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I don't know about everyone else, but I really crave good news these days. It helps keep me going during this time of crisis in our world. So, I thought I'd share some good news we received a couple of weeks ago at the vet. As some of you already know, Carmine was diagnosed with diabetes back in January. We were pretty sure it was steroid-induced. Long-term prednisolone use in cats is linked to the development of diabetes, and Carmine had been taking prednisolone for more than five years for his chronic pancreatitis. We made the decision to take him off the prednisolone in hopes that this would resolve the issue. He has not had any pancreatitis flareups in about three years, so we felt pretty comfortable that he would be okay without it. In the meantime, though, he had to go on insulin to help control his blood sugar. Unfortunately, the first dose we tried was too much for him, and he kept going into hypoglycemia, which was incredibly scary! My vet and I worked closely and figured out that Carmine needed the very tiniest dose of insulin possible - 1/2 (about one drop) of insulin only once a day. This dose allowed him to remain stable without going into hypoglycemia. He has his glucose tested at the vet once a month right now. About a week before his last appointment, I noticed that he was much livelier. He was running around like a young cat again (he is 15 years old!). He was eating more, too. He was even chasing Tylan around the apartment, which he hardly ever did before! So, I wondered if he could be in remission. Sure enough, he tested in remission at his appointment!! His sugar was still slightly high at 178 (normal ends at 170), but he is in remission. It was a piece of news I really needed. Things have been so tough for everyone, including me, lately. It felt great that something good happened. He will continue to go in once a month for glucose tests for the time being. We are hopeful that he will stay in remission, but it is not uncommon for cats to go back into diabetes from time to time.

I have to be honest, I have already started to decorate. I have also been listening to Christmas music since November 1st. I went on a weekend shopping trip with friends last weekend and have another planned for next weekend. Yes, it's early but who doesn't need it with all the craziness of the world!

I wish I could decorate my tree, or even have a tree up for Christmas. I have a cat who loves to destroy everything and it is impossible to have any kind of decoration at home I have, however, started making a list of items for my Christmas shopping. I can't wait to get started on planning!

@SableC., Mittenator - I LOVE it!! Cats know things. I think Mittens knew where she belonged and made her way there. Carmine got a very good report from the vet! His glucose was 105 - the best it has been since this whole thing started. The vet said he's probably just hot and drinking more and that his kitties were all hot and drinking more, too. He has six cats! We are testing Carmine's kidneys again in November. The vet is concerned about possible early kidney disease. I really hope that's not the case. Carmine is doing very well for being 15. Tylan went for his annual exam, too. There is still inflammation in his mouth and probably always will be - he has stomatitis. But the vet says the inflammation is the least he's ever seen Tylan have, so we may have finally found a good Prednisolone schedule for him. Tylan should be all set for another year now, as long as he doesn't get sick or anything.

You are so sweet, @SableC., for thinking about Carmine His last appointment was in May, believe it or not! It's nothing short of a minor miracle that we haven't been to the vet in the past three months with all the boys' special needs. Both boys go back August 5th. Carmine will get another glucose test to make sure he is still in remission. I'm a bit nervous because he's been spending a lot more time around his water fountain lately. It's also been insanely hot here, though, so I'm hoping he's just extra thirsty from the heat and that his diabetes isn't back (increased thirst is one sign of diabetes). Both boys will get checkups and their nails clipped while we're there, too. It's funny, Carmine is as quiet as a mouse on car trips, but Tylan yells at the top of his lungs, the entire way. What's your kitty's name, Sable? I hope you and your kitty are staying cool. I don't know what it's like where you are, but it has just been so hot here the past couple of weeks.

Failure. From birth, it's treated as a terrible, taboo thing. Something to be kept at arms length. No one wants to be labeled as one, and nobody wants to associate themselves with one. Everyone's failed once, and everyone's experienced that awful sinking feeling in the pit of their stomach. But... what if we turned that around? Instead of avoiding it like a plague, why don't we treat it as motivation? As fuel for the fire we each hold? Accept that you'll fail once in a while, and try again. Accept that you need to learn in order to grow.

What do you see as the pros and cons of earning a degree or certificate online? I think a huge plus is being able to follow classes as early or as late as needed. A negative is losing that interactive feeling from group discussions and being able to talk to the instructor in real time.

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@knchatty, I can't imagine how you must feel. I get panicked just going to the store these days, and I only do that once a week! I can't imagine having to go out in public to a job daily. Please be careful and take good care of yourself.

Carmine is headed back to the vet this Thursday for another glucose test. He is still acting like he's in remission, so here's hoping the test will confirm he is still there. As soon as his blood work comes back, we will get his dental surgery squared away. Tylan will go with us to get his claws clipped and to visit his favorite vet tech. It's sweet how excited she gets to see him!

I love hotel stays. It doesn't matter if it's a low-budget place or if there isn't much to do right outside the lobby. As long as my room's in good shape and the staff is kind, I enjoy that extra reminder that I'm getting away for one night or longer. Plus, I don't have to clean anything! Do you have a go-to hotel you use when you're making travel plans?

A couple of weeks ago, I was laid off from my job. I was writing for a company's blog (along with five other writers), and the company decided that after 11 years it was time to shut the blog down. I had been with the company for nearly two years. We were only given three days' notice, which is legal because we were all independent contractors. In any case, I'm busy trying to find new work and do the work I still have with other clients. I find it overwhelming at times because looking for new work is a full-time job in and of itself. Have any of you ever been laid off? How did you cope with the change? How did you stay motivated and keep a positive attitude when things got challenging?

@Nickel, congratulations on your new job! That must be a relief. I am still pounding the pavement over here, looking and applying. I really hope something turns up soon.

Thank you for your kind and encouraging words, @SableC.! I landed a guest post on a blog about chronic illness, so that's a start. It's definitely hard when there are hundreds or thousands of writers competing for the same jobs. It's even harder when a lot of people will work for very little pay. So finding a good-paying job is challenging.