Cancer Dog Dave

time goes on...

2011-01-15T01:35:00.003-05:00

If you've found my blog, I congratulate you! It's been three years since diagnosis, and a year and a half since Dave left us. We've had a rough time, but don't regret a minute of our journey. The time, commitment and money we put into Dave's treatment was absolutely worth it! We miss him every day. We wouldn't change the time we had for anything... If you have a cancer dog, or have any questions about our fight, please leave a message in the comments.

thanks to all

2009-05-17T22:58:00.003-04:00

Thanks to everyone who has been reading, commenting and checking in. Mike and I appreciate all of the support we've gotten since last January, especially all the support in the last week.

We got around to the sad business today of cleaning up some of Dave's things - his ripped up chair, his snuggle beds and his toys. We're going to be contacting a few local shelters and rescues to see what we can donate, along with the case and a half of dog food that we literally just bought.

I found a few pictures of Dave on my camera that were taken last Thursday, four days before. He's playing with his octopus, looking spritely and mischievous. It's amazing what a difference four days can make.

Here's the story:
I was away from Friday night through Sunday morning, and came home to a happy dog that was a little more tired than usual. However, it didn't stop him from cuddling on the couch with us that night. In the morning, Dave got up with Mike reluctantly, but ate his breakfast and pills without any problems. We went to work, Mike got home first and Dave seemed fine. His head popped up in the window when Mike pulled up, and he greeted him at the door. Mike took him outside, where he was fine. They came back in, Dave got his meds, and after a few minutes, Dave wanted to go back out. When he did, he began vomiting and pacing. He would sit for a few minutes, then stand, then shake and had limited control of his back legs. I got home shortly thereafter, and we decided to take him to the vet. We said goodbye on the floor of "his" room, where I got my three kisses. The vet was Dave's "regular" vet - Rothman Animal Hospital - we didn't want to drive to Penn to limit Dave's potential pain.

At Rothman, the vet and the staff were wonderful. They allowed us the time we needed, and the vet assured us that we seemed to be making the right decision. When the time came, it was quick and peaceful. This has been a hard week, but knowing the circumstances surrounding the decision, I'm completely confident that we did the right thing at the right time. No wavering on our part, and no unneccessary pain and suffering for Dave. I love him, and have spent all week starting to talk to him, waiting to hear his footsteps when I'm in the kitchen and looking for him to come around the corner when I get home. I miss my buddy, my boofer, my friendly bear, my stinks. What a good life we had. A short eight years, but what good ones we had!

Nothing is ever wholly lost. That which is excellent remains forever a part of this universe. ~ RWE

sadness

2009-05-11T19:37:00.003-04:00

Today was the day... Mike got home from work to find Dave not feeling well. When I got home shortly after, we decided it was time. I'm pretty confident that he didn't suffer, and that his last days weren't painful. We gave him a good life with lots of love, and already miss him more than I can imagine.

Since the last post, Dave had good days, and while he seemed a little more tired, he was eating normally and active - playing with his toys and being himself. Even today, he greeted Mike at the door, and gave me a couple of licks while we were saying goodbye.

again

2009-05-02T09:06:00.002-04:00

So... Dave's not feeling well again. He's still being picky with his food, but was happy with canned food with some soaked dry food added in. But then he started throwing up. Mike was off on Thursday, and Dave threw up a few times during the day. He did this around this time last year when he was on chemo and eating canned food, so I we didn't know if it's the canned food or something else.

Then Thursday night into Friday, he got sick a few more times. He's been eating plain chicken, which doesn't make him sick, but it also doesn't give him much nutritionally. He threw up again last night before bed. Once we went to bed, he was acting strangely - he kept getting out of bed and looking at us. Not the in pain type of staring that we saw prior to starting chemo, but it's concerning. He seems a bit stiffer in general.

The good things are that his lymph nodes are small and soft, he still has a good appetite and is alert when we come in the door, get out of bed, etc. He loves following us. He's still jumping up on his chair and happily perusing outside.

I have a call into the oncology vets, but don't know if anyone's on call over the weekend. I called the emergency department, and they told me what I had figured, is that they would probably tell me just to bring him in. Since visits and the exposure to other animals stresses him out, I'm trying to avoid that until it's necessary. I don't feel that getting the food questions answered and a physical exam are worth the stress on him at this point. That could change if his demeanor changes.

garden

2009-04-22T22:01:00.003-04:00

Here's a little bit of our garden project, thanks to Dave. Sorry if the formatting of the pictures is off, but blogger can get tricky. The before:

organic seeds in organic soil

repotted since they're bigger

seven months

2009-04-22T06:36:00.005-04:00

Dave is still doing well. I love having nothing exciting to report. He's been very active with the nicer weather, and is a happy little dog. He had a couple of days where he didn't want to eat his kibble, but it may have had more to do with the hard kibble than the appetite. We initially soaked kibble in broth and mixed it with wet, and then went to grinding up the kibble with some wet. Now we're transitioning back to kibble. But his appetite for treats and the wet food remained excellent.

Today marks a few important Dave milestones. He's been out of remission for seven months, and has outlasted his prognosis at that time - five more months than the two they gave us. Go Dave! It's also a year and three months since being diagnosed originally, pushing him higher above the average.

excitement

2009-04-10T17:58:00.002-04:00

We had an "incident" in the neighborhood today. Our next door neighbor barricaded himself in the house (details here). Mike and I had to run out after the initial drama of an ambulance coming, and came home to a closed off street, SWAT team, Bomb Squad and a ton of police officers. Wow...

Dave was in the house the entire time, the officers wouldn't let us get him. I suppose the safety of people is more than a dog, but I worried for the few hours while I watched SWAT members taking cover all around my house and car. The good news is that we are good, our house is fine and the officers did a great job and stayed safe. But my heart is still pounding.

Dave is fine, he's made a complete turnaround from a few days ago. He may seem a little confused in this picture, but he's good to go.

solace in aging

2009-04-07T23:08:00.003-04:00

I've come to grips with having a senior dog. We lovingly call Dave our old man, sometimes call him puppy and find some happiness and humor in the sad, yet funny things that Dave now does. What I haven't been able to figure out (and wouldn't this be lovely) is where my comfort level is and my acceptance of what's happening.

Is Dave extra-tired after a full week off with Mike and I, doing lots of abnormal activities? Or is he slowing down, the effects of cancer and being close to ten catching up with him? Is he not eating his kibble because it's too hard for his senior teeth, or because he's losing his appetite as a symptom of losing the larger battle?

I'm taking solace now in his greeting me at the door and popping his head up to look out at me when I drive away or arrive at home. In the way he scrunches down when he's picking out which toy to bring to me. In the way he devours the soft, wet food that we're giving him to ensure he's eating something. When he jumps up (usually by the second try) in bed and curls up in my legs.

I have a different feeling now than I've had in the past - acceptance? Gratitude? I want him to be here, and be well while he's here. For tonight, he is.

yard work

2009-04-05T18:43:00.007-04:00

spring

2009-04-03T19:09:00.003-04:00

Spring is a fun time in our household - new beginnings and all of that good stuff. It's time for gardening, the Phillies and just getting outside more. It rained (once again) today, but in the late afternoon the rain broke and we were able to get out and pull some weeds. Muddy weed pulling is the best! After weeding our side pathway (baby steps), we applied corn gluten - it's an organic weed preventative. It's also an ingredient in a lot of dog foods because it's an inexpensive additive, so animals love to eat it. Dave sniffed around but didn't bother it too much, surprisingly.

new camera

2009-03-31T19:27:00.003-04:00

As an "early" birthday present (I celebrated with the family this weekend), Mike, my mom and his parents chipped in to get me a gorgeous new camera. I still have my old school Canon point and shoot, but now I have a bells and whistles Canon dSLR. Fancier pictures of Dave!!! Tomorrow, I turn the big 3-1! And Dave is alive and well, ready to celebrate with me! I don't have any pictures of him yet - surprise, surprise - but they'll be coming soon. The best birthday present of all is a happy, healthy pup who is snoring by my side while I write this!

a week off

2009-03-28T18:26:00.002-04:00

Mike and I are off this upcoming week. We don't have anything too exciting planned, just visiting with my family for my birthday and doing some things around the house. But that's good enough... With the rainy weather forecast this week, Dave will probably be ready for us to go back to work by Tuesday. He's doing well, active, playful and generally awesome. Hopefully we'll have some breaks in the rain to enjoy the beach while in Longport!

nsfw

2009-03-21T22:30:00.006-04:00

This picture is intended for mature audiences only. After getting ready for work the other day, I came into my bedroom to find Dave laying like this:

I love this dog. He makes me laugh, every day.

chillin

2009-03-11T22:19:00.002-04:00

Dave seems to be very happy with spring edging it's way in. He wants to go outside every half hour or so, which is par for the course. He's enjoyed a couple of days of open windows and short walks, in addition to perusing in the backyard. He's fine - active, eating, good (for him) lymph nodes and being his normal awesome self! The next milestone we have is my birthday, which is just three short weeks away. Here's for hoping...

healed!

2009-03-04T22:19:00.003-05:00

The limp is gone! Dave got his last pain pill on Saturday, and he's been fine. We had some visitors yesterday, and the extra excitement didn't seem to faze him at all. He's been playful and a bit of a nudge for treats. We bought a new couch back in December, and it arrived yesterday. We've been trying to keep Dave off of it, but it's difficult to break an eight year habit, as you can see!

March nor'easter

2009-03-02T18:33:00.003-05:00

March surely did come in like a lion! We have about ten or so inches of snow, I guess? Dave was not happy to be outside in the midst of it, but once the heavy stuff stopped, he did his high speed laps around the yard. He wore one of his Christmas gifts - a denim jacket/gray sweatshirt combo. He somehow managed to get the hood to cover his eyes, and ran into a few things before I could fix him up.

Obviously, he's feeling better. I spoke to the oncology vet again this morning, and she was happy to hear that he improved. She didn't think the lung sounds were significant, as he was stressed and his smooshy face contributes to louder sounds. She joked that he has nine lives, as things that appear to be serious turn out to be anything but. Shoulder injury... I took back my comment to him that it was okay to stop fighting.

update

2009-02-27T21:54:00.002-05:00

The oncologist called us back, and recommended that we take Dave to the vet on Saturday, as long as he didn't get worse through the night. When I called to make the appointment, I found out that they had late hours, so we were able to get him in. The vet we saw wasn't our usual regular vet. Dave's exam was good - his temperature, heart and stomach sounded/felt good. He said a few interesting things: that his lymph nodes were big, but that he'd felt worse, that he heard lung noises, which could be anything from excitement to an infection/pneumonia.

The good news? He thought that Dave hurt his shoulder. Upon examination, his front right leg was concerning.

I'll follow up with oncologists on Monday, and hope that it's a random leg injury in the meantime.

nervous

2009-02-27T18:07:00.002-05:00

We didn't come home to what we usually do today... Dave has a limp, but ate and gave us some kisses. He definitely doesn't seem to be himself. I have several calls into several vets, but we're going to monitor him for the night, unless he seems to be in pain or if the limp gets worse. I don't have a good feeling about all of this. I told him that it's okay to stop fighting.

happy half birthday!

2009-02-24T22:20:00.002-05:00

Dave is officially 9 1/2!! His half birthday was yesterday - we celebrated with new treats, new toys and a ride in Mike's new car. I'm so happy to reach yet another milestone... I remember how excited I was a year ago that Dave made it to 8 1/2.

Thanks to all for checking in! We've gotten 1,000 visitors in just over a year. I realize it's not much in the scheme of things, but it's nice to know people are thinking of us.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T20:54:00.005-05:00

Mike and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day. I have an aversion to made up holidays, where flower and dinner prices go up, and the quality goes down. However, that doesn't preclude me from forcing Dave to celebrate! Ha. He truly is Hot Stuff!!!!

looking back

2009-02-09T22:29:00.002-05:00

I'm still in disbelief that we've been doing this for over a year. It's nice to look back on the old posts, and know the outcome. It's Westminster time again, and it's once again time for the sad Pedigree commercials that get me. Every. Single. Time. It makes me want to volunteer at an animal shelter, but I know I couldn't do it without wanting to take everybody home. This coming from the social worker...

Dave is excellent - barely perceptible lymph nodes, lots of energy, big appetite and just a happy guy in general. In contrast to the snow of last week, we're taking advantage of the 60 degree February weather with walks on the beach!!

more snow

2009-02-04T13:55:00.003-05:00

almost the end of the month

2009-01-28T22:16:00.002-05:00

I can't believe January is almost over. Dave's lymph nodes change from time to time, but not necessarily for the worst. Yesterday, the right one under his jaw (aka submandibular) was barely perceptible. Friday marks the year anniversary of the blog as well as Dave's first chemo treatment. I wouldn't trade the emotional or financial investment of the last year, it was absolutely worth it.

celebration

2009-01-20T22:29:00.002-05:00

We had a get-together on Sunday to celebrate Mike's birthday and the Eagles' NFC title game. It was our first time having a lot of people around since Dave's gotten sick. It's strange to think about, but we've had a few friends over here and there, but for a year, nothing big. I've been aware that we haven't really been making plans too far in advance and have acknowledged that I don't want to spend too much time away from him, but writing that just now... Huh.

The Eagles lost (we're used to it), but Dave was the big winner. He was in rare form, with a few naughty moments, but I think he had a good time. He spent most of Monday resting, but is back to form today. Happily, Mike's birthday was much better than last year's - he still has a cancer dog, but the cancer dog has beaten the odds and is still plugging along.

one year, another milestone

2009-01-17T19:02:00.002-05:00

Dave has officially beat the statistics. He's been alive a year since we discovered his enlarged lymph nodes and took him to the vet. Considering that dogs that come out of remission don't get good prognoses, and that treating with Prednisone usually only lasts for a couple of months, we have gotten lucky to have had him with us for this long. Is it the trial vaccine kicking in, allowing him to live normally with enlarged lymph nodes? Probably, but as silly as it may sound, I think Dave is a bit of a fighter.

SNOW

2009-01-10T22:25:00.006-05:00

We had our third (minor) snowfall of the season today. Early this week, we were supposed to get 3 inches, then it was lessened to 1-3, then a trace to an inch. It snowed for about an hour and a half, which was enough time for us to take Dave on a walk and then come home and look out the window to comment on how nice it looked. I forgot my camera to capture Dave's first walk in the snow for 2009, so I made him go out to the patio to pose. He apparently had had enough, so Mike tried to get him to look at the camera and sit still. This shot, however, was not posed and turned out to be my favorite picture.

Go Eagles!

2009-01-09T09:37:00.002-05:00

I think Dave is excited about watching the Eagles make another run at the playoffs. Since adopting him in 2001, they've made the playoffs six times! He loves putting on his little Brian Dawkins jersey and sitting on the couch to watch the games. Really.

thanks!

2009-01-06T17:21:00.003-05:00

It's almost been a year since I started the blog, and over people have visited over 900 times! Thanks to everyone for checking in on us. I came home today to find another one of Dave's Christmas toys destroyed, and a happy, playful dog.

more milestones

2009-01-03T00:10:00.005-05:00

So, what are the biggies coming up? Hitting 2009 was the first. The next two come in quick succession - January 16th and January 19th. January 16th marks year since taking Dave to the vet, suspecting/knowing that he had something bad going on with his lymph nodes. January 19th is Mike's 31st birthday, also a year and a day after getting the cancer dx confirmed. It's only 16 days away. Dave is still great, and the lymph nodes, while they change a bit through the day/week, are generally soft and sometimes difficult to find.

If (when, hopefully) Dave makes it to January 19th, it's a bigger milestone than just reaching Mike's birthday. One year since diagnosis means that he exceeded the "average" prognosis for LSA. He already beat the odds he was given at Penn Vet in September, and is going over three months strong. Read any canine LSA factsheet, FAQ, etc., and it says that most dogs live a year from diagnosis. Anything after the 19th would be just fabulous and exceeding all expectations.

(edited for clarity since the blog shouldn't be updated late and after a couple glasses of wine)

Happy 2009!!

2009-01-01T12:36:00.002-05:00

It's the new year... we weren't home with Dave to ring in 2009, but I don't think he minded. The funny thing today is that he seems to be having a rougher day than Mike and I. We're having a lazy day, enjoying coffee on the couch while alternating between the Mummers and Rose parades.

Dave hates Sarah McLachlan

2008-12-29T22:18:00.005-05:00

We have Verizion Fios HD. Over the last week or so I've learned that the ASPCA is a major advertiser on most of the "cable" HD channels (Food Network, Nat Geo, Green Network). That damn "In the Arms of an Angel" commercial makes me cry. Every.damn.time. It doesn't help that's it's an especially long commercial - I pause the TV, and try going back to live TV, and it's still on. Changing the channel seems to be the key. I guess it's not really hate, because she's doing good things with the commercials, but they're hard to watch when they're in the hourly rotation.

In honor of the sadness of the commercial, here's Dave's rescue story, which some of you may know, some may not.

I rented my first post-college apartment in 2001. After a couple of weeks alone, I decided I wanted a dog. There was a show on Animal Planet that featured a Boston named Daisy, and I became obsessed with these "ugly," yet incredibly cute, dogs. I searched petfinder.org for months prior to the move, hoping that I'd find an apartment that allowed dogs and then find a perfect dog to adopt. I didn't know much about dogs or breed rescue, but, in classic Abbie tradition, I bought a Dogs for Dummies book and an adoption book that gave me some general knowledge. After moving, found an all breed rescue group, Animal Rescue and Referral, that had a Boston. The woman I spoke with said that "Axel" was still with his family, but they had surrendered him and were willing to keep him until a new family was found. She said someone was looking at him that day, but would put me down as a backup. She tried telling me about a couple of other dogs they had, but I had my heart set on a dog whose picture wasn't on the site.

A few days later, she called to tell me that they had several people go to look at Axel, and none of them wanted him. She said that he was hyper, but the family reported he was trained. I called a friend because Mike wasn't available for the drive to Levittown, and off we went. We were greeted by a skinny, jumpy dog that promptly peed at our feet. But he was damn cute. So, off we went, along with his crate. We got him home, and he didn't want to go to the bathroom outside. So up we went, where he again peed.

Mike arrived at home, took one look at him and says "he's big. Bigger than I thought he'd be." To which Dave responded by pooping. The rest of the weekend followed that theme, with the exception of nighttime, where he whined in his crate (he was supposedly crate-trained mind you). We reluctantly allowed him into bed at 3 am on night two, when any doubts we had disappeared. We were in love.

The ARR lady was due to visit in a couple of days to do a home check, but had family issues that prevented her from coming. She finally made it in two weeks, and was overjoyed to see how happy we all were. We asked about changing the name, and she thought it was fine, considering his past. And Dave it was. No reason, really, we just think people names for dogs are funny.

After four months, Dave finally learned that walks (and not the crate) were for going to the bathroom and marginally passed obediance school. Prior to living with the other family, Dave was in a pet store, meaning he likely was from a puppy mill. We love our puppy mill, rescued, not breed standard yet still purebred Boston. And I think the feeling's mutual.

Aaaaaand, in the time it took me to write this post, the damn commercial came on again!!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T17:47:00.005-05:00

I am so thankful that Dave was alive and well to spend Christmas with us. He had a full couple of days, including driving down to my mom's late on Christmas Eve, walks with grammom, running around the kitchen while Mike and I prepared Christmas dinner. He got a lot of new toys (that he promptly destroyed), a new jacket and a gift certificate to his favorite store for more treats and toys.

Dave hit another milestone, and next week - 2009 - should be another!! That's 11 and a half months since diagnosis, which is amazing considering how bad it was at diagnosis and the quick recurrance. My brother, who hasn't seen Dave for a while, was really surprised at how well he's doing. Dave is recovering from the excitement today, but is more energetic than I thought he'd be. Good stuff.

still fine

2008-12-21T23:05:00.004-05:00

Dave is good. He got through our busy weekend of a late Saturday night and even more cleaning and decorating just fine. He is definitely a creature of habit, but wasn't too fazed by the various goings-on. I'm calling the vet tomorrow to let her know that, oops, I was a little paranoid/jumpy on the impending death phone call, and that, at this point, we're not giving him extra pred.

Could something still happen between now and when they're back in the office? Of course, even though that would be very, very upsetting for us. Hopefully it won't. And hopefully Dave will continue to hit these mini-milestones (getting past weddings, Thanksgiving, a weekend away and Christmas). The lymph nodes are there, but only noticable when giving Dave a good petting. He was on point today, enjoying the sunny but cold weather outside and sniffing around the kitchen during Christmas cookie baking.

busy time

2008-12-19T21:46:00.002-05:00

Between work parties and buying presents and decorating, I've had little time to update. Dave is happy, sitting next to me on the couch, head on my knee. A few days ago, I called his oncologist because I was a little concerned. For a few days, I noticed him breathing funny and seeming uncomfortable - just not acting like himself. Mike disagreed with me, although we both thought his lymph nodes were bigger, if still soft. When I talked to her, she said that it was possible that things were going in the direction we don't want them to, and that we could increase his Pred to 12.5 mg twice a day. I got home from work and found him back to normal. The breathing and discomfort weren't there, and he was fine.

I was really relieved... especially since the oncology vets will be out of the office from the 23rd to January 5th. Not that things can't get worse during that period of time, but the longer we put off the inevitable while having a normal, active, happy pup (and not giving him extra meds) is great. I know the Christmas day excitement will take a bit out of him, but I'm hoping for a quick return to form.

It's December

2008-12-08T22:46:00.002-05:00

And Dave is still a-okay. He's currently relaxing, legs hanging out, on two snugglebeds, as we were getting the living room ready for the Christmas tree to come in. A snuggle sandwich, garnished with a bit of Dave, is making me laugh!

His weekend was somewhat unusual as Mike and I had to stay overnight for a wedding, so he stayed with Mike's parents. They have more space and stairs, both make him happy. Then, when we were home, we were running around. It seems like he is enjoying his quiet time.

His lymph nodes are still palpable, but small and fairly soft. He's eating and active, and we've noticed no significant changes since getting the second cancer diagnosis in September. I'll probably be contacting his oncologists again, just to touch base prior to Christmas.

so fresh and so clean

2008-11-29T18:21:00.001-05:00

Bathtime!

long weekend

2008-11-29T10:50:00.002-05:00

But not in a bad way! We travelled down to Longport to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, where Dave got lots of well-wishes and even some prayers. Imagine that! He enjoyed his numerous walks with grammom, including a brief jaunt to the beach. The salt air seems to have a calming effect on him - his respiratory noises were barely noticable. The visits (maybe the car rides) always seem to leave him a bit tired, taking him a couple days to recover. Today he's taking advantage of the slightly warmer temperature... he almost caught a squirrel outside.

a good two months

2008-11-23T10:31:00.007-05:00

It certainly has been an interesting couple of months. Initially, my emotions were all over the place: sadness that the cancer was back, anger at how quickly it came back, fear of what was to come, and, a recurring theme over the last ten months, guilt over all of these feelings about a dog. But the thing that this time has given me is the ability to accept all of them as much as I can and enjoy Dave as much as I can. Cliche, I know, but it's the truth.

I'm not living with a sick dog. He's actually better now than he was the last month or so of chemo. The fear mentioned above made me worry if I'd come home and find that he was sick, or that he wouldn't have the energy to be his normal crazy self. That hasn't been true so far.

I don't know what the next few months, or weeks, will bring. I'm excited about the possibility that it could be longer. As educated and wonderful as his doctor's are, they were shocked about how well he was doing. It doesn't seem like they've had a dog who went throught the vaccine trial and then took prednisone do this well. He's now lived longer than his initial prognosis, as well as the secondary prognosis after he came out of remission, which, for us, is a very, very good thing.

almost...

2008-11-18T20:58:00.003-05:00

Saturday is Dave's two month mark. Two months from confirming that he's out of remission, and his prognosis at that time. Happily, tonight, he's fine and seems content to be sleeping on Mike's lap on the couch. Thanks to Toni and Andrew, who may be Dave's favorite couple (not related to us, of course), I'm sitting on the couch next to them on the new laptop! Dave was checking it out, too.

800 visitors!

2008-11-15T09:21:00.002-05:00

Wow! I know that it's not 800 separate people, and many of them are me writing updates, but thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to come here and check up on Dave. Dave is fine, as happy as can be, and we are, too. Even the snoring at night has improved!! Anyone who knows me knows that if I can get a good night's sleep, I'm happy.

good Monday!

2008-11-10T10:38:00.002-05:00

I dropped Dave off at Penn at 7:30 this morning, figuring I'd take a long lunch when he was done. However, about 20 minutes after arriving at work, his doctor called, saying he was ready to come home. Considering his stress level last time, I took an early, long lunch to go get him. We received good news: the cancer hasn't advanced as far as they can tell. His chest x-ray looked fine - all of the concerning spots are gone, confirming the pnuemonia diagnosis and no evidence of cancer. His doctor repeatedly said how great his lymph nodes felt and that they were "amazed" with the non-progression of his lymphoma. The best news: she said they think he'll have a few more months! Nothing is certain, of course, but considering the original out-of-remission prognosis, I'm very, very happy with that!

changed appointment

2008-11-09T10:42:00.003-05:00

Midday Friday, one of the oncology nurses called to ask to change our appointment. Our Tuesday AM appointment was convenient - Mike and I are both off for Veteran's Day, and we were planning on heading to Center City to do some walking and window shopping. Tuesday is one of the chemo days in the department, and apparently they have several new patients scheduled as well. I asked if we could go in on Wednesday, as that's Mike's day off this week. No, they don't see patients Wednesday.

I'm dropping him off at 7:30 tomorrow, which I don't like because it means an hour and a half or so extra in his run that stresses him out. From University City, I'll go into work early and will ask my boss for a long lunch to pick him up later in the day, to try to reduce the potential stress time. Hopefully she understands...

Dave's regular breathing is a little heavier than normal today. That fall right in line with his last few appointments, and makes me worry what effect the stress will have tomorrow.

tgif

2008-11-07T08:04:00.004-05:00

When I spoke with Dave's onocologist this week, we discussed his medication protocol. Due to the possibility of pneumonia, he'd been taking Clavamox, an antibiotic for the past six weeks. He received his last dose on Wednesday, and his breathing seems better. He's not snoring as much and his congestion sounds improved. This seems a little counterintuitive, but I'm happy with the outcome. The chest x-ray on Tuesday hopefully will shed some light about what's going on.

It's been beauty treatment week for him, too! He hates getting his nails cut, but they needed to be done. Today is bath day, which is another unpopular grooming ritual as far as Dave is concerned. I think some other animals have been in our backyard, which is great for Dave's curious nose, but bad when he decides to roll in the smell.

happy anniversary!

2008-11-04T21:38:00.004-05:00

Mike and I have been married for two years, wow... We're happy to celebrate with Dave.

Since we reached the six week mark, I called his doctor today, and we're going to bring him in for a check up next week. We've been noticing a little more wheeziness, but he's active and alert. She was thrilled to hear that he's still doing well, and I'm sure all of the staff will be looking forward to listening to him bark in his run all day. :)

November

2008-11-02T12:48:00.003-05:00

Happily, there's nothing new to report on Dave. He's destroying his toys, enjoying the nicer fall weather and had fun dressed up on Halloween. Most of the ten or so trick-or-treaters that came by loved his Busy Bee costume.

Today is six weeks out of remission, and Tuesday is another 'milestone' that he'll get to celebrate with us - our two year anniversary! He's excited.

nine months

2008-10-30T08:15:00.003-04:00

Today is exactly nine months from Dave's first chemo treatment. His discharge paperwork said that he'd come out of remission about four months after a full course of chemo, which lasted five months. In reality, it was less than three months, and that didn't include the hope of the vaccine trial. Throughout the entire time, I had in my head "nine months, nine months." Nine months is here, and he's still with us, doing well and not seeming sick at all, and that makes me a happy person.

And, he got to see the Phillies win the World Series! Now that is exciting!

100 posts!!

2008-10-28T20:28:00.008-04:00

And why not something fun? Pictures of Dave's toys from Aunt Tina, and of him making quick work of a couple of them.

That's a rubber cat on the left, with no ears or tail, and a weiner dog in a bun in his mouth.

Dave's still quite fine, and we're quite happy with that right now.

no more rushed posts

2008-10-27T07:44:00.002-04:00

Dave was fine all week. More than fine, actually, he was great. He took long walks, chased small animals in our backyard and tore up some new toys. Aunt Tina gave us a large bag of toys last weekend. I took pictures prior to, and during the destruction of some of them, and will get them posted here later this week. I came back from the weekend at grammom's a little congested, so maybe he was having the same issues. Regardless, Dave is wonderful. Mike's parents saw him this week, and are amazed at how well he's doing after the estimate the vet gave us when he came out of remission (2 weeks to 2 months). Today marks five weeks. It's good and bad. I love that he's still our dog and completely himself. However, there are moments when we get upset looking at him; he doesn't know what's coming, but we do, and when we let that creep into our thoughts, it's difficult.

We still have him on the antibiotic for pneumonia, along with his eye meds and prednisone. The spacing out of the pills requires him to get three peanut butter and/or cream cheese dollops a day, which is fine by him.

hmmm

2008-10-19T18:34:00.002-04:00

Things don't seem quite right tonight. Dave seemed well all weekend, including in the morning, but this evening he seems slightly uncomfortable. He's breathing a little heavier than usual, and his lymph nodes are more noticable than they have been. They're still soft, but more palpable. He ate, however, which is a good thing. At least for tonight.

more items checked off!

2008-10-18T15:14:00.004-04:00

We're at grammom's house, so Dave will get to go to the beach. He also had a visitor last night who he tried to get frisky with - thanks Christen! He seemed to enjoy the extra attention! He's hanging in there with no noticable change.

update

2008-10-13T21:48:00.004-04:00

Dave is doing well - he's active, and is eating and playing like nothing is wrong. We're giving him 15 mg of prednisone, and it seems to be keeping the lymph nodes small and symptoms at bay. I spoke with the doctor yesterday (I love that she called on a Sunday, btw), and asked what to expect. She said that generally there is a pretty quick onset of symptoms, and that the lymph node usually get larger as that's happening. I suppose that it's good that we have something to look out for, especially since the days seem pretty normal right now.

bucket list #4

2008-10-12T08:29:00.015-04:00

Cooper River Park is one of Dave's favorite parks (pictures taken by a cell phone camera, so they're not that clear).

The park has a large walking trail and several smaller ones. We stuck with a smaller one with some criss-crosses through the grass so Dave could pick up on all of the delicious smells. The first time around the loop, he just sniffed the traces of the geese. Dave was a little unsure of wading in. He won't go in the ocean, but used to love swimming in pools. After taking everything in for about a minute, he happily went in!

He didn't smell very good after his dip in the lake, but that didn't matter! He was happy and we were happy. He's still very much himself.

Dave's bucket list

2008-10-09T17:45:00.002-04:00

I decided a few days ago that Dave needed a bucket list (i.e., things to do before he kicks the bucket). We started it before I had this genious idea, but it looks a little like this:

1. lots of treats (he hadn't been getting a lot throughout his treatment)
2. ice cream
3. go to the park and chase geese
4. lots of walks (not much different than usual, but why change status quo)
5. table scraps (he's NEVER been fed table scraps, and we're still only giving him the good stuff, like chicken and veggies vs. crap)
6. stuffed toys to destroy
7. trip to the beach

We've hit every one but the beach trip, and I hope to get him there next weekend for grammom's birthday. Any other suggestions?

October

2008-10-04T15:59:00.006-04:00

Thursday night was not a good one - Dave was up for several hours, with vomiting and diarrhea. I contacted the oncology department on Friday, seeing as things tend to get worse on weekends, when our regular vets/nurses are not available. The vet I spoke with recommended we start prednisone. She posited that the stomach issues were symptoms of the lymphoma because he'd been on anti-diarrheal medication since Tuesday. We're continuing with chicken and rice since any small introduction to the kibble makes it worse. I was pretty upset, as he'd been well otherwise; I didn't want to hear that the lymphoma is already symptommatic. However, Friday night, when I got home from work he was fine, and he had an uneventful sleep last night. Today he's been whining to go outside, which is definitely status quo on a beautiful day.

I don't know if Dave will make it to Halloween. After watching "Best in Show" many, many times, I always joke to Mike that Dave needs a busy bee costume. Thanks to Target's great pet section, he got one today! He looks too cute in it, and tolerated it much better than I thought he would. Here's a little video - please note that the chair he jumps on is strictly his chair, and not representative of our home furnishings.

more time

2008-09-30T16:45:00.002-04:00

Dave had a chest x-ray this week, which showed improvement in his lungs. We're going to continue the antibiotic for a week, and then start the prednisone. He is still very active, very happy and very much Dave. They want to see him back at Penn in two weeks for another x-ray, and as long as he's still doing well, we'll bring him in. And, from what they're telling us as far as future visits, meds, etc., it sounds like he'll be okay for the next few weeks. Will we? Who knows? But the day-to-day has gotten easier. We get sad when we look at him playing, or jumping up and streching on us, among many other things, but most of the time it stays in the back of our minds.

huh

2008-09-24T20:53:00.002-04:00

Well, I'm posting earlier than I thought I would. Dave's still Dave. No signs whatsoever of being sick. I'm doing my best to enjoy this time, but when I look at him running around with his squeaky octopus, or wagging his crooked tail when I come home, I can't help but cry. But most of the time, I'm putting on a good face and trying to be happy that he's okay for now.

We told the oncologist that we're definitely not doing the rescue protocol, and we're going for a chest x-ray next week to ensure that his lungs look better (hoping it's pneumonia). Once we find out what's going on in his lungs, we'll know what to do about the prednisone. If his lungs look better, and I'm hoping they do, since he isn't having breathing issues, and his coughing has improved, we can start. If they still look bad, they'll do a "wash" where they test whatever's in his lung for pneumonia. If it's negative, he can start the pred. If not, he'll have to try a different antibiotic, because the pred will lower his immune system, and with pneumonia, that's not a good thing.

Mike and I are doing pretty good, considering how important Dave is to us.

we tried

2008-09-22T18:12:00.004-04:00

We didn't get good news today. Dave is out of remission. His lymph nodes felt concerning during his physical, and the aspiration showed that the cancer is back. They only did a chest x-ray, and that showed an abnormality as well. The vet said it could be either pneumonia or cancer, and we're treating with antibiotics. She couldn't say for sure, but said that with the breathing episodes starting in August, she would think that the cancer would have spread much more quickly. So we're hoping that the antibiotics work, and Dave will have some relief.

We have the option of doing a rescue protocol, which is 4-6 months of chemo, followed by every other week chemo, but at this point, we're not doing that. We talked about it months ago, and don't think that will change. We'll probably just treat with prednisone, which will delay the inevitable and provide some symptommatic relief. We're going to give it a couple days, and then finalize our decision.

I'm grateful for the last eight months. I'm sad and angry that we didn't even get the initial nine months that were estimated at diagnosis. Dave's still himself, for now, and I'm grateful for that. I don't know how long we'll have with him, but we're going to enjoy every minute.

I don't know how much I'll be updating, or when, but I'm making no promises. Thanks for the support...

another big day

2008-09-22T07:44:00.003-04:00

What a weekend! Dave took a little trip to the emergency vet on Sunday morning. And by Sunday morning, I mean 3 am. His breathing issues returned. Because it was the third time and he seemed to be having some discomfort, we decided to take him, hoping that seeing it while it happened would allow the vets to give us insight. One thing that seems to help, however, is Dave getting up and moving around, so by the time we got to Penn, it had improved somewhat. They reported that his pulse-ox was good (98!), and while they did observe that rapid breathing, they couldn't diagnose it. They recommended a chest x-ray, which he's getting today (pre-planned). It could be anything from bronchitis, brachycephalic disease (smooshed face) or that the cancer has spread. I'm concerned, obviously.

Later in the day Sunday, we went to the Oncology Department's client appreciation party. I had mixed feelings on going, as it would be great to talk to other owners in the same situation, but not so great to talk to owners who had lost their pets. They had a slideshow of pictures from treatment days, a nice lunch and meet and greet with staff, most of whom we know. While eating, we spoke to a gentleman whose dog also had lymphoma. "Barney" was in the clinical trial as well, and has been in remission for two years!!! I immediately started crying when he told me that. He was so nice to talk to, adding a little bit hope after the scare I had in relation to the breathing. There were tours of the hospital, but we had to leave before getting to see it.

Today, Dave is being restaged, which includes the aforementioned chest x-ray, lymph node and bone marrow aspiration, bloodwork and an abdominal ultrasound.

whiskers

2008-09-14T21:25:00.003-04:00

It's official - Dave's whiskers are growing back. He has a couple coming in on his chin, and one on each jowl. They are thin, short and don't resemble his old whiskers, but they're there!! I tried to get a picture, but my point and click doesn't cooperate with me zooming in that close.

Mike and I visited the Headhouse Square Farmer's Market in Philly today. Aside from having a fabulous selection of organic produce, heirloom tomatoes and other delicious offerings, they had a vendor who makes her own dog treats. Our 'home' market, Collingswood, also has one, but she doesn't have low/no grain options. Not only did we bring home salmon and flax seed treats for Dave, but we also met the proprietor's Boston, Gertrude. She was adorable, and probably the calmest BT I've ever met.

Dave's staging is going to be next Monday - fingers crossed for more good news!

weekly update

2008-09-12T08:08:00.003-04:00

Dave's had another great week! There aren't any problems to report, and he's had few nice walks in the cooler weather. He's had some visitors in the past week, and spent some time with Mike's dad when the tropical storm rolled through last weekend. It's a pretty good time to be him, I think!

more good news

2008-09-05T20:10:00.003-04:00

Dave's checkup today went well. He was done in record time - about 45 minutes! Unfortunately, we didn't wait for him. I think they're sick of the barking when he's in his run. He has a distinctive, high pitched bark, but only uses it when he's in a crate or cage. Since he's spoiled, that's not often.

He goes back in three weeks for another staging, and pending those results, he'll go back for monthly checkups.

He's doing great, but Wednesday night, he had another breathing/vomiting episode (I wrote about it in my August 12th post). It was the exact same thing - he was fine when we went to bed, we woke up to him vomiting and then he had breathing issues. The only connection between the two nights is that we cooked with hot peppers both times. He had no immediate reaction, however, and I would think that if he got a piece of pepper, he'd be drinking a lot, panting and/or licking. The good thing is that both mornings after, it improved, and that now he's A-okay.

almost fall!

2008-09-03T20:37:00.002-04:00

I'm so surprised by this weather - who would have thought that it'd be 90 degrees in September after a cool and comfortable August?? I'm looking forward to the cooler weather, football and long walks with Dave.

We have a check up on Friday. Dave will get a physical and bloodwork, and hopefully we'll leave with a positive report. According to the info they gave us in June, he should be scheduled for another staging towards the end of the month. He's still looking good and seemingly feeling good.

600 visitors and more birthday

2008-08-31T21:31:00.006-04:00

It's amazing to think I've been blogging Dave's life for seven months. Thanks to everyone for continually coming here to check on Dave's status. I know that some people, including myself at times, can't imagine all of this thought, concern, time and caring about a dog, but I truly appreciate the comments and emails. I think that Dave does, too.

Just like me, Dave enjoys stretching his birthday celebration out as long as possible. While visiting grammom, Aunt Tina brought Dave two presents today! He got a chewy football rope that should last about ten minutes; his favorite kind of toy - destructable. Also, an interlocking ring toy that appears more sturdy. He's wiped out from the weekend, but should have a good time playing with them tomorrow night. Dave loves his aunt Tina!!

great week

2008-08-30T19:11:00.002-04:00

It feels like we have a new dog in the house. I was resigned to the fact that Dave was not going to be the same dog that he was pre-chemo. The last week has been amazing - he's back to himself completely! No spitting up, much more energy and he's sleeping in bed with us again every night. I'm enjoying every minute of it.

I've been having pangs of guilt all week, though. We ran out of Dave's wet food, and didn't get to the store. We had dry food, so we fed that for two days. We saw a turnaround immediately. He's been getting it for a week now, and none of the symptoms have returned. Even his "allergies," the itching, eye discharge and sneezing are gone. I feel like such a bad owner. But I was following the advice of the holistic vet to feed him wet, "cold" food rather than the dry, "hot" food. It's all grain-free, meat only, but the cold/hot made the difference. I'm glad I know that this is good for him and that he reacts well to it.

birthday time!

2008-08-24T21:46:00.009-04:00

We're already counting down the days until birthday number 10! Okay, maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves, but Dave has had a fabulous few days.

Some pictures from the Dave birthday extravaganza!

Eating out of the new bowl set. The raised "table" should help Dave with digestion (and hopefully stop him from spitting up when excited):

And yet, through it all, he does it his way :

Dog food makes for a dirty floor. It's clean now, I promise.

"Ice cream" time! It's really more of a sorbet, with fruits and other healthy, no-added-sugar ingredients:

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY!!

2008-08-23T10:54:00.002-04:00

It's official, Dave made it to age nine!! We're so happy to reach this little milestone.

nine time

2008-08-22T18:34:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is an exciting day! Dave will be nine years old. I remember writing the 'half-birthday' post six months ago, and how nervous I was that tomorrow wouldn't be a reason to celebrate.

Dave has been having some stomach issues, so we might not be able to celebrate with filet and ice cream (doggie approved) as planned. His gift is supposed to arrive tomorrow, so if FedEx cooperates, pics will be up soon.

woo hoo!!!

2008-08-18T17:13:00.002-04:00

Dave's visit went well! His weight is up slightly, the bloodwork was good and his lymph nodes are normal! I'm so relieved. We spoke with one of our favorite nurses (Dave's too, I think), and she remarked how great he's doing. Regarding any change in his lymph nodes, she said that it would be a noticable change (her words were "oh sh!t change"), and that it wouldn't be a gradual thing. I don't know why exactly, but that put me at ease. He goes back in three weeks for bloodwork.

final vaccine

2008-08-17T22:53:00.002-04:00

Dave goes for his final vaccine tomorrow! I'm flexing my time at work in hopes that I'll be able to speak to the doctors to find out what to look out for and what the future looks like.

Dave woke up today with tons of energy - running around the house, jumping on and off of the furniture and being crazy. He's pooped now, after a long day of walks, sniffing outside and a little bit of ice cream. Nom nom nom. He loves his doggy ice cream!

vet call

2008-08-12T18:07:00.002-04:00

I had to call the vet today. Dave was breathing funny last night. I wouldn't consider it labored, but definitely a little heavier than usual. He also threw up a few times last night. I'm hoping that it's due to the windows being open and his allergies. However, when I talked to the vet, she asked me to keep an eye on his lymph nodes and call if I notice any change. I'm nervous... They still feel the same to me. I don't quite know exactly what I'm looking for, but, if it's what I think I'm (barely) feeling, they seem okay.

suitcase

2008-08-11T17:57:00.002-04:00

This is a cell phone picture from about a week ago. We were a little lazy in putting our suitcase away after our last visit to my mom. Dave decided it made a lovely new snuggle bed.

storms and not much else

2008-08-11T08:11:00.003-04:00

I suppose it's a good thing that there isn't a lot changing here on Dave's blog. He's still doing well - a little less itchy, still more tired than he used to be, but otherwise he's good! He's growing his hair back and still has a great appetite!

We've been getting him out for walks when we can to try to help give him a burst of energy, but the weather has been crazy lately. We've had some pretty bad storms this week, and he's acquired a fear of thunder. He demonstrates the fear by curling up on my lap, which I don't mind at all!

The third and final round of the vaccine is scheduled for next Monday. I know partially what to expect from what they've told us in the past, but I'm excited/nervous/scared for what's going to happen in the upcoming months.

the limp

2008-07-29T20:41:00.005-04:00

Here's a video I shot yesterday of Dave's limping. We cleaned and wrapped his foot last night, so, of course, he promptly took off the bandage. Dave loves sticks of all sort, which you'll see in the video. Happily for him, Sunday's wind and hail storm blew down several large limbs and smaller sticks.

Also, I realize that our yard looks terrible on the video. We take pride in the small property we own, so this year we went organic in our lawn and garden maintenance due to Dave. Everything we've read says that the grass needs time to adjust to not having the chemicals to make it a vibrant green color. Anyway, ignore the patchy grass and enjoy a dog frolicking with his stick.

vaccine round 2

2008-07-28T19:09:00.002-04:00

Dave went for his second vaccine today. His bloodwork and physical exam were good, so he received the vaccine. His weight is up to just over 28 pounds, which we suspected when his ribs and spine began to appear a lot less noticable. As long as we don't have problems between now and then, he'll get his third and final vaccine on August 18th.

He saw the opthalmologist, who said that his eye pressure was normal. They suspect that some of the rubbing and discharge is related to his allergies. We had the option of having him see the dermatologist, but we declined. The vet that saw him today checked for mites or infection that could be causing the itching and redness, and concurred that he has seasonal allergies. She gave us a strict Benadryl dosing regimen - 25 mg, up to four times a day. We're going to start him on it tomorrow, three times a day to see how he reacts.

It's always something... I want him to have relief and not scratch and lick, but I also want to have an alert (or relatively so) dog. If the Benadryl doesn't help, we'll go with the derm consult. He has a raw spot on his back paw from licking and biting it, which apparently is tender when he walks. We're treating it with neosporin and covering it when he's outside. It makes him hop around, which gives us a little amusement.

The vet said several times how well he's doing, which was nice to hear. Hopefully that will continue!

another decent week

2008-07-25T07:54:00.002-04:00

Dave definitely seemed to feel better this week. The itching, spitting up and general malaise all decreased, but he's still snoring quite loudly at night. I have to start posting more pictures to eliminate the walls of text I keep writing.

Monday is his second vaccine, so he'll have a complete check up with CBC then. Mike still thinks I'm crazy in regards to feeling the lymph nodes, but they appear smaller now. Maybe Dave just had a summer bug?

decent week

2008-07-18T12:07:00.002-04:00

Things are pretty much status quo... Dave's still patchy - he's losing hair around his "armpits" and on his head. He's itching a little bit less, however. Maybe it will start to grow back a bit? He had a couple of instances of excited-type spit up, and had one day where he looked like he didn't feel good. I'm pretty happy with him overall at this point, and am hoping that next Monday's appointment for the vaccine goes well.

I've taken to feeling the lymph nodes in Dave's neck, which Mike hates. Do I feel a difference? Some days I feel like I do, others I don't, so it's probably just in my head. Mike feels that if Dave does come out of remission, catching it early vs. late may not make a difference in our plans.

500 visitors

2008-07-11T07:59:00.002-04:00

Thanks again to everyone for coming to check up on Dave!

He's still itching, but it seems to be getting somewhat better. I hope he can get some relief soon. Mike and I have joked in the past year or so that Dave is our little old man, and it's becoming more and more apparent - I think the chemo really aged him. His energy level is still lower than I'd like to see, and he still has no whiskers and is losing patches of hair from itching. He will turn nine next month... I know that's old in 'dog years,' but prior to this all happening, he didn't seem old.

itchy

2008-07-09T08:06:00.002-04:00

Dave's been very itchy the last few weeks, but it's gotten pretty bad since the weekend. The nurse we talked to this week said that the chemo/lower immune system response could cause allergies he previously had to be worse, so I guess that's whats happening. There's definitely no swelling of the face (nor anything else we should be looking out for) from the vaccine. He's itching so much that he's losing little patches of hair, which is new. He used to itch himself raw - I don't know what I'd prefer. We gave him benadryl this morning, and it already seems to be working.

vaccine round 1

2008-07-07T18:16:00.005-04:00

Dave received his vaccine today. It was a relatively short visit, he went in at noon and was done by 2:30. He had a normal physical exam and normal bloodwork, but lost a little more weight, about a quarter of a pound. Then he got two shots - one on the right hip/butt area that was the vaccine, and one on the left that was a control. The vet said that there aren't too many side effects, since it's created using his blood and lymph node, but we'll be on the look out for a puffy face, itching and swelling of the injection sites. They really do prepare it that morning - they called to make sure we were coming, and said that the researcher walks it to them as soon as it's ready. Amazing...

We go back on July 28th for round 2.

vaccine

2008-07-05T13:33:00.003-04:00

Dave gets his first vaccine on Monday. The process sounds pretty interesting. He'll go in around noon, and they'll do some bloodwork. Assuming it's normal, he'll get the vaccine. Apparently, it won't be finished and ready until that day; the vet went as far to say that he needed an afternoon appointment so it will be as fresh as possible. Being a social worker, the preparation of vaccines is not something I'm familiar with, so I'm a bit amazed with all of this.

Although I have it in the links section, here is the link to Penn's trial page. They initially explained that they hope to be able to use this a treatment for animals and people one day. This article, from November, goes into a bit more detail. The day I took Dave to the vet for his initial diagnosis, there was a story on ABC's World News Tonight about the dog in the article. Like Dave, she was diagnosed with the most advanced stage of lymphoma.

Dave still looks skinny to me, so I'll be curious to find out his weight. We've increased his food, hoping to put a few pounds back on him. He lost three pounds during the course of chemo; it may not be a lot, but it was 10% of his weight, and he definitely looks too thin.

no return possum

2008-07-02T22:43:00.003-04:00

The possum hasn't found his way back, at least as far as I know. From what I've read on the oh-so-reliable internet, possums usually aren't rabid, and I don't think Dave had any contact with him. I hope to keep it that way.

Thanks to everyone who is keeping up on the blog! There was a jump in visitors today, which is always a nice thing...

happy july!

2008-07-01T22:51:00.003-04:00

Dave's energy level has definitely picked up over the last two days. Hooray for that!

We had an adventure today. It was Mike's day off, so while I was doing my normal morning routine, about 7:30 am, he comes in and tells me there's a baby possum in our recycling can. Ew. I'm not a possum fan - I saw one crossing the road once, with it's little babies hanging on, six pairs of eyes staring at me, and I'm scarred for life. The stupid thing is curled up, on top of our bottles and cans, sleeping. So we called animal control for our county, and the number was disconnected. Next, I tried the police non-emergency number, and was told that they would call animal control.

Mike waited and waited, to no avail. Somehow, he found an alternate number and called them around eleven. This was the conversation:
Animal Control: "we don't come out for that."
Mike: "so, what should I do? Is there someone who does?"
AC: "tip the can over and let it out."
Mike: "I have a dog, it might have rabies, and I don't want it running around my yard."
AC: "wait until night. They're nocturnal."
Mike: "no thanks."

Seriously??? That's the best they can do? Mike walked the recycling can down to the park and let it go there. Hopefully it won't find it's way back...

Longport time

2008-06-28T15:27:00.003-04:00

Dave loves visiting his grammom! He finds her couch and windows far superior to the ones at home. I think he enjoys the salt air and different smells, too. I got a little burnt today, so we're having quiet time now.

His energy level has surprised me the past few days - he's not quite back to himself. I'm hoping that after we put a little weight back on him and a little more non-chemo time, we'll see a change. He's not lethargic, but seems to have fewer bursts of energy. He'll be nine in August, so maybe he's just turning into an old man.

I made his vaccination appointment for Monday, July 7th, at 12. There's some initial testing they need do to first (just bloodwork, I think?) and then he'll get the vaccine. I'm thinking of taking the day off, since it coincides so well with the 4th of July falling on a Friday.

celebration time

2008-06-26T21:26:00.007-04:00

I know we might be getting ahead of ourselves, but we had to celebrate the good news, regardless of what may come in the future. We decided to have the ice cream on the patio, which turned out to be an excellent idea, as we were left with a sticky dog.

REMISSION!!!!

2008-06-25T18:00:00.003-04:00

It's official! Dave's bone marrow was clean, and he is in remission.

He seems quite pleased with himself. I think he's getting ice cream tonight to celebrate...

waiting

2008-06-24T17:38:00.002-04:00

We have to wait until tomorrow, but we're waiting with the hope that it will be good news. Dave was there for eight hours, and they reported that he was a very good boy. His eye is looking good, and he will continue to see the opthalmologist, but doesn't need to go back for two months.

His ultrasound, blood work and xray were fine - no cancer! His lymph nodes are so small, they were unable to aspirate any of them. We're waiting on the results of his bone marrow aspiration. The head of oncology saw Dave today, and said that it would be very unusual for such good results elsewhere to have bad results of the bone marrow. Regardless, I'll be holding my breath until I speak with her tomorrow.

Assuming that the bone marrow is clear, Dave will be in complete remission and he'll officially begin the trial by getting his first vaccine on July 7th. He'll get it again on the 28th and August 18th. He'll be seen for a physical exam monthly and get a full restaging every three months. If he does well for a bit of time, they'll extend his exam time to every two months. A little sign of hope came this morning in the form of another dog in the waiting room. The nurse told Mike that he was there for his two year "anniversary" check up. I can only hope...

BIG day tomorrow

2008-06-23T08:27:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is the big appointment - restaging! Dave's scheduled for a 9:30 appointment, where he'll get bloodwork, a chest xray, abdominal ultrasound and a bone marrow aspirate. As long as he's in complete remission, he'll get his vaccine within two weeks, and then again at three week intervals. The paperwork we received initially says that they'll then see him monthly for a physical exam.

Wish us luck!

new toy

2008-06-22T16:49:00.005-04:00

The remainder of Dave's week was pretty good. There were a couple of mishaps in bed, with him throwing up last night, but he seemed to feel fine. He's been off of the chicken and rice for a few days, and is back to his 'mixed bag' of food. He seems happy, as he really likes pumpkin, and with Jersey fresh blueberries making their first appearance at our local farmer's market, he's found a new yummy treat. We saw the holistic vet for his yearly checkup, and she was quite pleased with him - both traditionally and holistically, she thought he looked good.

Dave got a new toy today when we went to get his food! I've seen the Planet Dog toys in our pet store, but they were a little pricey for a simple toy that hasn't been tested with Dave's powerful mouth. He destroys almost every toy he's ever had. Planet Dog is a company that makes green dog toys - non-toxic and recyclable. Dave loves his artichoke! While it doesn't squeak, he's been playing with it most of the day and hasn't been able to rip it apart!

soaking up the rays

2008-06-17T18:38:00.006-04:00

According to the holistic vet, Dave is a heat-seaking dog. Rarely is this more evident than when he is doing one of his favorite things - sleeping outside.

(objects in this picture appear thinner than in real life. really, mom, he's not this skinny - it's the angle)

walkin'

2008-06-16T16:34:00.006-04:00

Here are some pictures from our walk on Sunday. I'm trying to capture Dave at his best.

still a bit out of it

2008-06-16T11:12:00.003-04:00

I don't know if it's the chemo or all of the meds or a combination of both, but Dave has remained tired this week. Lots of rest and lots of snoring. We did get him outside for a few walks, which perks him up at the time, but takes a lot out of him after. He enjoyed the nice weather outside yesterday, while we did some weeding and planting.

We tried giving him regular food, hoping that the meds would be enough to fight the GI issues, but he hit the trifecta Friday - #1 in the house, diarrhea and vomit outside, all within about ten minutes. I called for a refill of one of the nausea medications, Zofran, and the vet called it into our local pharmacy. I went to get it, and it was $500!! There were 20 pills, but still. At Penn, for whatever reason, it was $9.50 for 5 pills. I like the $1.90 a pill price much better than the $25/pill. Needless to say, I didn't get it at our pharmacy, and we're picking it up from Penn little later today.

Dave is scheduled for his yearly check up Thursday night, and he'll get bloodwork to ensure his white cell count is good. If it's not, he'll have to continue the Baytril a little longer. Obviously, we're hoping that it's within normal limits, and that he'll be feeling better shortly.

tired pup

2008-06-11T22:03:00.003-04:00

Dave had a good day today! Lots of running around with his toys, a bath and then rolling in something smelly immediately after - what could be any better??

This shot is of him after chemo yesterday. We've been getting our cold weather clothes ready to put in the attic, and they were all folded neatly on our guest bed. Dave took issue with that, and fluffed them all to his liking for a nice comfortable bed on a bed.

the end

2008-06-10T16:22:00.003-04:00

Perhaps that's a misleading title. This won't be my last blog post, but Dave had his last treatment today, which leaves me fairly emotional. He had a really good two weeks, with no GI issues and just a little bit of lethargy. Mike was off last week, so it could have been a side effect to having him around instead of away at work.

The news from the visit is that Dave lost more weight, and he's down to 27 pounds. The doctor wasn't overly concerned, telling me that he's just worrying about bathing suit season. He said that the heat and the chemo are probably to blame, and said that Dave's weight should start to go up now that he's done. His physical exam was otherwise normal.

Dave was discharged with the same instructions as last time; due to the length, I won't repeat it here. Next week, we'll take him for bloodwork - the nice part is that it coincides with his yearly check up. On the 24th, we'll bring him in for restaging. It's a lengthy appointment, but I'll most likely take the day off so I can hear all of the information for myself. Assuming he's in clinical remission, and there's no signs of cancer anywhere, he'll be able to get his vaccine. They're not sure exactly when that will be. The explanation we received today was that they notify the researcher now that he's completed chemo. They'll finish up the vaccine to get it ready for him. Most likely, the first vaccine will be a week or two after staging. We had more good news, too: they are definitely going to cover the cost of the restaging. When Dave was picked up today, he tried to get to another dog, but didn't go out with a bang, thank goodness. The nurse remarked that he's so energetic when he's in his run or they're walking him, but he slept through almost every treatment. She said they almost took a picture to show people how unaffected the dogs are by chemo.

I'm really happy that the four and a half months are behind us, but now I feel like it's a waiting game. They gave us information about a program the social worker there is running, and we probably will attend. I have so many emotions regarding this, from the happiness, to the worry, to guilt that I'm feeling this way about a dog. Upon reflection, this time has been exactly what I wanted - many more good days than bad ones, and very little change in Dave being Dave. I hope we're able to have a lot more good days in the months (years?) ahead...

400 visitors!

2008-06-02T18:34:00.002-04:00

Thanks again to everyone who is reading!

Dave had an okay past few days. He was very medicated, so we didn't see any of the GI issues, but there was a little increased lethargy. Today, though, he's pretty good, running, playing and jumping around. Other than that, there's not much more to report! I'll be making his last chemo appointment tomorrow...

good day!

2008-05-28T20:42:00.003-04:00

Dave's doing well today - no GI issues, active and playful - very much himself. I'm expecting to see some difference over the next few days, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised. Tomorrow marks exactly four months since starting treatment, so the fact that he's still acting like himself is a very good thing.

Dave enjoyed a little treat yesterday after chemo. He was playing in the yard while we were grilling, and suddenly, in slow motion, I saw him go after something in the grass. I yelled at him and ran over, but it was too late - he caught a mole (vole?) and scarfed it down. I wonder if the holistic vet would approve. After all, it is a free range, grass fed animal... I love my little predator.

hope

2008-05-27T18:25:00.004-04:00

I cried a little today. Dave has one more chemo treatment left, in two weeks. It's such a bittersweet feeling. I'm so happy that he's had many more good days than bad ones, that he's been himself through most of this, that he still gives us kisses and hops into bed like everything is the same as it was six months ago. But there is a nagging in the back of my head, counting down... On January 30th, we were told that he had nine months with treatment. As of today, that gives us five more months.

Hopefully he's in the five to ten percent of dogs that stay in remission. Or his remission time is much longer than they thought. Or we don't have to deal with what we (realistically, logically) know that we will. We're holding out hope.

Dave's visit was good, with no notable incidents to report. Mike said that there were no dirty looks from other owners, either. Dave had a pretty full appointment today: his regularly scheduled bloodwork and chemo, in addition to a follow up echocardiogram and opthalmology check. His echocardiogram was good - there is no evidence that the Adriamycin (a.k.a. doxorubicin) has damaged his heart. His eye pressures were good. His bloodwork was good, which was a relief to us. We were concerned with the GI issues that he was fighting something. Upon physical exam, his lymph nodes were normal and he felt good. The black spot on his belly is going to be monitored, but the vet felt it was a normal pigment change.

His meds:
Adriamycin, administered @ Penn
Baytril antibiotic, 136 mg, 1x/day, starting Friday 5.30
Flagyl (anti-diarrhea), 250 mg, 2x/day, starting Thursday 5.29 for 5 days, then as needed
Reglan (anti-nausea), 10 mg, 1/2 tab 3x/day, starting Thursday 5.29 for 5 days, then as needed
Zofran (anti-nausea), 8 mg, 1/2 tab 1x/day, starting Thursday...
Eye meds:
Cosopt (down to 2x/day)
Xalatan (2x/day)
methazolamide (2x/day)

I'm a bit overwhelmed with all of these meds. The poor guy is going to be getting five pills and two eye drops for five of the next fourteen days. I think we may need to buy stock in peanut butter and cream cheese!!

After the next treatment in two weeks (June 10), he'll go for a complete restaging on June 24th. Assuming that his bone marrow, x-rays and ultrasound show that he's completely in remission, he'll start the vaccine trial.

who knew?

2008-05-24T07:00:00.008-04:00

Dave's stomach issues are still lingering. The only change is that they're now at the other end. We introduced regular food on Wednesday, after the vomiting was done, and the diarrhea started. He didn't seem to be himself on Thursday, so I called the vet, who advised us to go back to chicken and rice and prescribed a anti-diarrheal medication for him. Since starting the medication, he's perked up and been more Dave-like.

This made me laugh. Who knew that you could call dog meds into a regular pharmacy?

The other issue we have now is something that looks like a sore on his belly. We first noticed it last night, and had given him a bath the previous day, so he had to have just done it. It doesn't seem to bother him at all. I'm a little concerned that it could be a weird skin reaction because it doesn't look quite like a scab or open cut. Being a worst-case-scenario person, I thought for a minute that it could be some sort of skin cancer, but I'm hoping not, obviously. There's always something, I guess. The positive side is, as I said above, he was much more himself yesterday and this morning (so far).

busy weekend!

2008-05-19T17:34:00.003-04:00

It was a crazy weekend, with lots of running around, a 30th birthday party and a wedding. Dave says happy birthday Jay and congratulations Eva!!

Dave had a decent weekend. There were a couple more spit ups. That's the best description for them. TMI alert - not for the squeamish: when Dave is really not feeling well, he doesn't try to lick up the mess.

We had one incident Saturday afternoon, and then again Sunday morning. We decided to go against our holistic recommendations and try some boiled chicken and rice, which we started yesterday. Nothing so far today, so we're on the right track. I didn't get a chance to call either vet today, but I'll be reaching out to them tomorrow if work is a little slower. He definitely has his energy back, which makes me happy.

already a not so good week

2008-05-16T18:33:00.003-04:00

I think the stronger chemo's cumulative effects are really starting to show. Dave vomited twice today, again the 'excitment' vomit, when he gets a little worked up and spits up. He seems a little more lethargic than usual. I think we have to expect this for the next month or so. He started on his Baytril, the new antibiotic, along with the stronger nausea meds. I hope he starts perking up a little tomorrow and Sunday. If not, the doctors will get a call next week!

okay...

2008-05-14T22:06:00.004-04:00

So... Dave's reports weren't perfect yesterday. He bit a dog while they were outside using the bathroom area. The vet said that the person who took him out was warned that he is not dog friendly, but allowed him to get close to another dog, and he snapped at him. Apparently, Dave caught the dog's lip/jowl and broke skin. The vet said it was completely their responsibility for allowing him to get that close. I apologized profusely, and she continuously reassured me that this kind of thing will happen, especially as many of the dogs are in a heightened state - nervous, scared, agitated - when they are there. Still, I feel horrible. The other dog was fine, and playing right after it happened, but I can't imagine being that owner and getting that information. I asked if we would be kicked out or Dave needed to be muzzled (how exactly that would happen with the smooshed Boston snout I don't know), but she said that they would ensure that he is not able to get to another dog. She laughed when I asked about being kicked out, saying that it takes a lot more than that to have to leave.

I was very upset yesterday, and blame myself for not doing more for him in the past. He's been to training, puppy playtimes and met dogs in neutral spots one-on-one, and still hates other dogs, aside from a basset hound he met seven years ago and our friend's boxer, Moochie. The ironic part is that I had just remarked to Mike how much better Dave seemed while in the waiting room around the other dogs. He's been acting much calmer.

What I didn't mention in my brief update yesterday was the further detail the vet went into regarding his lymph nodes. She said that there are some dogs whose lymph nodes never feel normal and soft, but Dave's do, hence the "beautiful" lymph nodes comment. It was the bright spot in the discharge news yesterday.

The picture in this post is from Grammom's house last year. He unmade her bed to get comfortable. I think he looks remorseful. The new profile pic of him is from five or six years ago, when Mike's parents still had their pool. Dave LOVES swimming!