January 28 and 29

January 28, 2012:  day off from treatment: 

January 29, 2012:  day off from treatment:

Today I have to take a minute and thank everyone for their kind words, support, well wishes and prayers.  When we got the initial diagnosis, I never once thought it was a death sentence.  Sadly some cancers are.  For me, they were ‘fightin’ words. 

Writing this journal has been therapeutic for me. I am glad you find yourselves laughing.  The hard times don’t seem so hard when you find a reason to laugh.  I know I have not always lived my life that way.  Trust me, it is a much easier way to live.  If you could meet Arri, you would see that there is a reason to laugh.  He is just a hoot.  There are not too many dogs that are so excited to go to the vet.  When they take the annual blood draw for heartworm, after they remove the needle, Arri will follow the tech to the counter and do an UP to see what she is doing next.  He could care less that she just jabbed him in the leg with a sharp object. 

To follow up on a topic someone brought up.  Making the decision for treatment is a very personal decision.  Looking back, my vet was very careful in his wording so as not to try to persuade me in any direction.  Initially I found this unhelpful and quite annoying.  I realize though that it forced me into doing the homework myself.  Time, money, type of illness, degree of illness and quality of life are all factors that need to be considered.  There are those who ask if it is worth it financially. (For those who could not do treatment due to cost, there are foundations out there to help).  There are those who think I am nuts for making the daily drive.  Either I should not do the treatment or I should kennel for the duration.  I think I have done pretty well in my responses.  So far I have not reached out and smacked anyone.  I am sure there are some that think ‘it is just a dog’.  Those folk are wise enough to keep that thought in their head.  No matter what choice is made, it has to be the one that is best for the family. 

Arri and I have had some interesting quality time together in the car.  He is holding up incredibly well.   I can tell he is a little under the weather because when I plant myself on the sofa, he sprawls out across me. A bit more snuggly than normal.   Every so often, I see a little hitch in his step, like there was some pain.  But we can handle it.  He certainly has not lost his desire to go to the park.

I appreciate the e-mails.  I hope someday this journal will help someone else who has to make the trip into the unknown, scary world of cancer.