Tripawd friends, it seems that the time has come to build my big, beautiful, brave, bouncy bulldog her very own bucket list. Try as we may to get her tumor under control, it has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few days. We're trying to get her in for radiation at NC State, but they've been having computer issues and didn't receive the referral the first two times it was sent, resulting in a week delay in getting an appointment. We are still 10 days out from when they can see her for consult and her oncologist went so far as to call the OTHER specialty hospital in the area today to see if they can get her in sooner.

Time, as always, is of the essence. 

The alternate radiation provider didn't get back to Izzy's onco today, so we'll wait for news. She's scheduled for a second dose of vinblastine and, if we get two more weeks, won't bother with the CCNU. It isn't effective. Izzy's foot is smelly and appears to be painful; she is panting tonight when she walks. Since there is nothing wrong with her lungs, well ... my guess is that's the only sign my girl will give us that she's hurting. We'll increase her gabapentin to three times a day, I'll dress her foot with manuka honey bandages and a bottle of Apocaps are on the way, arriving tomorrow. It's just a ten day supply, but that will be long enough to know if I should bother buying more.

My heart feels like it's breaking even though I've known for a long time that I was only buying her a little time. We had such success with Palladia and we ALL (doctors included) were so optimistic that we could manage this long-term but ever since she got hold of her foot while I was on vacation, it's been a steep, uphill climb. 

So I've decided that it's time to make a short bucket list for my girl. I'm so glad it's supposed to be sunny and warm this weekend; I'll be able to take her outside to bask in the sun, which she's always enjoyed but even moreso as an "old lady". Reed (her poppa) and I were planning a to take her to the beach for a weekend, but our schedules won't allow that for a few weeks and, well, I'm not sure we'll have time. 

So now is when I need the brainpower of the Tripawd Nation. Help me come up with a bucket list for my beautiful Izzy, keeping in mind that I can't take her cross-country or do anything too crazy. We may have only weeks, so stick to the REALLY good stuff. Is there anything you wish you'd done with your pup while you had the chance? Anything you're super grateful you were able to do? 

Izzy started the list below, and some items were already accomplished earlier in life (Brewster's doggie sundae!) or withing the past weeks (going to an Irish pub). Of course, I want to take my girl to see as many of her "people" as I can and fortunately, most of them live right here these days, so that part will hopefully be easy. 

Here we go:

1. Enjoy a night out at the pub with friends. (DONE! Thanks to Doherty's Irish Pub in Cary, NC)
2. Get a Puppacino at Starbucks with mom. Consume on patio. Get loved on by total strangers for being so cute.
3. Lay in the sun at a public park so more strangers can pet me.
4. Peanut butter. Lots of peanut butter.
5. ... ?

Now it's your turn. Ready, set, GO!

With an ever-grateful heart, 

~ Amy (& Izzy, too)