Sweet Kitty Recently Diagnosed With Ckd Options

[tewcute]

Hi, I am a new poster. My fur babies name is Duncan and He has been my companion for a wonderful 19 years. Just a few weeks ago I was told he had Chronic Kidney Disease after lab work being done. We changed food which helps slightly but his numbers are still up. The vet sent me home with sub q fluids which have been a nightmare. My cat is so sweet and docile but he turned feral when my sister and I attempted this. I got bit, she got stuck by the needle. We attempted over several days and this poor guy just cried every time. Now he hides from me every day in the morning for about half the day. I am leery of giving him the sub q fluids at any rate because his red blood cell counts were incredibly wonky.
I have an appointment with the vet next Friday and I have elicited help from my brother to come with me. I have to tell the vet other than specially food and his blood pressure meds I won't be doing any other treatments. I can't afford to pay her to do the sub q and I obviously am not qualified to handle it myself.
The decision is two fold. One I simply cannot afford it and two I can't bring myself to have my baby be scared of me and hiding and crying about this fluid injection.
My heart is completely breaking right now. To give you some back ground on me, I have Crohn's disease and this stress is not good for me either. But this little kitty would comfort me through the worst of my symptoms when I was sick. How can I say goodbye to him?

[moon_beam]

Hi, Duncan's Mom, please permit me to add my sincerest condolences on the medical diagnosis of your precious Duncan. From first hand experience with my beloved companions who are now with the angels I can so relate to your feelings about not looking forward to not having the sweet precious physical presence of your precious Duncan. Please let me try to reassure you that what you are feeling is very normal Anticipatory Grief, which is a horror roller coast ride of many different emotions all of its own.

You are so wise to stop the sub q fluid injections for both your precious Duncan and you. Your focus needs to be on what enhances the quality of life for your precious Duncan, and it is obvious from what you share with us that forcing the injection of sub q fluids does not provide this for either of you. The sub q fluids will not change the course of the Chronic Kidney Disease, so you are not depriving your precious Duncan of any treatment that will restore his health to a better quailty of life.

As a senior citizen I have learned throughout my life that there is no "ideal time" for us to endure the very painful journey of adjusting to the physical absence of our beloved companion. There is no way we can ever "prepare" ourselves for that moment in time when we must put aside or own wants and needs to give our companion the last gift of enduring selfless love we can give to them on this side of eternity: to release them from their frail, failing, painful physical body that provides them a peaceful transition journey home to the angels. One of the many things you need to remember is that you are not alone - - you are among friends here who truly do understand what you are going through and we are here for you for as long and as often as you need us.

Duncan's Mom, thank you so very much for honoring us in sharing your precious Duncan with us. Please know your precious Duncan and you are in my thoughts and prayers, and please let us know how you both are doing - - and how things go this Friday with the consult with your veterinary care provider.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam