I wasn't sure what fourm to post this under so please feel free to move.  First I want to send out a thanks to moderator Shanna (aka, Trouble) for her help in finding topics and info regarding recent developments with Fortis. Reading about Wiley, Yoda,  Tika and Caira Sue has been a big help.  I will keep this short, unemotional, and to the point. Those of you who have come to know me on a deeper level will know BS when you see it  CD.

On Aug. 13th Fortis started coughing. The coughing was extreme at times lasting from 30 minutes to an hour/episode. Small amounts of bloody phelgm were coughed up throughout the day. He continued to cough the following day but no blood was apparent.

On Aug. 24th x-rays were taken that indicated Fortis had at a minimum, 8 lung mets.

I never witnessed Fortis coughing prior to the 13th. During the 3 weeks that followed I only witnessed an occasional cough and no blood. His activity level, appetite, and over all disposition remained normal.

ON Sept. 3rd Fortis began coughing again. In comparison, there was a lot of blood this time. What appeared to be large clumps of tissue were coughed up along with the blood. This went on for most of the day. The following day Fortis continued to cough blood but in smaller amounts and with no tissue masses observed.

ON Sept. 4th Fortis was put on prednisone and responded almost immediately.

Today, Sept. 11th Fortis is doing well. During the previous week he hardly coughed. Once again Fortis' energy level, appetite, and over all disposition remain high/normal. The high is probably a result of the prednisone.

In any case, it seems Fortis had a lung met burst! I had never heard of this until Shanna pointed me in the right direction. There is a lot more that I could say on this topic but I promised to keep it short. I am only posting this now for future reference. If anyone now or in the future should want or need to talk more in depth about this very scary occurrence please feel free to contact me via pm and I will give you my number. Warning………….I like to talk!!!  Anybody that has my number please don't hesitate in giving it out in the months or "years" ahead.

As Mary said (aka, Caira Sue) "It's not a sign of the end. It's a sign of the process. Cancer is a crappy journey, because we all know how it ends"

P.S. Congratulation Tripawds for reaching your goal. It's beautiful and speaks volumes about this community.

Thanks for listening,

Fortis'Dad

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Fortis says Howdy!

Thanks Chloe's mom. You bet I'm proud of him. He's my boy! The Chloe tripawd family pack……I love it. Were in good company. Thanks.

I bet your just full of anticipation with so little time left before your Chloe is back with you. Live it up Chloe and Grad. student Mom.

Fortis'Dad

I am sorry to read about the lung met burst, how scary that must have been.  What a relief to read that the prednisone has worked so quickly and Fortis is back to being Fortis again. Thanks for offering to talk to us when or if we ever get to the same place. This community is so awesome.

Fortis the Fighter, please keep on fighting the good fight!

Jo Ann & Tasha

"Fortis the Awesome"…

Cemil sends Big Dog strength, not that you need it, but a little extra couldn't hurt.  We support each other.

Hoping for many more happy days in the Fortis swimming hole.  Lung mets can't get the Awesome One down.

Mary and Cemil

Bret, glad to hear it was just a bump in the road for Fortis, as we all know this road ain't very smooth, and when you can dodge the big bumps it sure makes you feel good. Enjoy your time with him, which I'm sure you do. I never heard of those things bursting, you learn something everyday. As my daughter told me years ago, every time you learn something you get another wrinkle in your brain, sure glad it's wrinkles you can't see cause I'd look like an old man from what I've learned about this crap that puts us through this meat grinder, Paws up to the big guy, Spirit Gus and Dan