staff was terrified of him! He wasn't welcome after that, which I do understand. Simultaneously, he became depressed any time we were gone overnight, and that didn't help his bloodsugars either. He got T3c 9,5 years ago, and in all that time we were away from home for just over 2 weeks total... And that was because we didn't know how badly he missed us. After that we tried a weekend away with my mom-in-law taking care of him. As long as he was home he didn't attack, but he did get depressed and miserable, so... That was out too. Now we suddenly can go wherever we want. Well, not according to our bankaccount, but you get the idea... I did book 5 days at a budget bungalowpark here in the Netherlands for later this month, but to be honest, that's more to get away from the house where there's no Night or Mouse to cuddle up to, than to have a proper vacation. Before things went awry we loved to travel. I guess we still do. (Probably?) But I'd rather be Night's captive any day. Mouse could take us or leave us, it wasn't until she had a seizure and seemed to forget she ever was an abused kitty, that she became affectionate and trusting, about a year or so before she left us, a grand old dame by that time. She was quite amazing in her own right. We just always did whatever the cats needed from us. So yeah, I hear you on the Stockholm Syndrome... I'd happily be love's captive still. I'm sorry you know this kind of loss too, but glad you knew the love as well. It is priceless.

Hugs,
Jo

PenguinMum said:

@JoKalsbeek just thought might be worth checking your BP daily. If its high from the stress therein might be your answer.

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Thanks for your messages...! I have been checking regularly, so I know it's up, but only a little... Still... I suppose stress in itself undermines the system, and a flare-up should've been expected. It's so nice to know there's a lot of people out there who care deeply for their furry friends...

jjraak said:

@JoKalsbeek
a massive hug for the loss.

Lost our belles, (black cat ) april last year, while away
got the call she'd had some sort of seizure, from our daughter, cat sitting for us.

vets did best, but she was gone by end of week and we were still in India.

Huge gap in our home too, so understand that loss very well.

We're not ready for another cat yet, but seem to have adopted a neighbours cat,
who has taken to stopping with us a few nights a week.
perhaps all your local cats, seem to know how it is right now for you ?

Agree fully with that love going to another cat who needs it.
a new one never replaces and old much loved cat,
it earns it's own special place in heart, just like the other one did.

as for the veins..not a clue,
could be the chocolate binge, could be just what Varicose veins do over time, who knows.

Your sensible enough to see that and just do what you do well.

get on line, find a cause, then find a treatment/action to cure or minimise
the extent of the issue.

just like T2, were you were an inspiration for me, go be an inspiration for you, again.

that next cat of yours, is going to be one ***** lucky feline..

take care,
and as said,
be gentle with yourself.

X

(edited by mod for language)

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Ooh, that must've been horrible... Not the homecoming anyone'd want. I'm so sorry that happened to you!

And yes, it does seem like cats gravitate towards us all of a sudden... We've always been cat-friendly, but they seem to be going out of their way to make us feel better. The next feline(s) to cross our threshold won't know what hit him/her/them. Spoiled rotten, adored, worshipped... Just like they should be.

I'm treating the vein with an antibiotic cream right now, dunno whether the swelling's gone down on it's own or due to the cream and paracetamol (or getting back on the wagon), but it's a whole lot better than it was, thankfully. Yay for stockpiling meds in my own private pharmacy-in-a-drawer. Always something useful in there.


Hugs!
Jo