This week I'd like to tell you about
Nala and Simba the heroes.
Nala and Simba, 5 year old litter mates, I was their nanny too.
They came to N C State with their
human B who was from Oregon but had just completed his B.S, at UNC.
UNC and NCSU are huge rivals. I always told B he came to NCSU to get his REAL education.
B was also a graduate student in Physics working toward his PhD.
During fall break of B's first year at NCSU, he went home to visit his family in Oregon.
His mom was concerned about his weight loss and lack of energy. B had attributed it to the demands of Grad School. Mom wasn't buying that. She made him an appointment with his local doctor.
B was immediately put through a barrage of tests. At 23 he was diagnosed with Diabetes.
He stayed in Oregon a week longer so they could get his diet and meds under control, which was daily finger pricks and insulin shots. Needless to say, I was shocked when he told me about this.
He regained his stamina and continued on with the daily routine of classes and research. He was an excellent student. Most of the grad students worked into the night so it was not unusual for them to show up after lunch. One day I was a little surprised when his adviser/professor came to me to ask if I had heard from him. I had not, he asked me to call B. Which I did (mind you this was way before the technology of today). I did not get an answer so I just 'assumed' B was on his way to campus.
Later that day I rec'd a call from B. He had a medical emergency.
Sometime during the night, his blood sugar got out of sync. He was awakened by Nala and Simba alternately jumping on him like he was a trampoline. They were meowing to the top of their lungs. He could not quite understand what was going on with them. Their food bowls were left full at night and they had water. He knew he felt funny but thought it was from a busy day. Those two precious kitties had awakened him out of a semi diabetic coma. No one could explain it but somehow they knew. They had been with him for 5+ years THEY knew him and his routine.. Maybe it was is body chemistry putting off a particular smell they didn't like.
No matter, they saved his life. He awoke took his meds and ate and called his doctor.
I told him from that day forward,if he was not at work by 9 am, I was calling him or coming to his home to check on him.
Within a few weeks, insurance approved him for a insulin pump. Nala and Simba returned to their
life as care free cats. Down the road B met his lady love too. He very successfully defended his
PhD thesis, they got married, he was offered a Post Doc fellowship in Germany. Today he is a tenured professor at University College in Dublin, Ireland. They have two beautiful sons.
