What to do with a Diabetic cat?

Okay, the first dilemma I had to face when planning a trip abroad... what to do about Henry? Henry is my twelve year old, diabetic cat, who also happens to be the love of my life. He is lovely, but he is also high maintenance, but then again aren't most men? ;-)

He requires injections of insulin twice daily, so staying home alone is not an option. Boarding at the friendly, neighbourhood vet's costs a paw and tail. And, of my friends and family, few understand why I go to the lengths I do to keep Henry fit and happy, so asking them to give him daily needles is not really an option. This leaves only the conversation of last resort... asking the grandparents. Ugh. My dad and his wife are animal people, and I think my dad has accepted that Henry, Trooper (the other cat), and Fred (my car) are the closest he will have come to grandchildren; however, taking care of Henry is a sore point. Those daily injections are too stressful for Mary Ann, my dad's wife.

But I am going to Sri Lanka to help. To make a difference. So, surely this will not be an issue. They will happily volunteer to help, so that I have one less thing to worry about. Right? Well, no, of course not. It must first be a drama, where I play the part of the selfish daughter, and they play the part of the overburdened parents. Fortunately, I also have Heather, my sister, to beautifully play the part of the go between. After Heather and her husband, Dwayne, agreed to take Henry in, even though they are not cat people, not even close, my dad had second thoughts.

So this long story has a somewhat happy ending. Henry is now welcome at my dad and Mary Ann's... although I suspect I will be paying the price for this kindness for years to come. Now, problem number two... is Trooper welcome there too? A question for another day!