Jerry, I saw it.  Shed a few tears (happy ones).  Shared it with friends and family.

I'm so very grateful for the support we've gotten from you all.  It's put my mind at some ease, but also I feel better about accepting what will eventually come to pass, sooner or later.  A friend had to let her cat go this past week (renal failure and a heart disorder... it became too taxing for his body) and he was diagnosed with renal failure around the same time Elvis was diagnosed with cancer.  I've lost cats to CRF before but even this seemed so quick.  As upsetting as it was to read, because I had been thinking of them as buddies fighting the good fight, it was a good reminder to be grateful for what we have and try to take one day at a time.

No worries about the response being eaten though.  It probably automatically logged me out after being here too long.  Like you said, another good reminder to type up a response in Word first, or copy it before I hit "Add Reply"!

Bonnie, thank you.  It sounds like hemangiosarcoma is to your family what chronic renal failure is to my family.  They become ugly words.  Before Elvis was diagnosed, we had only lost one cat to cancer... my mom's Pagan, and I was 7 when he died.  In fact, I guess I am exceptionally lucky because my family has only rare instances of cancer.  My grandmother dealt with polycythemia vera for the last 12 years of her life, but it's very manageable.  When I married my husband, that changed.  He's a testicular cancer survivor.  He was diagnosed at 31 with stage IIB disease.  He always had a good prognosis, but it was a 9 month odyssey with a lot of weird twists and missteps.  Nevertheless, he just passed his 3-year all clear in November.  For now (hopefully forever) we're golden.

We have a belated trip we're headed out on tomorrow evening.  On the coldest weekend of the year, naturally.  After that though, I want to try to get a blog started for Elvis.  I already have it parked, just have to get some time and inspiration.

Thank you all again.