First of all... Congratulations on the clear chest x-rays!!!  No Amy... I don't think you're crazy thinking that... cause if you are, then I'm as crazy as you! 

I also look at Jake (he's 10 now) and when he takes a tumble (maybe thinking his leg is still there...) or if he pants alot at nite for no good reason, or if he just looks at us sadly once in a while (he usually is smiling), then both me and my husband think there is something wrong... 

We try to keep him as happy as possible... We play with him, we snuggle with him (he loves that!), I make him real tasty food and treats, take him swimming on the weekends... You know, for the past 2 or so years before his diagnosis, he was basically a couch potatoe... Loved to lie around, on the couch, on the bed, on the floor... loved to eat... and swim. So except for the hopping around and getting tired so quickly, he's basically still doing all the things he loves. I have a feeling that we will be worried about him always, until that horrible day when the cancer comes back.  I hope it's not for a long time, for both Jake and McQuire... but none of us know exactly how long that will be.

So, just try to enjoy every minute with him... That's all we can do.

Jake's Mom

Oh, Amy.

 I think this is the life we are now destined to live.  Right before reading your post I was looking at Emily and feeling sad because she is just laying there sleeping. Then I looked around and my other two dogs were sleeping too!  It is so much easier said than done but try not to worry. Sometimes I think my mantra is "Don't borrow trouble, don't borrow trouble, don't borrow trouble".

Debra & Emily

P.S.  I don't know what movie Emily would be but if she were in a book it would be The Princess and the Pea.

gineej said:

We have come through diagnosis, amputation, and lung mets. Each stage brought tears and pain, but you really can learn to relax and just love your pup.....that is all they want or need. I am grateful for each day we have Paris and I know I will be devastated when the day comes... but I'll be damned if I will let cancer rob us of joy today!

More than eighteen years ago when my two white Standard Poodles (litter mates) each suffered gastric torsion just three weeks ago, I realized that I was "not normal" because of my love for these companions.  The fight, their pain, and the bills were beyond belief but I was able to save them for another three years before the complications eventually took them from me.  I am sure that many would call me "crazy" for being willing to take on another similar sitution with Cherry knowing the final outcome.  Every day I give praise for the borrowed time due solely to her age, that this borrowed time has been extended in spite of this nasty diagnosis, and because of the love that I see every day in her eyes.

No one here would ever say that you are "crazy" because we all have suffered the same feelings.  Gineej nailed it perfectly, seek balance to your emotions and DO NOT LET CANCER ROB YOU OF ONE MOMENT OF JOY TODAY.

Allways here to help support,

Bob & Cherry

I remember when we first got the diagnosis, I told our Oncologist that the only thing I didn't want was to constantly be worrying if it's spread, coming in for x-rays, and worrying about the outcome.  She looked at me and said, "Well, that's not really an option".  This may not be what we wanted, but this is what we've been given so we have to make the best of it.  I think it's normal to worry a lot, wondering if the cancer has spread, wondering if he is in pain, but you have to also remember that just last week, Mac's tests came back great!  I often times feel like something should be happening by now, that Jack should be getting sick, or that he shouldn't be so darn energetic.  I think it's because we've had so many dogs recently who decided that they were ready to move on only a couple months into their tripawd journey.  With so many doggies leaving us, especially ones that have started this adventure with you, I think it's perfectly normal to think that something may be wrong with McGwire.  I go through it all the time with Jack.  But just as much as we may think something is wrong, something may also be going very very right!  Worrying is OK, but be sure to remember the positives as well, cuz that's what will get ya through 🙂 

<3 Laura

I don't know why everyone else is being so supportive----I think you're totally off your rocker! Crazy lady  

jk jk lol  ..I think that in life, no matter what it is, if something is going well for a long time you naturally get paranoid because we grow up hearing "if something's too good to be true...." and we question our good luck (like with the clear xrays and not many complications or problems post-op).  I think you're going to worry no matter what.  It's not all bad though--keeping up with all the details with McGwire will let you know when something truly has changed.  The stumbling is totally normal for our tripawds and maybe he had an accident because he was upstairs and didn't feel like he could make it outside or didn't feel like hopping down at that moment. 

Early Happy 3-month Ampuversary btw.  It makes me happy to know he's doing well.  Gimme a call soon--I'd love to meet him and see how your Mac compares to mine in the grumpy old man category.  In the mean time I think between your boys, husband, daily activities, and the fluffpups, you need to take an hour to make some chamomile tea...sit outside and just look at the changing fall colors and feel the brisk air, and then go inside into a warm bath.