Jan 30: Slack off for a week and you forget so much

So last week I noticed Arri had BB's growing again.  We are pretty sure they are benign cysts but have never been able to get a definitive answer.  I found 5 of them on him.  They are just under the skin and feel like BB pellets.   One day, the one on his collar bone/shoulder started growing.  Within 3 days, it was larger than a peanut M&M and looked like a monster pimple.  It clearly irritated Arri to touch it so I left it alone and kind of forgot about it for a day.  I went to check a day or so later and it was completely gone.  I could not find any sign of it.

A few days before his chemo treatment, I noticed one on his belly was growing.  I wanted to take him to the vet but decided there wasn't any point.  Arri is already getting chemo so there is not much else to do.  This one also started to hurt him when touched.  When I dropped the boy off for chemo, I pointed it out.  While he was there, the Dr did a needle aspiration.  From what he saw, he believed it was a sarcoma.  He thought the one that disappeared may also have been a sarcoma but the chemo attacked it and won.  Now that he has a fresh dose of Carboplatin, maybe the one on his belly will go away also.

Tonight I was petting Arri and it is driving me nuts.  I found 5 more BB pellets growing.  He was being a goof, sitting next to me on the sofa, wiggling and wanting me to scratch him.  I scratched on ear and then moved the the other.  Just as I was rubbing, Arri started flipping his head and pawing at his nose. At that point I felt a huge lump.  Huge being relative.  At the base of his ear, just below the entrance to the ear canal is a swollen BB about the size of a shelled almond.  It had dried blood on the end - Arri has been scratching when I wasn't looking.  I tried to get a good look but it clearly pained him.  I will try to ignore this one for a few days and see what happens.

He now has BB's on his legs, chest, belly, neck ribs, back, ear and tonight I found one starting on the top of his head.  What am I going to do with this boy.  He is like a cancer petri dish.


The other thing was that I got a copy of Arri's x-rays from Jan 2 - before he went to MSU.  I can say it is fascinating now only because Arri has recovered and is doing so well.  It was terrifying 3 weeks ago.  This x-ray was taken after over 100cc's of fluid were removed from Arri's chest.  All the white in the lower right corner - not supposed to be white. In the first x-ray, the black blob in the middle was not visible.

Overall, post Chemo treatment #2 has been good.  A little under the weather but I did not have to make meatloaf.  A little baby food gravy on his kibble and he was happy.  He still takes daily trips to the park and wants to play in the evenings.  It is almost 8:45.  I imagine he will come tell me it is bedtime soon.

Jan 27: under the weather..just a bit

We have not had much to report in the last week other than all great days.  His royal highness now expects breakfast in bed.  He is awake and alert, perky eared, waiting for food to arrive.  Most of the day, he is hanging out - close by.  In the evenings, he gets playful, wanting to play tug of war with me, but not so much with the other dogs.  Around 8:45 he starts to get restless.  Does he need to go out?  Is he sick?...Nope...the boy just wants everyone to go to bed.

The other night, Tim went to the bedroom and Arri followed.  He then moved to the office. I thought Arri was with him.    I was still on the sofa.  I am not sure how much time passed but I heard whimpering and a light woof.  Thinking something was wrong, I moved quickly to the office to see if Arri was ok.  He wasn't there.  I ran to the bedroom.  He was in the dark, on the very edge of the bed looking very anxious.  Apparently, Tim put him up on the bed and left the room.  Arri was not at all happy that no one came to bed with him.  I grabbed my book and snuggled up with him.  He was much happier.

As far as eating, Arri is off the meatloaf and baby food.  He decided he likes Oregon's Eukenuba so that is what I have kept him on.  I have a stock pile of baby food for the next round of chemo.

The other big event of the week was Oregon's first true snow.  An inch of snow doesn't count.  We finally got dumped on with 9 inches.  Oregon had a blast.  Problem was that Arri had not dealt with this much since he lost his leg.  We shoveled paths in the yard to make it easier.  He would bounce down part of a path and then detour through the deep snow.  His way of saying 'thanks for the offer but I can do it myself'.  There are no real obstacles for that boy.

Jan 22, 2013 - lovin' the snow

Friday, Jan 24 was Arri's second chemo treatment.  Our local vet was willing to give the treatment so we didn't have to drive up to MSU.  Arri was happy to be there and willingly went to the back room.  He has maintained his weight.  I picked him back up at 4:00.  They said he was a bit wiggly during treatment so he had a band-aid on his leg from the IV.  I can feed him whatever he has been eating.  It is ok if he turns his nose up at food for a day or two but beyond that, I should give him the appetite stimulant.  Once home, he was just as happy as can be.  No side effects yet.

post chemo round 2 - Oregon is making sure Arri is ok.

Saturday - food is still yummy.  In the evening, we see the first signs that all may not be peachy.  It was just a glazed look in his eyes.

Sunday:  This morning he was not so perky.  He was not waiting for his breakfast - he was still resting his head.  I gave him only 1/2 of the eukenuba and then a small can of puppy mush.  He ate slower than typical but did finish the whole bowl.   I went to the gym after feeding the dogs and Tim said Arri cried and jumped off the bed after me.  He is not normally clingy so he must be a bit under the weather.  Overall, he is much better than after the last chemo...so far.

He made it almost impossible to go to church.  For the last month, we have not been making him go to the bedroom when we leave.  He just lays at the front door and waits.  Well, when he gets clingy, he does not want to be left home - period.  As we put on our coats and got Oregon ready to go, there is Arri at the garage door doing the happy dance.   He had so much energy and wanted to go with.  It broke my heart to leave him.  Tim had to hold him so I could get out the door with Oregon then Tim managed to get out.

Jan 17: The boy is back in town!

 For many years, Arri was my 6:03 am alarm clock.  Since his cancer last year, he has retired from that position.  He would get up whenever I got up to feed everyone.  Since he got home from the hospital two weeks ago, he gets up when he absolutely has to go outside, sometime around 7:30 am.  This morning, he got out of bed before 6:00 am.

More and more energy it seems.  Arri is back to daily, albeit short trips to the park.

 It has been 15 days of odd eating habits but improving appetite. Tonight was the first time Arri was bouncing with the rest of the dogs, excited for dinner.  Normally he is always fed first but when I was delivering meals to where he sat, he was last so I could keep the mongrels from moving in on his food.  He was fed last tonight only because we were not expecting him to be standing in line with the rest so his plate was not ready.  I put his variety of foods in his bowl and let him stand at the head of the chow line.   He ate it down with gusto.

It is getting easier to forget he has an incurable cancer.  While the chemo knocked him on his butt for a number of days, it also seems to be kicking the pants off the cancer.   While there is no way to know what is happening on the inside without tests, x-rays etc, based on behavior  Arri is feeling great.   I did not expect such excellent results.

Jan 16, Oopps, sorry Oregon

In light of all the loss the last week, we have held off celebrating Arri's health.  But now, we need some good news.  Arri is doing fantastic.  Two weeks ago, I didn't expect to still have him around.  This week has been pretty incredible.

To say Arri has been a bit of a distraction might be an understatement.    I received an e-mail for a free 8x8 photo book.  I had 5 days to assemble and get it ordered before the offer expired.  I spent 6 hours working on it yesterday.  Should it have taken so long?  No.  I decided to make a new 'Arri' book.  Once pup #2 came along, Arri's puppy book was seldom updated.  All his pictures are found in the last 11 puppy books.  So I have spent 3 days roughly - between working - combing old albums that were pre-digital camera and searching all the digital files for Arri photos.  What I learned is that most of his photos are either by himself or  with a large group.  Not to many one on one photos with each pup.  I was trying to create a page with each of the pups he has raised.  The thing is, that after pup #3, he didn't want to have much to do with the new dog.  In addition, he is not keen on having his picture taken.  He has impeccable timing for turning his head so I get profile pictures.  To add to the time consuming task, I am not great at labeling my photos.  I have to figure out which dog it was based on the year.  Then there was the back to back black dogs.  Can I tell them apart? - not on your life.  I have to check the date to know who is who.  I so appreciate digital cameras that date stamp the file.  My first digital point and shoot did not have the date built in.  Never again, it is a requirement for purchase.

Happy 1st Birthday Oregon!

So why am I saying sorry to Oregon?  Yesterday was his first birthday.  I remembered many times during the day but was waiting for Tim to get home to have the 'party'.  Tim got home and I was immersed in the photo book and completely forgot.  I had frosty paws and everything.  So today I am going to run downtown for a special treat from the dog bakery.  We will party tonight.

Arri & Oregon

So the good news??   Puppy Arri has returned!!!! Yes, I can not believe it.  The playful pup has been around in the evening to play tug of war.  He is even picking up a nylabone.  He wants to go to the park and he barks when people come to the house.  Yesterday, a customer stopped by to drop off a package.  I must admit, I forgot I had left Arri outside in the yard.  He was just hanging out.   He greeted my customer at the front walk.  The man gave Arri two healthy rib pats and said  "Boy is he a young one" in a slight southern drawl.  I then told him Arri would be 14 in two weeks.  He couldn't believe it.  Yep, puppy Arri is back for awhile.

Yep - Arri's appetite is back, he want's the cookie!
Arri, Summer, Oregon & Glamis

We are still eating weird food on a weird schedule but he is eating well.  Meatloaf and Eukenuba are the staples but he will take some yogurt and loved Sweet Potato baby food.  He gave that 2 paws up.  The Sweet Carrots baby food only rated one paw and the Vegetable Beef got two paws. The key seems to be beefy.  He will not touch chicken or rice.  So much for the sick dog standby food.

Tonight we celebrate life!

Jan 13: hydration project

So yesterday mom decided I am not drinking enough water.  Yes, I did turn my nose up at every offering and she only caught me drinking one time.  Since I never move, she assumes I never got up to drink.  She might be right.  But if I give in and just drink plain, old tap water, I won't find out just how inventive she can be.

Today's goal for mom was to get me to drink more.  I gave her a good pee this morning but she knew I hadn't gone in 11 hours so it better be a good one.  Mom researched re hydrating dogs on the internet and now Pedialyte is on the shopping list for tomorrow but in the mean time, she is going to try some other tricks, I just know it.  She is already making my canned mush with 2:1 ratio of water to mush but I am not eating much mush.  I prefer meatloaf and Eukenuba.  Straight water?  Forget it, I'm not interested.  She hasn't offered chilled, bottled water yet.  I wonder when that will happen?  At noon, I was offered canned mush.  I ate the token 3 bites and quit.  At 2:00, I was offered the same bowl of mush.  Seriously?  You think I want leftover mush?  I took a taste and something was different.  I ate the whole bowl.  It was yummy.  Mom said something about beef bull-yon.  Not sure what it is but I liked it.

Maybe I was a little dry because awhile later, after Oregon had harassed mom about being bored silly, all the stuffed toys arrived in the room and I was ready to play.   I really wanted to destroy the toys but I was up for a game of tug.  Mom was very happy to see me playful.

For dinner, mom tried to offer me the silliest meal.   She knows I like meatloaf and Euk. - on separate sides of the plate, don't mix them.  I eat the meatloaf then the Euk.  She brings out this bowl of  lord knows what.   She called it Chicken Rice Meatloaf Eukenuba Pumpkin casserole.  I forgot to mention mom made a pumpkin pie today.  She let me have a spoonful of pumpkin and I liked it so for some reason, now it is mixed in with my food.  Give me the pie, don't mix it with the  meatloaf.   Since this whole episode began at the New Year, I have not wanted chicken and rice is gross.   One bite and I was done.  I am a food connoisseur not a garbage disposal.  The other dogs in the house will eat anything.  Not me, I don't have to.  I send the dinner back to the chef and ask for the usual.  Why do I have a feeling I am going to see that bowl again and mom is going to call it bull-yon?  Any bets on whether I eat it?  

I finally gave in and sucked down half a bowl of water.  Now maybe mom will stop messing with the menu.

Jan 11: My Friday was great - how was yours?

Arri here.  I logged in while mom is at work.  I have to tell you about my day yesterday.

breakfast in bed

It started with breakfast in bed.  Yep, I act all helpless and sad and mom brings me food and water in bed.  I had some canned mush and meatloaf and cookies.  When I am done, she leaves me to go back to sleep.

At 9:00 I went on a cake delivery with mom and then we went to the vet.  I love the vet. In my new helpless routine, I go behind the reception desk as soon as I get there.  They give me pets and loving.  Then I move over to where the cookie jar is.  Tammy is a pushover and I always get some treats.  They wouldn't give me any today because I had to visit the vampire.  I got on the scale and my weight was back up to 57 lbs.  I had lost 2 last week when I wasn't eating so this proves, meatloaf is the cure.  Into the exam room we go.  I was pretty happy to see the tech but for the first time in my life, I would not go out the back door.  Last time I didn't get to see my mom for 2 days.  They picked me up and carried me back to the vampire.  I was a good boy and wagged my tail while they bit me.  As soon as they put me down, I dragged them back to mom and did the happy dance.  I was silly happy.  Dr. Mike came in the room and he could not believe what he was seeing. He went to give me a cookie and mom warned him that my that my inner alligator was back. He tossed the cookie to me and the alligator (with incredibly bad aim) lunged for the cookie and missed. I thrashed on the floor until I found every crumb.  I don't know why they were laughing.  I can be a ferocious beast at times.  He called me 'The Amazing Arri'.  Ok, maybe it wasn't worded quite like that but it should be.  On the way out, I got more cookies and mom scheduled my next chemo for Jan 25.  With the way I am acting, I just might be around to need it.

Mom had a lot of cakes to work on so I spent the rest of the day in the basement with her, guarding her back like always.  I'm not getting as many treats now that I gained the weight back.  When it was time to go upstairs I was ready for the challenge.  Mom was a little concerned that it would strain my lungs  but our options are limited.  With mom giving me butt assist, I made it up.  I was panting pretty hard but I didn't have a coughing fit or anything.  Mom felt better about that.  She is certain that the chemo worked and has made the tumor smaller.  The negative part of going up the stairs is that mom was certain she had been sprayed by a skunk.  She started coughing and saying - Everybody Outside!.  Yes, the toxic fumes escaped me and she was in the line of fire.  I was not ashamed.  A dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do. While the sun was not out, it was in the 50's so I planted myself in the middle of the yard to survey my domain.  Everyone else went inside for dinner.  They have not learned the lessons I have.  Dinner will always be served and if you don't move, it will be brought to you.

picnic dinner

So I had a picnic dinner in the middle of the front yard.  Mom forgot the blanket for me to lay on and candles and a goblet of water but I forgave her because she brought me out a buffet of dinner.  I ate the meatloaf first, then the Eukenuba and then some mush for dessert.  The garbage disposals had to stay in the house and drool.

Garbage disposals wishing they could help me finish dinner

The rest of my evening was spent watching TV with dad while mom went back to work.

It was a Very Good Day!

Jan 10: Good news among the sadness

This week has been full of sadness.  The CCI dogs went to the Rainbow Bridge and my church lost two strong, christian men.  Half of me is sad because there has been so much loss by so many but the other half is so happy.

Glamis, Oregon, Arri & Summer

Arri has had two very, very good days.  Since starting on the appetite stimulant, he has been eating very small amounts, non-stop.  He still loves the Old Mother Hubbard biscuits. Occasionally Eukenuba nuggets are good.  A bit of apple, some baby carrots, a little chicken but by far his favorite is the Doggy Meatloaf.  Thank you Anne for sending me the recipe.  It has ground beef, chopped celery, grated carrot, diced apple, egg, oatmeal, bread, wheat germ, and tomato paste in it.  I mixed up a pound of beef and the rest of the ingredients and split it into 3 small loaves.  Arri ate two over the course of the day yesterday.   He appeases me with 2 -3 slurps of canned dog food at the 'main meals'.  Every time I pass him, I offer him some chicken or cookies.  He even ate some fruit loops yesterday.  Yep anything goes. If he will eat it, he can have it.

 His energy level is up.  Even though he sleeps quite a bit, his tail wags and his eyes are bright.  He has been barking when someone comes to the front door.  He has not really done that in months.  I had commented to Tim on how Arri's doorbell wasn't working.  I assumed it was his hearing or his vision.  It is possible that it was one of the first subtle indicators that something wasn't quite right.

Yesterday we took a road trip to Grandma and Grandpas.  Some things don't change.  Enter the house and head to the workshop to see if there is any dog food on the floor and tissues in the trash.  Visiting  cousin dogs don't always finish their food.  Arri learned that long ago so he checks every visit, even if there are no other dogs in the house.  Next stop is the kitchen to the cabinet with the dog cookie jar.  There he waits until he is successful.  He had a good visit.  The rest of his day is spent mostly resting.  We have had very few coughing attacks.

Today I did not give Arri any appetite stimulant.  I wanted to see how he was doing without it.  he is fine.  He eats cookies whenever offered.  A whole meatloaf for breakfast and a 6 oz can of puppy mush for lunch.  I could not put off working in the bakery any longer.  Customers do expect their cakes still.  I left the baby gate down to see if Arri would come guard the door.  He did.  Going down stairs has never been the issue.  I was just glad he did not have a coughing attack after the trip.  Since we were now out of meatloaf, I made Arri a meat cake instead.

Meat cake anyone?

The only real problem I am having with giving Arri all these small meals is the 3 garbage disposals that follow me around.  They are getting pretty pushy and I have to protect Arri when he eats or someone will cause a distraction while another goes for the gold....er...meat.

Even the cat wants the meatloaf.