Blog Archive: January - March 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Jack is almost over the effects of the
Vincristine treatment last week. His energy level is back to where it was
before treatment, and the bloody nose is almost history.
We've always assumed that the blood is coming from his sinuses, since he has a history of chronic sinus issues. The interesting twist to the story, however, is that we gave him his favorite toy on Sunday... affectionately known to us as the "Flip It" (apparently the real name is the Twist-n-Treat). It's a disc-shaped toy that's hollow on the inside to hold kibble. They push it around with their noses or flip it over with their paws to get the kibble out. It's a great toy for Jack since he's so food motivated. But when we gave it to him last weekend and he barely nudged it with the tip of his nose, it started bleeding again. That makes us think the bleeding isn't just up in his sinuses, but the blood vessels in his "sniffer" are affected as well.
We did an Internet search for bloody noses from chemo and found a couple of human cancer patient comment boards where people talk about the bloody nose or mouth sores they get from chemo. Knowing that, it makes us also wonder if part of the problem when he gets Vincristine is not just nausea, but that his mouth might be tender and that's why he eats a lot slower following that treatment.
So much to Jack's dismay, he's not getting his Flip It toy this week... and he's not getting his Kong. We want those tender nasal cells to heal. Try explaining that to a dog!
We've always assumed that the blood is coming from his sinuses, since he has a history of chronic sinus issues. The interesting twist to the story, however, is that we gave him his favorite toy on Sunday... affectionately known to us as the "Flip It" (apparently the real name is the Twist-n-Treat). It's a disc-shaped toy that's hollow on the inside to hold kibble. They push it around with their noses or flip it over with their paws to get the kibble out. It's a great toy for Jack since he's so food motivated. But when we gave it to him last weekend and he barely nudged it with the tip of his nose, it started bleeding again. That makes us think the bleeding isn't just up in his sinuses, but the blood vessels in his "sniffer" are affected as well.
We did an Internet search for bloody noses from chemo and found a couple of human cancer patient comment boards where people talk about the bloody nose or mouth sores they get from chemo. Knowing that, it makes us also wonder if part of the problem when he gets Vincristine is not just nausea, but that his mouth might be tender and that's why he eats a lot slower following that treatment.
So much to Jack's dismay, he's not getting his Flip It toy this week... and he's not getting his Kong. We want those tender nasal cells to heal. Try explaining that to a dog!
Monday, March 29, 2010
As you might have guessed, Jack has a number of friends who have followed along as he has travelled on this great journey. Two of his best friends are Tuggs and Smoke, who live in Wyoming. Tonight they insisted that Jack write his own blog…since Jack can’t type (that whole ‘no thumbs’ thing...) they offered to translate to their mom, who typed it all up. What a nice surprise!
“Someone asked me, (Jack) to make sure a tribute to my mom and dad was included in my next blog entry. You see, my mom and dad are very special humans - they love me with all their hearts. No matter how difficult or bleak the journey back to good health might have seemed, my mom and dad have been right there with me, every step of the way, making sure I have the very best medical care and medicines. They have given me the gift of an extended life, and I think they deserve lots of furry hugs and sloppy doggie kisses for that. Even though there have been some rather rough bumps in the road, we have had some very special and wonderful times since I was diagnosed with lymphoma. I definitely could not have done this without my mom and dad, and I love them very much. Love, Jack”
Thanks to Cathy, Tuggs and Smoke for such a kind and thoughtful message. Yes, we do love our little buddy Jack very, very much. (Yes, Jenny, we love you too!)
“Someone asked me, (Jack) to make sure a tribute to my mom and dad was included in my next blog entry. You see, my mom and dad are very special humans - they love me with all their hearts. No matter how difficult or bleak the journey back to good health might have seemed, my mom and dad have been right there with me, every step of the way, making sure I have the very best medical care and medicines. They have given me the gift of an extended life, and I think they deserve lots of furry hugs and sloppy doggie kisses for that. Even though there have been some rather rough bumps in the road, we have had some very special and wonderful times since I was diagnosed with lymphoma. I definitely could not have done this without my mom and dad, and I love them very much. Love, Jack”
Thanks to Cathy, Tuggs and Smoke for such a kind and thoughtful message. Yes, we do love our little buddy Jack very, very much. (Yes, Jenny, we love you too!)
Sunday, March 28, 2010
We spoke too soon! When we wrote our last post, Jack seemed to be taking this treatment much better than the previous times – but that changed a bit at 12:15 AM Friday. (Why do these things always happen in the middle of the night…?). Jack woke us up with another bloody nose. His previous and only bloody nose followed a treatment back in November. Fortunately it was nowhere near the volume that we saw in November, and we swung into action. We placed towels on his bed, and on the floor in all the places where he likes to sleep. We were able to keep things pretty well mopped up, and as the Vincristine is working out of his system the bleeding is subsiding.
He is otherwise happy and engaged, great appetite, and was so full of energy today that we took a ride up to Reno for a nice walk on his favorite trails. He had a great time, met some new best friends, and surprised us with how far he wanted to walk.
Today marks 24 weeks since diagnosis – when we were told that he had 4 – 6 weeks to live if we did nothing to treat his lymphoma. The fact that he’s still with us, and he’s happy, interested and engaged is a tribute to the quality of medical care that’s available to our best little buddies, and to the talent of our ‘Dream Team’ of veterinarians.
He is otherwise happy and engaged, great appetite, and was so full of energy today that we took a ride up to Reno for a nice walk on his favorite trails. He had a great time, met some new best friends, and surprised us with how far he wanted to walk.
Today marks 24 weeks since diagnosis – when we were told that he had 4 – 6 weeks to live if we did nothing to treat his lymphoma. The fact that he’s still with us, and he’s happy, interested and engaged is a tribute to the quality of medical care that’s available to our best little buddies, and to the talent of our ‘Dream Team’ of veterinarians.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
So far, Jack's handling this week's Vincristine treatment much better than the last two times. He's had a good appetite all day and although he looks tired, his eyes are bright and he's following us around the house, hoping against all hope that he'll get another biscuit.
Of course, he’s trying to tell us that he’s doing so much better this time because of the nice ocean air in Monterey last week. Therefore, he argues, we need to go back soon… and often…
Of course, he’s trying to tell us that he’s doing so much better this time because of the nice ocean air in Monterey last week. Therefore, he argues, we need to go back soon… and often…
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Jack had his final Vincristine chemo treatment today. That’s a huge relief for all of us, including Dr. Schneider! He’s a very good boy for the treatment, but we all know that this drug has the biggest negative impact on him. We anticipate he’ll be feeling yucky (nauseous) starting tomorrow and until about Sunday morning. But, we’re ready for it and know what to expect (boiled chicken and broth are standing by in the fridge). With this treatment behind us, we have only one more at UC Davis in two weeks. At that point, he will finish the chemotherapy protocol developed by his oncologist, Dr. Rebhun, and we keep our fingers crossed that he remains in remission for a long while.
His blood test today gave good results. The hematocrit number was 37 – up from the last two weeks. That’s good news. His platelet and white blood count were both within the normal range. He’s still slightly low (but only slightly) on his red blood cell and hemoglobin numbers, but that’s to be expected for a guy on chemotherapy. All in all, we continue to be pleased that he’s handled chemo so well!
In two weeks, right before his final chemo treatment, Dr. Schneider wants to do a full blood panel to check organ functions – she said that’s typical when a patient nears the end of chemo, to make sure everything is working as designed.
You have no idea how happy we are that he’s had his final Vincristine treatment and chemo will be over in two weeks! We have certainly come a long way since his diagnosis last October. What a ride it has been! Our prayers now are that he stays in remission and feels good for as long as possible.
His blood test today gave good results. The hematocrit number was 37 – up from the last two weeks. That’s good news. His platelet and white blood count were both within the normal range. He’s still slightly low (but only slightly) on his red blood cell and hemoglobin numbers, but that’s to be expected for a guy on chemotherapy. All in all, we continue to be pleased that he’s handled chemo so well!
In two weeks, right before his final chemo treatment, Dr. Schneider wants to do a full blood panel to check organ functions – she said that’s typical when a patient nears the end of chemo, to make sure everything is working as designed.
You have no idea how happy we are that he’s had his final Vincristine treatment and chemo will be over in two weeks! We have certainly come a long way since his diagnosis last October. What a ride it has been! Our prayers now are that he stays in remission and feels good for as long as possible.
Monday, March 22, 2010
What a fun little vacation with Jack! We visited Dr. Beebe on Thursday afternoon and she was very pleased with Jack – in fact she commented that in all the time she’s been treating him, this is the best he’s ever looked. We’ll take it!
We motored over to Davis for the night, and had a spirited walk on campus in the morning before heading for Monterey. The weather was perfect and Jack was very interested in the drive down, especially since we took a route that was new to all of us. Once in Monterey, Jack clearly remembered where all the best walking places are and he was quite excited.
He is very familiar with the Carmel Valley Lodge, having stayed there numerous times. In fact when we unload the car he leads us to our cabin. (http://www.valleylodge.com) We noticed on this trip that while extremely interested and engaged, Jack has very low stamina. He clearly loved being there, taking short walks and making new friends – he really looked happy. We just had to make sure that we had plenty of time for him to rest.
To help Jack get in and out of the car a few months ago, we purchased a set of collapsible steps from Petloader.com. Carmel is a super-dog friendly place, and we were surprised by the number of people who came over and asked us about the steps. It seems that there are a lot of senior dogs out there whose owners are looking for ways to help their buddies go for rides. We readily gave out the information and heartily endorse this amazing product. (http://www.petloader.com/)
To cap off our awesome vacation, Jack wanted to do something really special. Turns out, he has never been to San Francisco and he convinced us that he’s always wanted to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. Sure, it’s a little bit out of the way, but we didn’t have anyplace else we needed to be so off we went. After some careful navigation by Linda that included a lunch stop at the Stanford Mall (go figure…) those huge orange towers shrouded in fog, loomed into sight.
Overall, a really fitting way to spend a Sunday – 23 weeks after diagnosis – with Jack. Be sure to view the new photo essay of Jack’s Spring Vacation 2010!
We motored over to Davis for the night, and had a spirited walk on campus in the morning before heading for Monterey. The weather was perfect and Jack was very interested in the drive down, especially since we took a route that was new to all of us. Once in Monterey, Jack clearly remembered where all the best walking places are and he was quite excited.
He is very familiar with the Carmel Valley Lodge, having stayed there numerous times. In fact when we unload the car he leads us to our cabin. (http://www.valleylodge.com) We noticed on this trip that while extremely interested and engaged, Jack has very low stamina. He clearly loved being there, taking short walks and making new friends – he really looked happy. We just had to make sure that we had plenty of time for him to rest.
To help Jack get in and out of the car a few months ago, we purchased a set of collapsible steps from Petloader.com. Carmel is a super-dog friendly place, and we were surprised by the number of people who came over and asked us about the steps. It seems that there are a lot of senior dogs out there whose owners are looking for ways to help their buddies go for rides. We readily gave out the information and heartily endorse this amazing product. (http://www.petloader.com/)
To cap off our awesome vacation, Jack wanted to do something really special. Turns out, he has never been to San Francisco and he convinced us that he’s always wanted to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. Sure, it’s a little bit out of the way, but we didn’t have anyplace else we needed to be so off we went. After some careful navigation by Linda that included a lunch stop at the Stanford Mall (go figure…) those huge orange towers shrouded in fog, loomed into sight.
Overall, a really fitting way to spend a Sunday – 23 weeks after diagnosis – with Jack. Be sure to view the new photo essay of Jack’s Spring Vacation 2010!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Jack deserves a vacation, and so we're taking one! In the 9 years he has lived with us, we've made regular trips with him (and now Jenny) to Monterey, California. Typically we aim to go about 4 times per year. It's fun traveling with the dogs - they are good travelers and enjoy the trip, especially to a place as beautiful and dog-friendly as Monterey Bay. We stay up at the Carmel Valley Lodge, which is very dog friendly. It's about a 6-hour drive from here, but well worth the effort! If you've checked our photo album on this site, you'll notice that most of the photos are from Monterey.
The last trip we made was back in June before the heart disease got worse and long before he was diagnosed with lymphoma. We hoped to make it back before the holidays, but his weekly chemo treatments made it impossible. However, now that chemo is down to every-other week, we timed this trip to come a full week after his Cyclophosphamide treatment when he should be feeling about as well as he can. We've been holding our collective breaths, hoping we can make this trip. So far, so good!
Tomorrow afternoon we will drive to Sacramento for a check-up with Dr. Beebe, then spend the night at our favorite hotel in Davis (with a stop at Pluto’s restaurant for a nice side of turkey for our best buddy). Friday morning we'll drive to Monterey (about 3 hours from Davis) for the weekend, before returning home on Sunday.
We are very excited about this trip! And we are amazed that 5 months after diagnosis, we can still do it. No doubt, the sea air, sandy beaches, and new dog friends will be good for Jack. He really loves Monterey.
For the next 4 days we won't worry about lymphoma... chemo... or heart disease. It will just be a family vacation like old times, and we'll savor every minute of it.
Pictures next week...
The last trip we made was back in June before the heart disease got worse and long before he was diagnosed with lymphoma. We hoped to make it back before the holidays, but his weekly chemo treatments made it impossible. However, now that chemo is down to every-other week, we timed this trip to come a full week after his Cyclophosphamide treatment when he should be feeling about as well as he can. We've been holding our collective breaths, hoping we can make this trip. So far, so good!
Tomorrow afternoon we will drive to Sacramento for a check-up with Dr. Beebe, then spend the night at our favorite hotel in Davis (with a stop at Pluto’s restaurant for a nice side of turkey for our best buddy). Friday morning we'll drive to Monterey (about 3 hours from Davis) for the weekend, before returning home on Sunday.
We are very excited about this trip! And we are amazed that 5 months after diagnosis, we can still do it. No doubt, the sea air, sandy beaches, and new dog friends will be good for Jack. He really loves Monterey.
For the next 4 days we won't worry about lymphoma... chemo... or heart disease. It will just be a family vacation like old times, and we'll savor every minute of it.
Pictures next week...
Monday, March 15, 2010
If you live with a dog long enough, and you pay enough attention, you start to notice little ‘things’ about their personalities. You start to wonder if they had a voice, what kinds of things would they say. We’re pretty sure if Jack could talk, he’d have plenty to say about a lot of things, and some, if not most of it would actually be interesting. Nevertheless, this photo from Jack's walk today just begs for a caption from Jack himself – with a little assist from us. You see, Jack can’t type – no thumbs. Actually, that’s pretty much his excuse for anything and everything he doesn’t want to do – “sorry, no can do – no thumbs.”
Jack meets Mr. Ed – “Seriously, you look a LOT smaller on TV!”
Eat every biscuit like you stole it, roll in the grass like nobody’s watching, and live every day like there’s no tomorrow
Jack meets Mr. Ed – “Seriously, you look a LOT smaller on TV!”
Eat every biscuit like you stole it, roll in the grass like nobody’s watching, and live every day like there’s no tomorrow
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Today we finally got a break from the weather – it was clear and sunny, and most importantly calm. We decided to take advantage with a little ride to Truckee for lunch. Jack seems over the ‘chemo funk’ and he thoroughly enjoyed his ride. When we got home, Jack’s Subaru got a much-needed bath and the Thule box was brought down from its long-time resting place, washed, and mounted on the roof rack. Could it be that a little vacation for Jack is approaching…?
We thought it might be fun to look up things associated with the number 22 – famous athletes, racing cars, numerological meaning, etc. But the only thing important to us about the number 22 is that’s how many weeks it’s been since Jack’s diagnosis – he’s still with us, he’s interested and engaged, and overall he’s doing remarkably well. Only two chemo treatments left until he completes his protocol.
We thought it might be fun to look up things associated with the number 22 – famous athletes, racing cars, numerological meaning, etc. But the only thing important to us about the number 22 is that’s how many weeks it’s been since Jack’s diagnosis – he’s still with us, he’s interested and engaged, and overall he’s doing remarkably well. Only two chemo treatments left until he completes his protocol.
Friday, March 12, 2010
So far, so good on this week's chemo treatment. Jack had the final Cyclophosphamide pills this morning at home - he gets 3 pills each day (all at once) for 3 days. Dr. Schneider wants him to drink quite a bit of water when he takes the pills, to make sure they dissolve and flush-through properly. Jack will drink as much water as we give him as long as we put some chicken broth in it for flavor. Each time we have this treatment, we boil a chicken for homemade broth. YUMMY! The chicken is boiled in filtered water and we add nothing... no salt, seasoning, vegetables, or anything else. And of course, we love the chicken itself (which is organic and free range... go figure).
With all that drinking, we have learned to do this in the morning. He gets the pills 1 hour after he eats breakfast, so the pills go down and the water/broth is poured just as we walk out the door to go to work. Back in November we tried doing it after dinner, and we were up all night (try drinking several cups of water at bedtime and see what happens!). Duh. Lesson learned.
So far, he's taking this treatment well. No significant signs of fatigue or lethargy. His appetite remains very good and his eyes are bright. For the last two nights, he played with Jenny before bedtime. He might be tired this weekend as the drug's full effects hit him, but this treatment is SO much easier than Vincristine. Thankfully, we only have one more Vincristine treatment left... in two weeks.
With all that drinking, we have learned to do this in the morning. He gets the pills 1 hour after he eats breakfast, so the pills go down and the water/broth is poured just as we walk out the door to go to work. Back in November we tried doing it after dinner, and we were up all night (try drinking several cups of water at bedtime and see what happens!). Duh. Lesson learned.
So far, he's taking this treatment well. No significant signs of fatigue or lethargy. His appetite remains very good and his eyes are bright. For the last two nights, he played with Jenny before bedtime. He might be tired this weekend as the drug's full effects hit him, but this treatment is SO much easier than Vincristine. Thankfully, we only have one more Vincristine treatment left... in two weeks.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The results of yesterday's blood test were mixed. All numbers were okay except his hematocrit number is down to 31, which means Jack is anemic again. Not sure why this happened. We had made huge progress is getting that number up to 39, only to lose all the progress we made in the span of only 2 weeks. The only thing we can think of is that the Vincristine treatment coupled with the antiobiotics a couple of weeks ago took a bigger toll than we thought. After all, he looked droopy after that and his eyes were not as bright. He's feeling pretty good right now and is very bright and alert, so maybe the number will come back up again? We sure hope so, because if it's not a result of the drugs, it might mean another problem somewhere. We're at our constitutional limit for "problems."
Although we're not scheduled for another blood test for two weeks, we plan to take him in next week for a quick "hematocrit check-up" before going back to see Dr. Beebe.
Please think good thoughts for our best buddy.
Although we're not scheduled for another blood test for two weeks, we plan to take him in next week for a quick "hematocrit check-up" before going back to see Dr. Beebe.
Please think good thoughts for our best buddy.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Yesterday Jack had an acupuncture treatment with Dr. Hope Rinehimer, our local veterinarian who does acupuncture. She is at Sierra Veterinary Hospital, the same clinic as Dr. Schneider. Dr. Hope hadn't seen Jack for a couple of months (she was doing acupuncture on him last fall when we noticed he didn't feel well and she now has the dubious distinction of being the one who diagnosed his lymphoma), but it worked out this week to get a local treatment before this week's chemo starts tomorrow. It's a little tricky to get acupuncture the right number of days between chemo, and this week it was Dr. Hope's turn.
I'm pleased to report that not only was Jack very good for his treatment (as always), but yesterday afternoon was the first time in at least a couple of months that I saw him roll around on his back! Ahhh... that must have really felt good.
I learned from Dr. Beebe that acupuncture is most effective if the patient stays still and doesn't pace or move around. So we took one of Jack's favorite travel blankets and I made him lay down on it once the needles were in. Of course, the bag full of chicken jerky treats in my pocket helped, but regardless of the tactic, Jack was a really good boy.
This morning he donated blood for his pre-chemo blood test and had a "once-over" by Dr. Schneider. She still believes his nodes are normal, although she detected a short pause in his heartbeat that she hasn't heard in a while. Otherwise, he looked good and she seemed pleased with his condition. We'll get the results this afternoon and if all of the numbers are right, he will get his Cyclophosphamide pills at home over the next three days. He's done well with this drug in the past, so we hope he will again.
I'm pleased to report that not only was Jack very good for his treatment (as always), but yesterday afternoon was the first time in at least a couple of months that I saw him roll around on his back! Ahhh... that must have really felt good.
I learned from Dr. Beebe that acupuncture is most effective if the patient stays still and doesn't pace or move around. So we took one of Jack's favorite travel blankets and I made him lay down on it once the needles were in. Of course, the bag full of chicken jerky treats in my pocket helped, but regardless of the tactic, Jack was a really good boy.
This morning he donated blood for his pre-chemo blood test and had a "once-over" by Dr. Schneider. She still believes his nodes are normal, although she detected a short pause in his heartbeat that she hasn't heard in a while. Otherwise, he looked good and she seemed pleased with his condition. We'll get the results this afternoon and if all of the numbers are right, he will get his Cyclophosphamide pills at home over the next three days. He's done well with this drug in the past, so we hope he will again.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
21 weeks since Jack’s diagnosis - a truly remarkable experience for all of us. Jack continues to show us how much better he feels now that the chemo treatments are every other week and the treatments from Dr. Beebe are getting a chance to sink in. He was firing on all cylinders today; initiating play with Jenny this morning, loving his ride in the car this afternoon, and taking John for a spirited walk this evening.
Only three treatments left – this week is the final dose of cyclophosphamide. It will be interesting to see the results of this week’s blood panel, and if his hematocrit number has continued to climb. Jack remains interested and engaged, full of life and very, very interested in freshly cooked chicken currently residing in the refrigerator. You can’t ask for anything more from your best little buddy.
Only three treatments left – this week is the final dose of cyclophosphamide. It will be interesting to see the results of this week’s blood panel, and if his hematocrit number has continued to climb. Jack remains interested and engaged, full of life and very, very interested in freshly cooked chicken currently residing in the refrigerator. You can’t ask for anything more from your best little buddy.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Jack had a terrific day today! Linda had to go to Reno, so the doggies went along for the ride. He was bright, happy, and interested in everything, all day. He acted just like the “old Jack” we know and love, with no sign of “chemo Jack” anywhere in sight. Tonight after dinner he was very animated so John took him for what was suppose to be a short walk (in the dark). Jack started out slow as they rounded the corner we live on, but the further they walked, the more he seemed to loosen-up. They ended up walking around the entire block and Jack trotted for last half of it.
It would appear the supplement to improve his energy is working…
It would appear the supplement to improve his energy is working…
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Jack had a great check-up with Dr. Beebe in Sacramento yesterday. Yes, it snowed. For days the forecast was for nice weather. At the last minute, they predicted rain later in the day. But at 9am as we headed over the Sierra, it was dumping snow. Of course it was! You can set your calendar for snow storms to hit on the days we drive to Sacramento. Our next snow storm will be March 18. Bet on it.
Dr. Beebe thinks Jack's low energy in the last few days is from the antibiotics, which coincided with last week's chemo treatment. She gave him a supplement to help him recover from the drugs and hopefully boost his energy. Otherwise, she believes he is pretty much stable - more so than other lymphoma patients she has seen. He had his usual acupuncture treatment with her and was alert and happy most of the way home. Right until he zonked-out in the car for a good nap.
While there, we also asked her to evaluate Jenny. Long story short... Jenny had an infiltrative lipoma (a rare and nasty kind of growth very similar to a cancerous tumor) that was removed once and came back with a vengeance, so it was removed a second time in 2008. She went through 3 weeks of radiation treatment at UC Davis (did I mention that UCD is our home away from home?). The growth was in a tricky location - her right armpit - which complicated matters. There was no way the surgeon could remove it all without removing the arm. The radiation was in a delicate area and ended up over-radiating her lung. After she finished treatment, she was on 6 months of Prednisone due to the lung inflammation. Although Jenny's fine now, we're quite certain that 3 weeks of radiation (including daily anesthesia) followed by 6 months of steroids probably messed her up in some lasting way. (PS - While on steriods, she figured out how to open the refrigerator and empty the contents, but that's a story for another day. Let's just say that a Border collie on steroids is an interesting experience.)
Ironically, Jenny's last follow-up visit to UCD for a lung x-ray was on September 24 last year. On that day, one year and one day since she started radiation, they gave her the "all clear" and sent us on our way. Little did they know that 3 weeks later they would see us again with Jack's lymphoma diagnosis!
Dr. Beebe believes Jenny would definitely benefit from a 90-day herbal treatment to support her spleen and immune system, both of which are intended to get her system "back on track." Otherwise, Jen appeared to be in pretty good shape. She continues to be the "Babe-a-licous Babe of All Babes."
And yes, now that you know about Jenny's ordeal followed by Jack's heart disease and lymphoma, you can see that we've lived our lives at the vet for the last two years.
Dr. Beebe thinks Jack's low energy in the last few days is from the antibiotics, which coincided with last week's chemo treatment. She gave him a supplement to help him recover from the drugs and hopefully boost his energy. Otherwise, she believes he is pretty much stable - more so than other lymphoma patients she has seen. He had his usual acupuncture treatment with her and was alert and happy most of the way home. Right until he zonked-out in the car for a good nap.
While there, we also asked her to evaluate Jenny. Long story short... Jenny had an infiltrative lipoma (a rare and nasty kind of growth very similar to a cancerous tumor) that was removed once and came back with a vengeance, so it was removed a second time in 2008. She went through 3 weeks of radiation treatment at UC Davis (did I mention that UCD is our home away from home?). The growth was in a tricky location - her right armpit - which complicated matters. There was no way the surgeon could remove it all without removing the arm. The radiation was in a delicate area and ended up over-radiating her lung. After she finished treatment, she was on 6 months of Prednisone due to the lung inflammation. Although Jenny's fine now, we're quite certain that 3 weeks of radiation (including daily anesthesia) followed by 6 months of steroids probably messed her up in some lasting way. (PS - While on steriods, she figured out how to open the refrigerator and empty the contents, but that's a story for another day. Let's just say that a Border collie on steroids is an interesting experience.)
Ironically, Jenny's last follow-up visit to UCD for a lung x-ray was on September 24 last year. On that day, one year and one day since she started radiation, they gave her the "all clear" and sent us on our way. Little did they know that 3 weeks later they would see us again with Jack's lymphoma diagnosis!
Dr. Beebe believes Jenny would definitely benefit from a 90-day herbal treatment to support her spleen and immune system, both of which are intended to get her system "back on track." Otherwise, Jen appeared to be in pretty good shape. She continues to be the "Babe-a-licous Babe of All Babes."
And yes, now that you know about Jenny's ordeal followed by Jack's heart disease and lymphoma, you can see that we've lived our lives at the vet for the last two years.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Today marks 20 weeks since Jack’s lymphoma diagnosis. Our gratitude to the vets who have taken such good care of him and to all the friends and family who have sent good wishes and prayers to our best buddy.
Jack had a rough three days after his Vincristine treatment with fatigue and nausea, known in this house as “the funk.” However, Dr. Schneider’s pre-emptive approach with anti-nausea medication seemed to help, as he ate all of his meals (some slowly and with less enthusiasm than usual) and kept them all down. Right on schedule, he felt noticeably better today and ate with gusto. We took a ride to Reno (about 1 hour from our house) and went for a walk on the trails he enjoys around the wetlands. He didn’t walk far, but he made a couple of new doggie friends and really seemed to enjoy the fresh air and activity… and of course, barking at motorcycles. Tonight he’s tired after such a big day, but we’re happy to report that we think his eyes are starting to look brighter again!
The antibiotics have also improved those nasty “bogies.” They are much less frequent and are now clear. Hopefully Dr. Beebe’s herbal supplements will be able to keep the presumed sinus infection at bay.
Jack has “only” 3 more chemo treatments to go to complete Dr. Rebhun’s chemotherapy protocol. There’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Jack had a rough three days after his Vincristine treatment with fatigue and nausea, known in this house as “the funk.” However, Dr. Schneider’s pre-emptive approach with anti-nausea medication seemed to help, as he ate all of his meals (some slowly and with less enthusiasm than usual) and kept them all down. Right on schedule, he felt noticeably better today and ate with gusto. We took a ride to Reno (about 1 hour from our house) and went for a walk on the trails he enjoys around the wetlands. He didn’t walk far, but he made a couple of new doggie friends and really seemed to enjoy the fresh air and activity… and of course, barking at motorcycles. Tonight he’s tired after such a big day, but we’re happy to report that we think his eyes are starting to look brighter again!
The antibiotics have also improved those nasty “bogies.” They are much less frequent and are now clear. Hopefully Dr. Beebe’s herbal supplements will be able to keep the presumed sinus infection at bay.
Jack has “only” 3 more chemo treatments to go to complete Dr. Rebhun’s chemotherapy protocol. There’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Jack is having his usual "Vincristine Funk" after the chemo treatment this week. On Thursday he was very tired and fatigued but still had a good appetite. By this morning, however, he didn't want his chewable heart pill and he ate his breakfast very slowly. It appears the nausea has set in... it always does on Friday after Vincristine.
The last time he had this drug, he was a pretty sick boy on Friday but started feeling a little better by Saturday and was pretty much back to normal on Sunday. We hope this weekend will be the same scenario.
The last time he had this drug, he was a pretty sick boy on Friday but started feeling a little better by Saturday and was pretty much back to normal on Sunday. We hope this weekend will be the same scenario.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Jack had his chemotherapy treatment last night on schedule, with good results on his blood test. In fact, his hematocrit number is back in the "normal" range and he is officially no longer anemic! We attribute that to Dr. Beebe's bone marrow herbal supplement, which did exactly what she said it would do. That was the best news of the day. Dr. Schneider also said his lymph nodes feel the same as always, so we believe he is still in remission. His heart sounded the same, his heartbeat was a steady 110, and his weight is stable. All good news.
Several people at the vet hospital yesterday commented that his eyes are not as bright as they have been, despite everything else being positive. We're not sure how to account for that, unless it's from the suspected sinus infection that we're treating with a short course of antibiotics. The nose bogies are already improved, so maybe when we finish the antibiotics next week he'll feel better and we'll see it in his eyes.
Jack was very happy for breakfast this morning although not as animated as yesterday. This chemo drug, Vincristine, is the one that causes the most nausea in Jack. Dr. Schneider had us start him on some anti-nausea medication last night as a pre-emptive strike. He was restless overnight but eventually settled-down around 1am. All we can do now is wait and see how he feels over the weekend.
I took this photo a couple of weeks ago with my cell phone and everyone who has seen it really likes it! Sorry for the quality, but I thought it was worth posting.
Several people at the vet hospital yesterday commented that his eyes are not as bright as they have been, despite everything else being positive. We're not sure how to account for that, unless it's from the suspected sinus infection that we're treating with a short course of antibiotics. The nose bogies are already improved, so maybe when we finish the antibiotics next week he'll feel better and we'll see it in his eyes.
Jack was very happy for breakfast this morning although not as animated as yesterday. This chemo drug, Vincristine, is the one that causes the most nausea in Jack. Dr. Schneider had us start him on some anti-nausea medication last night as a pre-emptive strike. He was restless overnight but eventually settled-down around 1am. All we can do now is wait and see how he feels over the weekend.
I took this photo a couple of weeks ago with my cell phone and everyone who has seen it really likes it! Sorry for the quality, but I thought it was worth posting.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Today we celebrate 19 weeks since Jack’s diagnosis – 19 weeks since we were told that without chemotherapy, he would be with us only 4 to 6 weeks. It was a tough decision and honestly it feels like ages ago since we made the choice and took a chance on chemo… not knowing what to expect but hoping for the best. Thank goodness we did. He responded well to all treatments and he remains happy to be with us. If all goes according to plan, his last chemo treatment will be April 7. When we started this journey, April 7 seemed like a dream… it seemed so very far away. Now it’s within site.
There are things Jack doesn’t do anymore… like rolling in the grass on his back, rolling “belly up” on his futon, or going for long walks. That’s okay. He is happy and anxious to go for rides in the car, where he barks with great joy at motorcycles and UPS trucks. He still tells us at each meal that we’re not fixing it fast enough, and then gobbles it down with enthusiasm. He takes himself out when he needs to go, and does his best to take care of personal hygiene needs. And he still hates getting his nails clipped.
All in all, he’s still Jack and people who have known him for years regularly comment about how great he looks. Our dear friend, Darlene, saw him on Saturday and said she expected him to be skin and bone, and very weak. He is none of those things. If you didn’t know he was sick, you’d never guess by looking at him.
This last week he seemed a little tired, but then surprised us on Friday afternoon with a nice walk all the way around the block, and a spirited play session with Jenny in the yard on Saturday. Today he jumped on the bed with Mom and Dad to watch a few minutes of Olympic hockey – it’s been a couple of months since the last time he jumped up without being bribed to do so! Today he also seems to be less tired and more like his usual self.
The biggest problem we face at the moment is the nasal discharge that has increased over the last several weeks. There are days when it’s not too bad, and days when it’s just a constant river of… there’s no good way to say this… dog snot. Thankfully it’s not a bloody nose, but thick pale yellow mucous. Dr. Beebe has been trying to treat it but so far there hasn’t been much improvement. The only time it’s been better was when Dr. Schneider put him on antibiotics before Christmas. Despite 2 rounds of drugs, it came back with a vengeance. We can’t just keep him on antibiotics, which is why Dr. Beebe was hoping to find an alternative approach. However, we believe it’s a sinus infection and on bad days, Jack looks like someone with a killer sinus headache. We’ll talk to the vets this week and see if another round of antibiotics is in order, with an herbal remedy that might keep it in check once the drugs do their job. Except for the ‘bogies’, Jack is doing remarkably well.
This Wednesday is another Vincristine treatment. That’s the drug we dislike the most, and the one that made him really sick last month. He only has two more Vincristine treatments to go and Dr. Schneider has an idea to help minimize the nausea this time. Still, we anticipate a quiet weekend at home next weekend, and hope that he gets over it with as little nausea as possible.
There are things Jack doesn’t do anymore… like rolling in the grass on his back, rolling “belly up” on his futon, or going for long walks. That’s okay. He is happy and anxious to go for rides in the car, where he barks with great joy at motorcycles and UPS trucks. He still tells us at each meal that we’re not fixing it fast enough, and then gobbles it down with enthusiasm. He takes himself out when he needs to go, and does his best to take care of personal hygiene needs. And he still hates getting his nails clipped.
All in all, he’s still Jack and people who have known him for years regularly comment about how great he looks. Our dear friend, Darlene, saw him on Saturday and said she expected him to be skin and bone, and very weak. He is none of those things. If you didn’t know he was sick, you’d never guess by looking at him.
This last week he seemed a little tired, but then surprised us on Friday afternoon with a nice walk all the way around the block, and a spirited play session with Jenny in the yard on Saturday. Today he jumped on the bed with Mom and Dad to watch a few minutes of Olympic hockey – it’s been a couple of months since the last time he jumped up without being bribed to do so! Today he also seems to be less tired and more like his usual self.
The biggest problem we face at the moment is the nasal discharge that has increased over the last several weeks. There are days when it’s not too bad, and days when it’s just a constant river of… there’s no good way to say this… dog snot. Thankfully it’s not a bloody nose, but thick pale yellow mucous. Dr. Beebe has been trying to treat it but so far there hasn’t been much improvement. The only time it’s been better was when Dr. Schneider put him on antibiotics before Christmas. Despite 2 rounds of drugs, it came back with a vengeance. We can’t just keep him on antibiotics, which is why Dr. Beebe was hoping to find an alternative approach. However, we believe it’s a sinus infection and on bad days, Jack looks like someone with a killer sinus headache. We’ll talk to the vets this week and see if another round of antibiotics is in order, with an herbal remedy that might keep it in check once the drugs do their job. Except for the ‘bogies’, Jack is doing remarkably well.
This Wednesday is another Vincristine treatment. That’s the drug we dislike the most, and the one that made him really sick last month. He only has two more Vincristine treatments to go and Dr. Schneider has an idea to help minimize the nausea this time. Still, we anticipate a quiet weekend at home next weekend, and hope that he gets over it with as little nausea as possible.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Jack had another great visit today with Dr. Beebe in Sacramento. The weather was beautiful this time… no snow storm to contend with. Dr. Beebe was very pleased with the improvement in his hematocrit (anemia) number and believes it is an indication that his heart is either stable or improving, because his blood is getting healthier (our layman’s interpretation of Chinese medical theory). She doesn’t want to start any new treatment for his heart yet because the Bone Marrow herbal supplement he’s taking is helping his heart… and she wants to be careful not to do too much while he’s still going through chemo. Once we get to that last chemo treatment on April 7, she will alter his herbal treatment regimen to keep him in remission and further improve his heart function.
Meanwhile, he had acupuncture as always and seems to have responded well to it. At present, it is 4:30 in the afternoon and he snoring away, sound asleep on his futon next to the computer. He’s very relaxed, which is a good sign!
Yesterday afternoon we stopped by for a quick check-up with Dr. Schneider to see what she thought of those “thick” lymph nodes. They felt the same to her as they have throughout his treatment, so we believe he’s still in remission. The only way to know for sure is another aspirate of his lymph nodes. He didn’t particularly care for it last time so we’d prefer not to put him through it again. As far as we are concerned, Jack is in remission.
We should also mention that Jack has lost about 3-1/2 pounds in the last couple of months. For much of the 9 years he has lived with us, he’s been consistently in the 65 to 67 lb. range. Last fall – about the time he was diagnosed with lymphoma – he gained weight and was up to almost 72 lbs. Yikes! For the last 2 weeks, he’s been a steady 68.7 pounds and everyone comments how great he looks.
Meanwhile, he had acupuncture as always and seems to have responded well to it. At present, it is 4:30 in the afternoon and he snoring away, sound asleep on his futon next to the computer. He’s very relaxed, which is a good sign!
Yesterday afternoon we stopped by for a quick check-up with Dr. Schneider to see what she thought of those “thick” lymph nodes. They felt the same to her as they have throughout his treatment, so we believe he’s still in remission. The only way to know for sure is another aspirate of his lymph nodes. He didn’t particularly care for it last time so we’d prefer not to put him through it again. As far as we are concerned, Jack is in remission.
We should also mention that Jack has lost about 3-1/2 pounds in the last couple of months. For much of the 9 years he has lived with us, he’s been consistently in the 65 to 67 lb. range. Last fall – about the time he was diagnosed with lymphoma – he gained weight and was up to almost 72 lbs. Yikes! For the last 2 weeks, he’s been a steady 68.7 pounds and everyone comments how great he looks.
Monday, February 15, 2010
We brought Jack home from UC Davis last Wednesday anticipating the usual onset of the ‘chemo funk’ over the weekend. By Friday, there was no sign of the fatigue we’ve come to expect following a treatment. There was no fatigue on Saturday…or Sunday either. In fact, Jack was quite full of it on Sunday so we loaded him into the car and headed for some shopping and a walk on his favorite trail in Reno. Much to our amazement he trotted out along the trail and took us farther than we’ve walked in months. So much for the ‘chemo funk.’
No chemo this week, so we’re taking advantage with another visit to Jack’s hero Dr. Beebe. We will also be stopping in to see Dr. Schneider for a quick check of those ‘thick’ lymph nodes - just to be sure they aren’t changing now that the chemo treatments have been reduced to bi-weekly. We’ve heard of some dogs that go into remission during weekly treatments, but come out of remission when the treatments are reduced.
It’s been 18 weeks since diagnosis. We live with lymphoma every day, and every day we live large. Jack remains interested and engaged, happy for his meals and treats, his walks and rides in the car, and naps in the sun. Oh, the life of a dog.
No chemo this week, so we’re taking advantage with another visit to Jack’s hero Dr. Beebe. We will also be stopping in to see Dr. Schneider for a quick check of those ‘thick’ lymph nodes - just to be sure they aren’t changing now that the chemo treatments have been reduced to bi-weekly. We’ve heard of some dogs that go into remission during weekly treatments, but come out of remission when the treatments are reduced.
It’s been 18 weeks since diagnosis. We live with lymphoma every day, and every day we live large. Jack remains interested and engaged, happy for his meals and treats, his walks and rides in the car, and naps in the sun. Oh, the life of a dog.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
So much news, so little memory…yesterday morning Jack was Dr. Schneider’s ‘wake up call’ with a very early blood draw. She wanted to be able to send the sample ‘over the hill’ this time and get the results back before we had to leave the house for Davis and Treatment #12. The results came back better than we expected - his hematocrit (anemia number) continues to climb – now a respectable 34% after bottoming out at 29%. His white count was very good, and his platelets are once again above 200,000. We believe this improvement is due to two things; 1) his chemo treatments are now every other week rather than weekly so his body has more time to recover, and 2) the treatments he’s been receiving from Dr. Beebe (http://integrativeveterinarycenter.com); specifically the Chinese herbal supplement to support bone marrow health.
So over the mountain we went – and the roads were clear which was a pleasant change from our last few trips. Jack slept well in the usual hotel (the rest of us not so much – we’re not yet blessed with Jack’s partial hearing loss), and this morning he was fired up and ready for his treatment. We dropped him off at 9:30 and headed out for a big walk around the Arboretum with Jenny. At about 10:30, Dr. Rebhun called to let us know that Jack looked good, but his lymph nodes were ‘firm’ and while he had not made note of that during our last visit in December he seemed to remember that was not unusual for Jack. Nevertheless he advised us to visit Dr. Schneider next week for a quick check-up.
Jack’s chemo treatment today went well, and he was alert and engaged for the drive home – unlike his last two mitoxantrone treatments when he slept all the way home. This evening he is active, has a great appetite, and seems to be feeling remarkably well all things considered. We suspect it will catch up with him in the next day or two and he’ll exhibit what we euphemistically refer to as ‘the funk.’
If you’ve been reading along for a while, you will remember our fun times with the UC Davis Vet Aide Club and photos with Santa. As it turns out, they were so fond of Jack’s photos (especially the ones with him wearing the Santa hat) that they used one in their 2010 Calendar fundraising project. Yes, Jack is Mr. December. If you would like to buy a calendar and support the UC Davis Vet Aide Club, please email Anjolie at [email protected]. We really like to support this group of pre-Vet students – they may become the Vets that save our next dog’s life.
So over the mountain we went – and the roads were clear which was a pleasant change from our last few trips. Jack slept well in the usual hotel (the rest of us not so much – we’re not yet blessed with Jack’s partial hearing loss), and this morning he was fired up and ready for his treatment. We dropped him off at 9:30 and headed out for a big walk around the Arboretum with Jenny. At about 10:30, Dr. Rebhun called to let us know that Jack looked good, but his lymph nodes were ‘firm’ and while he had not made note of that during our last visit in December he seemed to remember that was not unusual for Jack. Nevertheless he advised us to visit Dr. Schneider next week for a quick check-up.
Jack’s chemo treatment today went well, and he was alert and engaged for the drive home – unlike his last two mitoxantrone treatments when he slept all the way home. This evening he is active, has a great appetite, and seems to be feeling remarkably well all things considered. We suspect it will catch up with him in the next day or two and he’ll exhibit what we euphemistically refer to as ‘the funk.’
If you’ve been reading along for a while, you will remember our fun times with the UC Davis Vet Aide Club and photos with Santa. As it turns out, they were so fond of Jack’s photos (especially the ones with him wearing the Santa hat) that they used one in their 2010 Calendar fundraising project. Yes, Jack is Mr. December. If you would like to buy a calendar and support the UC Davis Vet Aide Club, please email Anjolie at [email protected]. We really like to support this group of pre-Vet students – they may become the Vets that save our next dog’s life.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
The second Sunday in February – a day that has been eagerly anticipated by millions of people across America and the world…some have gathered in small groups in the homes of friends or co-workers, others in bars, or restaurants, and still others have travelled to places like Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe. All with a single, united purpose – to raise their glasses in celebration that Jack is still here and going strong, 17 weeks after his diagnosis!
To Jack! Salute! Please celebrate responsibly. |
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Jack visited Dr. Beebe in Sacramento yesterday for acupuncture and a tune-up. He was in a great mood all day and marched into her office with tail and head held high. Despite the fact that she puts needles in him, he likes being there and I think he knows that she makes him feel better.
When she came in the exam room, he immediately got up to greet her. That’s the first time he’s done that. He was animated throughout the visit. What a difference from our first visit with her in November, when he laid on the floor and didn’t want to get up!
We talked with her about the dilemma with adding a new drug for his pulmonary hypertension. He’s on so many medications already; we are very reluctant to add another one unless it’s absolutely necessary. Dr. Beebe said she has treated this condition in many other dogs and cats over the years without medication and has had good success. She agreed that adding another drug at this point may not be advisable and she was confident she could help his condition.
Last night we talked a lot about it and decided to keep all of his medications the same, but not to add any more. Instead, we’ll see if Dr. Beebe is able treat his pulmonary hypertension. I think if we could ask Jack what he wants us to do, he would want to have Dr. Beebe treat him and he would ask us to please not add any more drugs to his daily medication cocktail. We just can’t justify adding more medication if a non-drug alternative exists.
After his acupuncture treatment yesterday, he slept in the car on the way home with a very relaxed and peaceful posture on his pillow in the back of the car. He was bright and very happy all evening and slept well pretty much all night... sprawled-out on his side on his bed, which is a sign that he was very comfortable. Today he’s alert and happy again, with a good appetite. All is well.
When she came in the exam room, he immediately got up to greet her. That’s the first time he’s done that. He was animated throughout the visit. What a difference from our first visit with her in November, when he laid on the floor and didn’t want to get up!
We talked with her about the dilemma with adding a new drug for his pulmonary hypertension. He’s on so many medications already; we are very reluctant to add another one unless it’s absolutely necessary. Dr. Beebe said she has treated this condition in many other dogs and cats over the years without medication and has had good success. She agreed that adding another drug at this point may not be advisable and she was confident she could help his condition.
Last night we talked a lot about it and decided to keep all of his medications the same, but not to add any more. Instead, we’ll see if Dr. Beebe is able treat his pulmonary hypertension. I think if we could ask Jack what he wants us to do, he would want to have Dr. Beebe treat him and he would ask us to please not add any more drugs to his daily medication cocktail. We just can’t justify adding more medication if a non-drug alternative exists.
After his acupuncture treatment yesterday, he slept in the car on the way home with a very relaxed and peaceful posture on his pillow in the back of the car. He was bright and very happy all evening and slept well pretty much all night... sprawled-out on his side on his bed, which is a sign that he was very comfortable. Today he’s alert and happy again, with a good appetite. All is well.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
It seems with each chemo treatment of Vincristine, Jack has a harder time with it. Rather than the usual “Vincristine Funk” of lethargy, Jack really became ill from it this weekend. He was fine on Thursday, but really wasn’t feeling good on Friday and even vomited for the first time since we started chemotherapy in October. He refused dinner on Friday night – also a first. In addition, Jack had diarrhea and was generally one unhappy boy!
By Saturday evening, however, all systems were returning to normal and Sunday was the average “funk” day of sleep but he was otherwise happy with a good appetite. As of tonight, we appear to be back on track.
A couple of weeks ago he had his check-up with his cardiologist, Dr. Hosking, for progress on his underlying heart disease. Although most things were stable, she determined that he now has pulmonary hypertension sufficient enough to warrant medication. Sadly, the medications that exist for this condition do not yet have generic equivalents and so they are very expensive. Granted, if Jack was human with this condition and had insurance, the cost would still be expensive but do-able. The cash price of this drug is over $500 per month. Ouch.
We are looking to see what options may exist, and Jack’s oncologist, Dr. Rebhun, is checking with the cardiology department at UC Davis to see what they prescribe for their patients with this condition. Jack is certainly not the only dog with pulmonary hypertension, and we are not the only people who consider $500+/month to be cost prohibitive! We don’t give up easily, so we’re gong to pursue every alternative we can think of. Stay tuned.
And finally – today marks 16 weeks since Jack was diagnosed with lymphoma. For those who have been following along, you know that he was only given 4 – 6 weeks to live at the time of diagnosis. So far it’s been an amazing journey with plenty of peaks and valleys, and as we look back we can say with certainty that we have no regrets and look forward to every new day that Jack is still with us.
By Saturday evening, however, all systems were returning to normal and Sunday was the average “funk” day of sleep but he was otherwise happy with a good appetite. As of tonight, we appear to be back on track.
A couple of weeks ago he had his check-up with his cardiologist, Dr. Hosking, for progress on his underlying heart disease. Although most things were stable, she determined that he now has pulmonary hypertension sufficient enough to warrant medication. Sadly, the medications that exist for this condition do not yet have generic equivalents and so they are very expensive. Granted, if Jack was human with this condition and had insurance, the cost would still be expensive but do-able. The cash price of this drug is over $500 per month. Ouch.
We are looking to see what options may exist, and Jack’s oncologist, Dr. Rebhun, is checking with the cardiology department at UC Davis to see what they prescribe for their patients with this condition. Jack is certainly not the only dog with pulmonary hypertension, and we are not the only people who consider $500+/month to be cost prohibitive! We don’t give up easily, so we’re gong to pursue every alternative we can think of. Stay tuned.
And finally – today marks 16 weeks since Jack was diagnosed with lymphoma. For those who have been following along, you know that he was only given 4 – 6 weeks to live at the time of diagnosis. So far it’s been an amazing journey with plenty of peaks and valleys, and as we look back we can say with certainty that we have no regrets and look forward to every new day that Jack is still with us.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Jack's chemo treatment today went off without a hitch. His blood test results were good - anemia has stabilized or slightly improved, his platelets are well within the normal range, and his white cell count remains normal. All good news!
We have learned that the white cell count is the most critical for chemo patients and the thing that apparently is the most likely to change throughout the treatment protocol. If it falls below normal, we have to suspend chemo until it recovers. Despite Jack's many health issues and his "mature" age, his white cell count has been in the normal range since day one, which is why we've never had to postpone a chemo treatment. The only numbers that did suffer were his platelets and those associated with anemia, but both have either recovered or at least improved slightly.
By the way, Jack's weight also remains stable. Although he's a few pounds more than he should be (just like his Mom and Dad), we're not too concerned because cancer dogs often lose weight. Honestly, each time he gets on the scale and it's the same as last time, it's a bit of a relief! Now, if only I could feel the same way every time I get on the scale...
We have learned that the white cell count is the most critical for chemo patients and the thing that apparently is the most likely to change throughout the treatment protocol. If it falls below normal, we have to suspend chemo until it recovers. Despite Jack's many health issues and his "mature" age, his white cell count has been in the normal range since day one, which is why we've never had to postpone a chemo treatment. The only numbers that did suffer were his platelets and those associated with anemia, but both have either recovered or at least improved slightly.
By the way, Jack's weight also remains stable. Although he's a few pounds more than he should be (just like his Mom and Dad), we're not too concerned because cancer dogs often lose weight. Honestly, each time he gets on the scale and it's the same as last time, it's a bit of a relief! Now, if only I could feel the same way every time I get on the scale...
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Wow! There’s just no other way to describe Jack’s walk today.
Linda, Jack, and Jenny headed to the mailbox this afternoon, thinking that’s as far as Jack would want to walk. As we’ve posted before, the mailboxes are about 2 blocks away. On Sunday afternoon, Jack didn’t want to walk much at all, and Linda actually thought that perhaps we had reached the point where Jack couldn’t go for walks anymore. Still, today he insisted on going with Linda and Jenny, so we thought the mailboxes would be our maximum destination.
As we walked up the street, a UPS truck came up from behind and passed us. Jack pulled on his leash with all his might, trying to gallop after it. That got the adrenalin flowing! We turned into the park just behind the mailboxes, and he started trotting toward the sagebrush (just beyond the grassy park). The trails make a large figure 8, with our mailboxes at the south end. Usually we turn left at the bottom of the 8 but this time Jack decided to go right. Linda let him off his leash, and he walked all the way to the other end at the top of the 8! He needed no coaxing at all. For those of you who know our trails, this is the part that runs along behind the houses.
If we had left it up to him, Jack would have kept going and made the full figure 8, but Linda didn’t really feel like getting out to the furthest distance in the sage brush, only to have him wear-out. So they came out at the north end and walked back along our street on the sidewalk.
This was an amazing walk for Jack. He hasn’t walked on that stretch of trail in many months – probably since last spring or summer – and he clearly enjoyed himself. Jack continues to teach us to take each day as it comes and to just live in the now. As one of our readers, Lynne, reminded us, that’s why “today” is a gift we call the “present.”
Linda, Jack, and Jenny headed to the mailbox this afternoon, thinking that’s as far as Jack would want to walk. As we’ve posted before, the mailboxes are about 2 blocks away. On Sunday afternoon, Jack didn’t want to walk much at all, and Linda actually thought that perhaps we had reached the point where Jack couldn’t go for walks anymore. Still, today he insisted on going with Linda and Jenny, so we thought the mailboxes would be our maximum destination.
As we walked up the street, a UPS truck came up from behind and passed us. Jack pulled on his leash with all his might, trying to gallop after it. That got the adrenalin flowing! We turned into the park just behind the mailboxes, and he started trotting toward the sagebrush (just beyond the grassy park). The trails make a large figure 8, with our mailboxes at the south end. Usually we turn left at the bottom of the 8 but this time Jack decided to go right. Linda let him off his leash, and he walked all the way to the other end at the top of the 8! He needed no coaxing at all. For those of you who know our trails, this is the part that runs along behind the houses.
If we had left it up to him, Jack would have kept going and made the full figure 8, but Linda didn’t really feel like getting out to the furthest distance in the sage brush, only to have him wear-out. So they came out at the north end and walked back along our street on the sidewalk.
This was an amazing walk for Jack. He hasn’t walked on that stretch of trail in many months – probably since last spring or summer – and he clearly enjoyed himself. Jack continues to teach us to take each day as it comes and to just live in the now. As one of our readers, Lynne, reminded us, that’s why “today” is a gift we call the “present.”
Monday, January 25, 2010
We started giving Jack Metacam again for his arthritis. Our experiment to see how long he could go without it – after an acupuncture treatment – ended on Saturday when he was visibly hurting. It took a couple of days on Metacam and he seems to be okay again… not as stiff. He still really thinks about lying down and we can see that his hips hurt, but he’s getting around easier and he’s able to stretch again.
This coming weekend will be 4 months (16 weeks) since diagnosis. It’s hard for us to believe. We agonized over the decision about whether to do chemo, and in hindsight we see it was exactly the right decision for us. He still goes everywhere with us, still enjoys his meals, still plays with Jenny, and still takes his two favorite toys (the “flip-it” and his Kong) outside to enjoy... which means carrying them through two dog doors (one from kitchen to patio room and one from patio room to the yard) and lying in the grass to happily consume their contents. He still follows us through the house from room to room and barks with reckless abandon while we’re fixing his meals - to be sure we get it right.
Jack and Jenny stopped by Linda’s office last Thursday afternoon to say hello to everyone. Several people remember the day Linda’s co-worker picked him up in the desert and brought him to the office hoping to find him a home. He has been a fairly regular visitor and is known to almost everyone, but he hasn’t stopped in since his diagnosis. Everyone commented on how great he looked. I think some people were expecting to see a sickly-looking dog but instead he checked-out everyone’s trash bin looking for leftovers and generally acted like a normal, mature dog.
Jack has Chemo Treatment #11 this week – Vincristine – so we anticipate the “Vincristine funk” this weekend. Having treatments every-other week has been a pleasure and I know Jack is happy for it.
This coming weekend will be 4 months (16 weeks) since diagnosis. It’s hard for us to believe. We agonized over the decision about whether to do chemo, and in hindsight we see it was exactly the right decision for us. He still goes everywhere with us, still enjoys his meals, still plays with Jenny, and still takes his two favorite toys (the “flip-it” and his Kong) outside to enjoy... which means carrying them through two dog doors (one from kitchen to patio room and one from patio room to the yard) and lying in the grass to happily consume their contents. He still follows us through the house from room to room and barks with reckless abandon while we’re fixing his meals - to be sure we get it right.
Jack and Jenny stopped by Linda’s office last Thursday afternoon to say hello to everyone. Several people remember the day Linda’s co-worker picked him up in the desert and brought him to the office hoping to find him a home. He has been a fairly regular visitor and is known to almost everyone, but he hasn’t stopped in since his diagnosis. Everyone commented on how great he looked. I think some people were expecting to see a sickly-looking dog but instead he checked-out everyone’s trash bin looking for leftovers and generally acted like a normal, mature dog.
Jack has Chemo Treatment #11 this week – Vincristine – so we anticipate the “Vincristine funk” this weekend. Having treatments every-other week has been a pleasure and I know Jack is happy for it.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Jack responds extremely well to his treatments with Dr. Beebe. So well in fact that we decided to see how he would do without taking any Metacam for his arthritis. We were curious how long it would take before we noticed any signs that the stiffness or discomfort was coming back. Answer: today. So Jack got Metacam with his dinner tonight, and should be feeling much better by tomorrow. He had a pretty active day yesterday – helping John clear snow off the patio, driveway and sidewalks, and today the sun was finally shining so we took a nice ride to Markleeville for lunch.
Tomorrow is 15 weeks since diagnosis, and if the weather holds off we’ll see if Jack wants to celebrate with a walk in the park.
Tomorrow is 15 weeks since diagnosis, and if the weather holds off we’ll see if Jack wants to celebrate with a walk in the park.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
We braved the elements yesterday and made a trek over the mountains to see Dr. Beebe in Sacramento. A series of storms is pounding us this week and all of the highways have chain requirements, unless you have a 4WD. Thankfully, Jack’s fleet includes a Subaru Forester, so off we went.
Let’s just say that coming home yesterday over Highway 50 was the winter wonderland you see on Christmas cards. The trees were plastered with snow, the scattered cabins had feet of snow on their roofs with a few lights here and there in the windows, and there was no one on the road but us!
Dr. Beebe (http://integrativeveterinarycenter.com) is treating Jack primarily for his anemia with an herbal remedy and for his arthritis with acupuncture. She did the electro-acupuncture and Adequan injections again yesterday and he responded very well. Tonight his eyes are bright and he’s a very happy boy. It’s absolutely worth the trip down there for these kinds of results. We’ll take him again every two weeks for a couple of months so he can get the full benefit of these treatments. After that, we should be able to go on a slower maintenance program and see her once a month.
Really, when you consider his prognosis back in October, the fact that we’ve reached this point and are even talking about a longer-term maintenance program is remarkable! I asked Dr. Beebe yesterday what she would recommend once Jack comes out of remission, and her answer was “How about we do everything we can to keep him in remission?” I like that attitude. Once he finishes his chemotherapy regimen, we’ll see what she can do to help us stay in remission for as long as possible.
Let’s just say that coming home yesterday over Highway 50 was the winter wonderland you see on Christmas cards. The trees were plastered with snow, the scattered cabins had feet of snow on their roofs with a few lights here and there in the windows, and there was no one on the road but us!
Dr. Beebe (http://integrativeveterinarycenter.com) is treating Jack primarily for his anemia with an herbal remedy and for his arthritis with acupuncture. She did the electro-acupuncture and Adequan injections again yesterday and he responded very well. Tonight his eyes are bright and he’s a very happy boy. It’s absolutely worth the trip down there for these kinds of results. We’ll take him again every two weeks for a couple of months so he can get the full benefit of these treatments. After that, we should be able to go on a slower maintenance program and see her once a month.
Really, when you consider his prognosis back in October, the fact that we’ve reached this point and are even talking about a longer-term maintenance program is remarkable! I asked Dr. Beebe yesterday what she would recommend once Jack comes out of remission, and her answer was “How about we do everything we can to keep him in remission?” I like that attitude. Once he finishes his chemotherapy regimen, we’ll see what she can do to help us stay in remission for as long as possible.
Monday, January 18, 2010
We had a good appointment this morning with Jack’s cardiologist, Dr. Hosking. We haven’t talked much about his heart disease because this website is about his lymphoma. In fact, Jack has several things wrong with his heart that we’ve known about since July 2008, most of which were stable for a year and then got worse by July 2009 when he had to go on two heart medications. We thought it was progression of his heart condition that was slowing him down when we found out he had lymphoma.
Of course, deciding whether or not he could handle chemo was based largely on concern that it would negatively impact his heart. We didn’t want to speed up his heart disease, but if we hadn’t done chemo, Jack would have been gone by Thanksgiving. Looking back with the hindsight given to us after 14 weeks since his diagnosis, we can happily say we made the right decision. But trust me, it was a tough decision to make for fear we would further harm his heart.
As it turns out, he still has not reached congestive heart failure (HOORAY!) and most of his problems are pretty much stable (double HOORAY!). Dr. Hosking actually used the term “Stable Mable” which is what we wanted to hear. However, the right side of his heart is now becoming enlarged (left side has been enlarged for a while) and his tricuspid regurgitation is worse, which means he has pulmonary hypertension. Dr. Hosking is looking to see what options we have for medication that won’t completely break the bank.
After our appointment, Jack, Jenny, and I took a drive to Reno for a walk before the snow storm, and to have lunch with John (we are enjoying the holiday… John is working). As I drove home from Reno and thought about our visit with Dr. Hosking, it occurred to me that Jack’s heart disease is progressing as heart disease does, and this is probably the news we would have gotten today with or without lymphoma. I don’t think the chemo hastened the progression and it certainly didn’t throw his heart into irreversible trauma or shorten his life.
So despite some progression of heart disease, our boy is still here… he’s still in remission… he still enjoyed his walk in Reno… and he still enjoyed his car ride, barking at every UPS truck or UPS truck in disguise (i.e. FedEx) that he could see.
I also want to mention one of the ways we measure time in his house. One of Jack's heart medications, Vetmedin, comes in bottles of 50 pills. At 2 per day, each jar lasts us 25 days. We order them from Drs. Foster and Smith. I placed an order in early September and accidentally ordered 4 bottles – I usually order 2 at a time. When I realized my mistake, I thought “Uh-oh. We’ll never use all 4 bottles. He won’t be here that long.” I even made contingency plans for where to donate the left-over medication to a rescue organization with a dog who also has heart disease.
I ordered those 4 bottles before his lymphoma diagnosis when I thought we were only dealing with heart disease and the risk of sudden heart failure due to his arrhythmia (which is better, by the way!). When the lymphoma diagnosis came and we opted for chemo, I knew we’d never use all 4 bottles…
We’ve now gone through those 4 bottles and I had to order more! We’re almost done with Bottle #5, about to start Bottle #6, and I’ll soon have to place yet another order for 2 more.
Life is good.
Of course, deciding whether or not he could handle chemo was based largely on concern that it would negatively impact his heart. We didn’t want to speed up his heart disease, but if we hadn’t done chemo, Jack would have been gone by Thanksgiving. Looking back with the hindsight given to us after 14 weeks since his diagnosis, we can happily say we made the right decision. But trust me, it was a tough decision to make for fear we would further harm his heart.
As it turns out, he still has not reached congestive heart failure (HOORAY!) and most of his problems are pretty much stable (double HOORAY!). Dr. Hosking actually used the term “Stable Mable” which is what we wanted to hear. However, the right side of his heart is now becoming enlarged (left side has been enlarged for a while) and his tricuspid regurgitation is worse, which means he has pulmonary hypertension. Dr. Hosking is looking to see what options we have for medication that won’t completely break the bank.
After our appointment, Jack, Jenny, and I took a drive to Reno for a walk before the snow storm, and to have lunch with John (we are enjoying the holiday… John is working). As I drove home from Reno and thought about our visit with Dr. Hosking, it occurred to me that Jack’s heart disease is progressing as heart disease does, and this is probably the news we would have gotten today with or without lymphoma. I don’t think the chemo hastened the progression and it certainly didn’t throw his heart into irreversible trauma or shorten his life.
So despite some progression of heart disease, our boy is still here… he’s still in remission… he still enjoyed his walk in Reno… and he still enjoyed his car ride, barking at every UPS truck or UPS truck in disguise (i.e. FedEx) that he could see.
I also want to mention one of the ways we measure time in his house. One of Jack's heart medications, Vetmedin, comes in bottles of 50 pills. At 2 per day, each jar lasts us 25 days. We order them from Drs. Foster and Smith. I placed an order in early September and accidentally ordered 4 bottles – I usually order 2 at a time. When I realized my mistake, I thought “Uh-oh. We’ll never use all 4 bottles. He won’t be here that long.” I even made contingency plans for where to donate the left-over medication to a rescue organization with a dog who also has heart disease.
I ordered those 4 bottles before his lymphoma diagnosis when I thought we were only dealing with heart disease and the risk of sudden heart failure due to his arrhythmia (which is better, by the way!). When the lymphoma diagnosis came and we opted for chemo, I knew we’d never use all 4 bottles…
We’ve now gone through those 4 bottles and I had to order more! We’re almost done with Bottle #5, about to start Bottle #6, and I’ll soon have to place yet another order for 2 more.
Life is good.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
It’s hard to believe another week has raced by – Jack handled his cyclophosphamide treatment very well with only a little fatigue over the weekend. Today marks 14 weeks since diagnosis, and the lymphoma remains in remission. In fact, Jack is doing well enough with his cancer treatments that we’ve scheduled a check-up with his cardiologist for tomorrow. Jack has been fighting some fairly serious heart disease for quite a while, and when he was diagnosed with lymphoma we had to re-focus our efforts. We’re anxious to see the results of his tests and are hopeful that there has been no further deterioration or weakening of his heart over the last three months.
For those readers that have been following along, you will remember that we visited UC Davis last December 5th when the UC Davis Vet Aide Club was holding their fundraiser – pet photos with Santa. We had a great time, and met some really great “future” veterinarians. At the time, one of the girls started taking photos of Jack, somebody gave him a Santa hat, and it was nothing but fun. We have kept in touch, and she recently sent us the photos. This photo was just too cute not to share – it’s Jack with Ali Wunderman (Vet Aide Club member) in a photo taken by Anjolie Daryani (Vet Aide Club member). Anjolie also asked if they could use a photo of Jack in their calendar this year. As soon as we have the link, we’ll put it up so any readers who would like to support the UC Davis Vet Aide Club can order one.
For those readers that have been following along, you will remember that we visited UC Davis last December 5th when the UC Davis Vet Aide Club was holding their fundraiser – pet photos with Santa. We had a great time, and met some really great “future” veterinarians. At the time, one of the girls started taking photos of Jack, somebody gave him a Santa hat, and it was nothing but fun. We have kept in touch, and she recently sent us the photos. This photo was just too cute not to share – it’s Jack with Ali Wunderman (Vet Aide Club member) in a photo taken by Anjolie Daryani (Vet Aide Club member). Anjolie also asked if they could use a photo of Jack in their calendar this year. As soon as we have the link, we’ll put it up so any readers who would like to support the UC Davis Vet Aide Club can order one.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
In anticipation of Jack’s chemo Treatment #10 this week (pills he takes at home for three days), we went for a blood test and overall check-up today with Dr. Schneider. Good news! His anemia is better, his platelet count is up, and his white blood cells remain normal. He still appears to be in remission and his blood pressure is good.
It just doesn’t get any better than that! So we’re on target for chemo this week. Next Monday, he has a check-up with his cardiologist, Dr. Hosking, who hasn’t seen him since September (pre-diagnosis). We have some anxiety about that visit because we’re hoping his heart disease is no worse. There certainly are no outward signs of any change.
By the way, Jack has a new friend in New York who found our website and contacted us. She’s an adorable miniature schnauzer named Betsy… who has her own website! Her Mom asked if she could put a link to our site on her site, and of course we said yes. Check out Betsy at: www.betsyboo.net.
It just doesn’t get any better than that! So we’re on target for chemo this week. Next Monday, he has a check-up with his cardiologist, Dr. Hosking, who hasn’t seen him since September (pre-diagnosis). We have some anxiety about that visit because we’re hoping his heart disease is no worse. There certainly are no outward signs of any change.
By the way, Jack has a new friend in New York who found our website and contacted us. She’s an adorable miniature schnauzer named Betsy… who has her own website! Her Mom asked if she could put a link to our site on her site, and of course we said yes. Check out Betsy at: www.betsyboo.net.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Jack has responded well to his treatments with Dr. Beebe. We have noticed an improvement in his mobility and interest level, but his stamina remains low. We’re pretty sure having the extra week between chemo treatments is also contributing to his well-being. In fact, Jack was feeling so good this weekend that we decided to take a day-trip down to Sacramento and Davis to get out of the fog that has settled into our area for the last few days. As we drove up into Hope Valley we enjoyed blue sky and bright sunshine. When we made our ‘rest stop’ in Placerville it was sunny and 60 degrees. The only problem with our plan was that Sacramento was fogged in too. Oh well. Jack got a great ride, a nice walk on campus, and a side of roast turkey from Pluto’s out of it all. Today he stumbled a little bit coming down his steps out of the car, and seemed stiff at first but once his hips loosened up he trotted around more than we’ve seen in a long time. He’s definitely ‘interested and engaged.’
Today marks 13 weeks since diagnosis. What an amazing journey it has been for us all. Now that we’re in the third cycle in his protocol, and the treatments are every other week rather than weekly, there hasn’t been as much to write about so our blogging has slowed down a bit. Going forward we’ll continue to post several times a week providing updates as things come along. This week he has his blood test on Tuesday and Treatment #10 (Cyclophosphamide) beginning Wednesday. We’re going to be looking for improvement in his red cell count this week since the numbers were low on his last test.
And thanks again to everyone who has been following along with us and sharing words of hope and encouragement – it is deeply appreciated.
Today marks 13 weeks since diagnosis. What an amazing journey it has been for us all. Now that we’re in the third cycle in his protocol, and the treatments are every other week rather than weekly, there hasn’t been as much to write about so our blogging has slowed down a bit. Going forward we’ll continue to post several times a week providing updates as things come along. This week he has his blood test on Tuesday and Treatment #10 (Cyclophosphamide) beginning Wednesday. We’re going to be looking for improvement in his red cell count this week since the numbers were low on his last test.
And thanks again to everyone who has been following along with us and sharing words of hope and encouragement – it is deeply appreciated.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Today was our trip to Sacramento to see integrative vet Dr. Beebe (http://integrativeveterinarycenter.com). She hasn’t seen Jack since November 16 – only a few short days after that awful nosebleed incident. Jack’s Grandma (Linda’s Mom) went along for the ride, and we pulled out of the driveway right on schedule at 7am. There was a bit of snow on the roads but nothing too bad, and we ended up getting to Sacramento by 9:35 for our 10:30 appointment.
How to kill time? Coincidentally, Dr. Beebe’s office is a short distance from Squirrel Park, which is actually named East Portal Park. We’ve visited this park for many years and it has always been one of Jack’s favorite places – it’s literally crawling with squirrels and is a very nice and very clean city park in a nice, older neighborhood with huge old trees.
Today it lived up to the nickname Squirrel Park and Jack and Jenny had a good time chasing after squirrels, pulling Linda first in this direction, then in that direction… It was an unexpected surprise today and tired him out before seeing Dr. Beebe.
She was very pleased that Jack has finished his weekly chemo treatments because this will allow us to do some good holistic work between treatments. We are thrilled to have found a vet like her who has been doing this for 20 years and who fully understands and appreciates the need for western medicine, while being able to support Jack’s health needs and help him through his treatments with a holistic approach.
Dr. Beebe was concerned about his arthritic hips and could see immediately that he needed some additional care. She gave him some small injections of Adequan, (http://www.adequancanine.us/) which specifically supports cartilage health and helps to stop or even reverse the affects of arthritis. In fact, last summer we met a lady and her dog at Squaw Valley who told us her dog wasn’t able to walk at all until his vet gave him Adequan, so when Dr. Beebe mentioned it, we were happy to try it.
She also gave Jack an acupuncture treatment with the needles hooked up to electrodes. Jack took it like a pro and was very relaxed. In fact, he was more alert and happy in the car on the way home after his treatment, than on the ride down.
The other concerns we discussed were his anemia and platelet count, both of which have been adversely affected by the chemo. Dr. Beebe said she will be able to help that with a good blood-supporting herbal supplement, and if all goes according to plan, we should start to see improvement in those numbers in only a couple of weeks. We hope so!
Meanwhile, she thought Jack looked good and agreed that he’s tolerated his chemo treatments as well as could be expected. She seemed pleased with his progress.
It was a great visit and we plan to see her again in a couple of weeks for another check-up and treatment. Let’s hope the weather cooperates!
How to kill time? Coincidentally, Dr. Beebe’s office is a short distance from Squirrel Park, which is actually named East Portal Park. We’ve visited this park for many years and it has always been one of Jack’s favorite places – it’s literally crawling with squirrels and is a very nice and very clean city park in a nice, older neighborhood with huge old trees.
Today it lived up to the nickname Squirrel Park and Jack and Jenny had a good time chasing after squirrels, pulling Linda first in this direction, then in that direction… It was an unexpected surprise today and tired him out before seeing Dr. Beebe.
She was very pleased that Jack has finished his weekly chemo treatments because this will allow us to do some good holistic work between treatments. We are thrilled to have found a vet like her who has been doing this for 20 years and who fully understands and appreciates the need for western medicine, while being able to support Jack’s health needs and help him through his treatments with a holistic approach.
Dr. Beebe was concerned about his arthritic hips and could see immediately that he needed some additional care. She gave him some small injections of Adequan, (http://www.adequancanine.us/) which specifically supports cartilage health and helps to stop or even reverse the affects of arthritis. In fact, last summer we met a lady and her dog at Squaw Valley who told us her dog wasn’t able to walk at all until his vet gave him Adequan, so when Dr. Beebe mentioned it, we were happy to try it.
She also gave Jack an acupuncture treatment with the needles hooked up to electrodes. Jack took it like a pro and was very relaxed. In fact, he was more alert and happy in the car on the way home after his treatment, than on the ride down.
The other concerns we discussed were his anemia and platelet count, both of which have been adversely affected by the chemo. Dr. Beebe said she will be able to help that with a good blood-supporting herbal supplement, and if all goes according to plan, we should start to see improvement in those numbers in only a couple of weeks. We hope so!
Meanwhile, she thought Jack looked good and agreed that he’s tolerated his chemo treatments as well as could be expected. She seemed pleased with his progress.
It was a great visit and we plan to see her again in a couple of weeks for another check-up and treatment. Let’s hope the weather cooperates!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Yesterday we headed out for a walk after work to enjoy the nice weather, and walked around the block behind our house. Jack trotted for the first half, but really plodded along for the second half. So today Linda decided to take Jenny for a good walk and leave Jack home to rest. He looked very tired and Jenny really needed a decent walk.
The minute Linda and Jenny headed quietly for the front door, Jack marched along, wagging his tail. Linda told him he should stay home and rest, but he would have none of that. They leashed him up and took him along… once again thinking a walk to the mailboxes would be all he could handle (2 blocks away).
He trotted almost all the way to the mailboxes and headed out into the park... sniffing everything along the way. They would have easily made it to “the dirt pile” mentioned in the Christmas Day blog, but the snow is melting now and the trails are quite muddy. Although not as far as Jack would have liked, they had a very nice time. On the way back out of the park, a UPS truck went by the mailboxes and Jack went nuts. He’s always had a “thing” for UPS trucks and still does. He and Jenny started barking and jumping around, and pulled Linda much of the way back home, trying in vain to catch the elusive truck.
Tomorrow is our rescheduled trip to Sacramento to see Dr. Beebe – the trip that was postponed from last week’s snow storm. And yes, tonight is the only night this week that we have the chance for snow, but it’s a slim chance and the snow level should remain high. Barring some freak blizzard, we’re going no matter what.
The minute Linda and Jenny headed quietly for the front door, Jack marched along, wagging his tail. Linda told him he should stay home and rest, but he would have none of that. They leashed him up and took him along… once again thinking a walk to the mailboxes would be all he could handle (2 blocks away).
He trotted almost all the way to the mailboxes and headed out into the park... sniffing everything along the way. They would have easily made it to “the dirt pile” mentioned in the Christmas Day blog, but the snow is melting now and the trails are quite muddy. Although not as far as Jack would have liked, they had a very nice time. On the way back out of the park, a UPS truck went by the mailboxes and Jack went nuts. He’s always had a “thing” for UPS trucks and still does. He and Jenny started barking and jumping around, and pulled Linda much of the way back home, trying in vain to catch the elusive truck.
Tomorrow is our rescheduled trip to Sacramento to see Dr. Beebe – the trip that was postponed from last week’s snow storm. And yes, tonight is the only night this week that we have the chance for snow, but it’s a slim chance and the snow level should remain high. Barring some freak blizzard, we’re going no matter what.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Jack’s feeling good today! He slept well last night and was animated for breakfast… feisty at lunch… and gave Dr. Rinehimer “the business” during his acupuncture session this afternoon. He certainly made her work for every needle she put in (he always gets 15). Since we got home this evening, he’s got a big smile on his face, his eyes are bright, and he’s in the middle of everything.
That’s my boy.
That’s my boy.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s been a busy Holiday season at our house, but things are gradually getting back to ‘normal’ – as ‘normal’ as living with a lymphoma dog can be… We managed to stay on schedule with acupuncture last Monday, and Treatment #9 (Vincristine) on Wednesday evening. This marks the start of the third time through the chemo cycle and by now we’ve got a pretty good idea what to expect. Vincristine is the toughest on Jack of all the treatments – it really zaps his energy. We call it the ‘Vincristine Funk.’ It usually hits full force by day 2 after treatment, and lasts until the afternoon of day 4 and this time was no different. On the bright side – severe fatigue remains the only noticeable side effect from the chemo. Jack’s appetite remains strong, his eyes are bright and there is no question that he is interested and engaged.
Today marks 12 weeks since diagnosis. This is truly remarkable when you recall that Jack was given just 4 – 6 weeks to live without treatment. From the beginning, Jack’s quality of life has been our number one priority and watching him continue to eat, beg for car rides, initiate play with Jenny, hop up on the bed in the morning for treats, and generally act like a dog all tells us that he’s doing as well as can be expected with chemotherapy.
Now that the protocol changes to treatments every-other week there’s a little anxiety that he may come out of remission. If so, there are still a few options available to us but we will cross that bridge when we get there. One of the greatest lessons we’ve learned from our dogs is to celebrate the ‘is’ not the ‘was’ or the ‘what if.’ So we enjoy Jack’s company every day, and every day is something special.
Today marks 12 weeks since diagnosis. This is truly remarkable when you recall that Jack was given just 4 – 6 weeks to live without treatment. From the beginning, Jack’s quality of life has been our number one priority and watching him continue to eat, beg for car rides, initiate play with Jenny, hop up on the bed in the morning for treats, and generally act like a dog all tells us that he’s doing as well as can be expected with chemotherapy.
Now that the protocol changes to treatments every-other week there’s a little anxiety that he may come out of remission. If so, there are still a few options available to us but we will cross that bridge when we get there. One of the greatest lessons we’ve learned from our dogs is to celebrate the ‘is’ not the ‘was’ or the ‘what if.’ So we enjoy Jack’s company every day, and every day is something special.