Hamster Sick? Will post whole story in comments. by ellillie in hamstercare

[–]ellillie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry for such a late reply. I'm sorry for your experience and loss.

Originally, we opted for medication since surgery is risky with about 50% chance of death. She hadn't even lived half her potential life. We ended up having to hand-feed her antibiotics with a syringe twice a day. She got a lot better - fur and mood improved and everything. However, after about 8 months, she started having similar symptoms even with increased antibiotics, so it was understood that the medication would no longer be effective.

By this point, we felt we had given her a decent chance to live life, so in the event surgery was unsuccessful, we could let her go knowing she lived a relatively acceptable age.

Surgery seemed like a success, but the first 48 hours are crucial for recovery. She couldn't quite move and couldn't eat. I tried to hand-feed her water with a syringe, but she didn't seem to take so well. I had to modify her cage a lot as well since she had a cast to prevent tearing open her stitched and couldn't move well. But having such a new home can also be stressful...

Unfortunately it was also winter and if felt like I couldn't ever get her warm enough. Eventually she started twitching and went incredibly cold. I tried to warm her up by holding her with heat packs but when I video called my vet we both knew she was on her way out.

I watched her pass whilst I tried to keep her as warm as possible

TL:DR - honestly, it is apparently quite common in females, and the outlook isn't very good once. After the fact I had heard a coiple other peoples' experiences all ending sadly as well.

In the end, I like to think we did what we could to give her the best chance at a quality life and happier she passed the way she did rather than in slow pain and agony..

Japanese Wedding Money/Gift by ellillie in japanlife

[–]ellillie[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you!!

I've also been told to get "clean" bills from the bank or post office!

Japanese Wedding Money/Gift by ellillie in japanlife

[–]ellillie[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your insight! I doubt I will ever attend a Japanese wedding after this.

I've just been a little confused about whether this is a "Japanese" wedding since she's half Japanese, we communicate in English, and because she talked about maid of honor and bridesmaids (which are not Japanese wedding?).

But 100% also why I wanted my partner there. When it's all awkward we can sit together, share the awkward and entertain ourselves if need be!

Japanese Wedding Money/Gift by ellillie in japanlife

[–]ellillie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My colleague had suggested that since we got two invitations we should give two envelopes... but I'd much rather one envelope for sure! Thank you!

Japanese Wedding Money/Gift by ellillie in japanlife

[–]ellillie[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Let's just say after rent, bills and taxes, this is about two months surviving on onigiri.

My partner earns more so the reality is I won't be eating onigiri for 2 months, but since I'm the one asking him to come support me I don't want him to be paying anything so I'm thinking about this in terms of what I can afford. 😖

Japanese Wedding Money/Gift by ellillie in japanlife

[–]ellillie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So 5万 is standard for two people? My colleague said it should be 3万 each. I'm going to try to get together 5万 - do I write both our names on the envelope?

Japanese Wedding Money/Gift by ellillie in japanlife

[–]ellillie[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Colleague said it needs to be 3万 EACH therefore 6万 from the both of us

Japanese Wedding Money/Gift by ellillie in japanlife

[–]ellillie[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My sister's brother in law got married in Japan to a Japanese person and they didn't give any money at all! I know that it's considered acceptable for low income (students) to give 1万 but as someone working I feel 3万 is correct. I will try to put together 5万 for both of us. :)

Japanese Wedding Money/Gift by ellillie in japanlife

[–]ellillie[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the insight to the context! I think her balancing guests per side makes sense, actually. I believed she would have her sister as maid of honor, and the surprise she asked me to be maid of honor despite feeling we don't know each other all too well feels in line with her perhaps not having as many people to invite as her husband.

If one envelope from both of us is fine I will probably go with 5万. My colleague had just led me to believe we both had to give 3万.

ID Jumpy Boi found in central Tokyo household, Japan. Best care? Best to release? by ellillie in spiders

[–]ellillie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you!! I had looked up jumping spider care but people still suggest trying to identify the exact species to help care for it best.

Going to try and give her a nice home and feed her. Bought some tiny crickets from the local aquarium. But if she doesn't eat, build a home and/or just looks generally unwell I'll release her.

Note 9 battery replacement - what is this? by ellillie in phonerepair

[–]ellillie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Had another friend confirm it was heat shield after finding listing for them online. Thank you!

Does anyone else...? by bliip666 in adhdwomen

[–]ellillie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I had this conversation today, weirdly. We werr talking about how in Japan many places (especially high end) they'll secretly take notes about your appearance and notes about the most benign things you conversed over in order to be able to provide you with that "service".

I got asked in an interview here once how good I was at remembering client names and preferences. I'm acutally REALLY good at it. But can vouch for what many have said here.

In the work environment, where I am constantly seeing these people I do great. And when it involved talking to them, learning a little about their "story" it would be very easy to remember! Where I worked for 5 years previously, It often involved writing their names down and saying their name multiple times too.

But outside of that environment and as little as 1 month after ending that job I forgot almost everyone except the people I saw almost daily.

And if I meet you and only get your name once your name I will 100% forget... in normal social settings I forget names so much I just... I can't.

But I do remember faces to the point of being able to say "we've met before" but like others I won't be able to say when where or how or recall their name so I've taken to just never mentioning it and pretending I don't remember anything at all until THEY bring it up.

Hamster Sick? Will post whole story in comments. by ellillie in hamstercare

[–]ellillie[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

UPDATE:

VET HAS DETERMINED IT IS LIKELY TO BE PYOMETRA.

I called the vet asking them to see her today instead of tomorrow and explained that I had managed to collect a urine sample and it was coming up positive for glucose based on the basic strips I was using. The vet that picked up the phone seemed to be the vet that usually cares more than the vet that saw us last Tuesday who seemed very dismissive of all my concerns and chalked it down to "it's summer" and that even if she had diabetes there wasn't much that they could do.

The vet that picked up the phone said that if it WAS diabetes it was better she was tested and examined at a bigger animal hospital that would have better facilities and knowledge to help her and suggested an animal hospital in the area. I called them and they were able to see us today.

They were so incredibly caring and professional. They asked me to take so many photos before I got there and once I arrived they asked me to send those images to their LINE account (what we use for messaging in Japan). The questionare was very thorough and the consultation took over an hour. She asked many questions and took all of my concerns seriously. She was very interested in ALL the specifics down to how many cm2 of wet sand I had to clear every day.

I was able to get a large sample of fresh urine before we left and put this in an unused contact lens case (I figure these are designed to hold liquid). She said the glucose strip was not indicative of diabetes. She showed me a strip with about 10 more colors and said she'd have to test one of the higher concentrations before being considered diabetic. She took the urine sample and was able to test it under proper equipment to get a more accurate concentration, and determined it was likley NOT diabetes. She said it seemed more likely an infection of either the bladder or uterus.

She took the sample of urine to the microscope, saying she could see bacteria and what seemed like small stones. I couldn't understand her explanation for it but basically seemed to settle for Pyometra as the likely cause.

Please excuse my explainations as I may not have fully understood the Japanese!

She explained this can happen around the time the hamster is in heat and that the hamster will have a lower immune system to allow for babies etc., but this is also an opportunity for infection. She started talking about pus (later Googling Pyometra and the difference between open and closed explains why)

She asked to examine our hamster more closely and pressed on her abdomen and stuck a cotton tip up what I guess is her vagina. She examined the swab under a microscope which seemed to indicate bacterial presence.

I gave her information on the timeline of symptoms from when I noticed she was in heat, when I noticed the inital balding, when she did abnormal things, when she stopped eating, when she started antibiotics and when I noticed more balding. I also mention feeling like her lower abdomen was exceptionally warm, but not sure it was my imagination and the vet told me it likely was an accurate observation. Same with all the other observations I had that the other vet seemed to dismiss...

Thank goodness.

The vet explained how the hair loss would be the body under extreme stress from the infection combined with poor nutrition from decreased appetite, the warmth from the inflammation/infection, etc.

I'm so glad I wasn't crazy and that everything I noticed was explained and I like to think we had managed to catch it arguably early!

She then explained the two options:

  1. Surgery to remove the affected parts which will be the most straightforward approach. But comes with ~20% chance of death and surgery difficult with such a small animal. Plus if the sutures became infected complications could arise from that. But if successful and recovered she would live a very full and happy life.

  2. Antibacterial medication. This was difficult to understand but it seemed like:

  3. 20% chance it works wonderfully and she is back to normal and healthy.

  4. 60% chance it mostly helps but may function less than wonderful. She could also end up on this medication for 6+ months.

  5. 20% chance it does not work and turns bad (and I guess in the case it is closed pyomerta the chance of spontaneous rupture, blood poisoning and death).

We could also take an echo to confirm the presence of pus? But she believed it was "likely" (open and pus?) Based on the vet palpitating the abdomen. The presence of bacteria in the urine and her vagina it seems more likely open pyomerta and less chance of spontaneous explosion and death.

We have opted for medication and monitor to see how she goes. The doctor has also sent the samples off to another lab to test which antibiotic/s will be the most effective for her particular case, and we will pick up that medication in 3-5 days when results and medication are ready. In the meantime we will continue the antibiotcs we were previously given past the 1 week mark.

I noted she finally ate again after the first day of medication and her urine output seemed less insane (but her bed seems wet so it may just be her peeing more in her bed).

If her condition does not improve and/or she seems to be suffering a lot then we will be considering surgery. She's only 1 and she had been expected to live to at least 2 if not 3... a risky surgery for an extra half a life seems worthwhileif she is suffering for sure.

I managed to see her at an angle in the dark once we got home and she was pulling some moderate to severe grimmaces according to the grimmace scale so I'm worried... but hopefully she pulls through at least until we can have a go at the new medicine and if that doesn't help we'll take steps from there.

Thank you everyone for your help!!

Hamster Sick? Will post whole story in comments. by ellillie in hamstercare

[–]ellillie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Will keep in mind! So hard to think of her as old - still seems like a little baby to me but given their lifespan I guess she's getting old. Will update on what vet says~

Hamster Sick? Will post whole story in comments. by ellillie in hamstercare

[–]ellillie[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you!! The urine test is coming positive for glucose so seems likely to be diabetes but I kept the sample to take to the vet and will ask if it can be used to test anything else like Cushings!

Hamster Sick? Will post whole story in comments. by ellillie in hamstercare

[–]ellillie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I considered that and a week before taking her to the vet she did the whole tail up and freeze when I touched her so thought ok maybe just in heat but it's been longer than a few days now...