Tests, Tests, and More Tests...

This week has been full of testing for Chloe & we have more testing lined up for Friday.

Waiting for x-rays

Tuesday we went to the vet to have the lymph nodes closest to the site of the tumor aspirated.  Poor thing has now added two more shaved patches to the two she already has.  She's looking a little rough but I don't know how they can cut her at the groomers without making the patches even more noticeable.  She also had her x-ray of her chest completed on Tuesday.  I received those results immediately and Dr. Lakey called me today with the results from her lymph nodes.....

As of today, the cancer hasn't spread to her lymph nodes, heart, or lungs!! While that's a huge relief, we're still not out of the woods.  We go on Friday for her abdomen ultrasound and I'll know those results later in the day Friday.  In these next few days Dr. Lakey will be consulting with the oncologist and figuring out what our next steps are so that we can make sure the cancer doesn't spread.

Chloe & I have been through a lot together & we'll continue to fight through a lot more! 

"Sometimes we truly begin to find ourselves when we are so broken & weak... and in that moment a spark ignites & we dig down & find the strength to stand strong & fight on."

Just Deal With It

   When you work in the healthcare field, especially areas where you work one on one with the patients and their families, you watch as many suffer through horrible diagnosis.  You find yourself walking out of a room & saying to yourself, "Why are they not dealing with this?? Don't they understand just how serious this is?"  We're removed from the situation - we are empathetic and we support our patients and their families but sometimes we just want to shake them and say "It's really not looking good. You all need to deal with 'it'."  What we fail to realize at that current moment is, they are dealing with 'it'.  Their way may not be the best way or how we would, but it's the only way they know how at that time.
   I'm finding it very difficult to deal with all the things that are being thrown my way.  Chloe has been my shadow for the last six years of her life.  I can't even shut a door for privacy unless I know she's in the room with me or else she'll claw at the door and bark until I open it for her.  When I'm not feeling good, upset, hurt, etc. I can always count on the fact that Chloe will be by my side making sure I'm ok.  And, that's exactly what I'll be doing for her through this horrible process.  It may not be the way you would "deal with it" and that's perfectly ok with me - because we all deal with things in different ways.  What works for you may not work for me and vice versa.

So what's next?
   Tuesday we have our first appointment with the vet post diagnosis.  They will be aspirating the lymph nodes that are closest to the site of the tumor.  This will be sent off for testing to find out if the cancer has spread.  I won't know results for a day or two but praying for good results.  In the meantime, we're going to go to the new dog park that just opened down the street from my apartment.  We may even do a little shopping at the outlets since they're pet friendly!

Must Love Chloe

   If you've ever met me, then chances are you know just how much I love my dogs.  They're my world & I don't know what I'd do without them.  This past year has been a trying one to say the least & if I didn't have my two pups with me to help me get through it, I'm not sure how I would have.  Today, September 27th, 2013 will go down as one of the worst days I've experienced.  I received a phone call from our vet letting me know that Chloe has an aggressive form of cancer........


   Two weeks ago I had an appointment with our vet for Jake, my boxer/lab pup.  About 3 or 2 days before the appointment I noticed the growth in Chloe's mouth.  Since Jake was fine and it wasn't as urgent for him to see our vet I decided to take Chloe in his place.  Dr. Lakey didn't really like what he saw and suggested we get back in as soon as possible for surgery to remove the growth and biopsy it.  This was on a Tuesday, I made the appointment for surgery for the following Monday.  While he didn't like what he saw, he did tell me that most of the time when they see a growth in the mouth it's normally nothing.  This made me feel a little better & I kept telling myself that this was the second "tumor" scare Chloe had gone through - the previous scare, was just that; it turned out to be a cyst.
   I took Chloe in on Monday morning for surgery & was so happy to receive my phone call around 11:30 telling me she was doing great, the surgery went well, & that I could pick her up around 3:00 that afternoon.  I was at the vet right at 3:00 ready to pick my sweet baby up; by the time we got home there were some complications and I had to rush her back up to the vet.  The following days were great, Chloe was acting like herself and we went about our days like normal.  Dr. Lakey had told me that he hoped to have the results of the biopsy by Friday or Monday at the very latest.
   Friday came & hit me like a ton of bricks.  Cancer. My sweet, sweet baby has cancer.  How? She's only 6 years old, she's active, she's full of love and energy! She's not old and lethargic and old... SHE'S NOT OLD!  I've definitely had my share of family/friends that have battled cancer and one thing is for sure, cancer doesn't discriminate.   To be honest, I felt like I was the one being diagnosed with it today.  Hearing the news over the phone, hitting the floor crying, I can barely remember what all Dr. Lakey told me - I can't even remember what type it is exactly.  I remember bits and pieces of the information.  What I do remember is the information he told me about the study that was done on her type of cancer & the prognosis doesn't look good for my sweet girl.  We are going to do everything we can, as long as it doesn't cause her to suffer or causes her pain.
   I know some will read this and think I'm crazy for writing a blog about my dog, much less my dog who is suffering from cancer - but that's the thing, she's not JUST my dog.  She's my little girl, my best friend, my comforter, my family.

   In the meantime a good friend of mine, who works in social media, suggested that I write a blog or create something to where I can document our "journey" through all of this.  Maybe it'll help someone else going through a similar situation or maybe it won't - either way, it'll help us get through this rough patch and allow us to make even better memories together.

My cuddle bug, getting extra cuddles in today!