Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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We went to CSU for K's checkup yesterday. The lung mets are growing and multiplying. The vets are astounded that she's not showing more lung symptoms.
The oncologist's words stabbed my heart "We're out of options" - the words that I never wanted to hear.
The oncologist suggested stopping all chemotherapy meds. However, since the growth of the lung mets is not exponential, something must be slowing them down at least a little. So, we opted to continue with the misinitab and metronomic chemotherapy to try to extend this happy phase of K's life. K has had no side effects... although that doesn't guarantee that she won't have some in the future.
So, we will try to live the remaining days with grace. K is still as happy as ever, and it's very hard to believe that she's so sick. We'll enjoy this time as much as we can.
On the way home, we saw a bumper sticker that said "Life is short - Play with your dog". We felt like it was a message sent directly to us.
K, an 8 year old chocolate lab, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the radius and ulna on 12/23/11. She had stereotactic radiation to kill the bone tumors, and 3 rounds of carboplatin. On 3/16/12, lung mets were found. We tried several different kinds of chemotherapy to slow the lung mets but none worked. Finally, mets appeared at other sites, including her spine. She earned her angel wings on July 15, 2012. K changed my life, and I'll never forget her. Our/my journey is chronicled at romp-roll-rockies.blogspot.com.
We're sorry to hear this news about K....but....I'm sooooo glad that are you are in the mind set of enjoying the time you have. There was a point we came to with Bo where the sadness and disbelief just stopped for a little while. I told myself that I would have plenty of time to grief later, but today I had Bo and I was going to make the most of it. We made some of my fondest memories during that time.
We're thinking about you all...live like a dog, and enjoy the moments you are in!
I love the saying you found! Thanks so much for sharing!
Meghan and Angel Bo
gosh this is just not what you'd want to hear!! but, you're right to 'live in the moment' and enjoy every day you have with k. none of us gets any guarantees, and this is a lesson for all. hope you have many, many wonderful times ahead, and make buckets full of memories. take lots of pictures. meghan is so on the money - there will be time for sadness later, live today with joy.
charon & spirit gayle
Life is good, so very, very good!!! Gayle enjoyed each and every moment of each and every wonderful day (naps included). She left this world December 12, 2011 – off on a new adventure.
Love Never Ends
I'm very sorry to hear K's checkup didn't offer better news. I remember the day we got the same statement about Max's cancer from our oncologist: "we're out of options." He told us the metronomic chemo meds were no longer doing their job. We tried one last stab at a different kind of chemo, but that didn't work either. We felt we had to try that last different chemo, because we always would've questioned our decision if we hadn't. When it didn't slow down the progression, that's when we said, "Enough is enough, it's time for Max to just be a dog." We knew that day was coming, and I can't say we were happy when it finally arrived, but we knew we had done absolutely everything we (and the doctors) could do. We almost felt like Max was "free" from the cancer, because he was no longer under the gun to have to get treatments. I'm not sure if that translated exactly to our attitude at the time; it's a little hard to explain.
Like you and everyone here has said many times, K doesn't know she's sick. Unfortunately, we're the ones that have to bear that weight. So, take your cues from your girl. She'll show you what living is all about, as she has done all these past years. Sending positive thoughts to your girl, for many many more months of happy dog living! Please give your girl a belly rub for me!
Yes, I remember hitting that phase as well. I think that bummer sticker was put in your path at just the exact moment when you needed that reminder.
Do all her favorite things, whatever those may be. Car rides, trips to a fave burger place, her fave hikes. I know you have lots of pictures of her, but be sure to get some of your whole pack toghether!! Make sure you are in the pictures too.
Thinking of you guys,
Jackie, angel Abby's mom
Abby: Aug 1, 2009 – Jan 10, 2012. Our beautiful rescue pup lived LARGE with osteosarcoma for 15 months – half her way-too-short life. I think our "halflistic" approach (mixing traditional meds + supplements) helped her thrive. (PM me for details. I'm happy to help.) She had lung mets for over a year. They took her from us in the end, but they cannot take her spirit! She will live forever in our hearts. She loved the beach and giving kisses and going to In-N-Out for a Flying Dutchman. Tripawds blog, and a more detailed blog here. Please also check out my novel, What the Dog Ate. Now also in paperback! Purchase it at Amazon via Tripawds and help support Tripawds!
so sorry you got that news. 🙁 Love the bumper sticker though and I think it is great advice! Also, remember - lots of pictures and video!!!
Jac and Angel Spencer. Spencer was 5.25 years old. He fought a grade 3 fibrosarcoma, started on his shoulder. Left front leg amputated in August 2011. 15 weeks of chemo finished 12/22/11 (mytox and adria). Lung mets found on x-rays 12/28/11. Started carboplatin 1/6/12. Went to Heaven on 2/27/12. I miss him like crazy every day. See his blog here: http://spencer.tripawds.com/
"Out of options" is a difficult thing to hear, but it's also not true -- there are always options, but sometimes we get so caught up in the fear and tragedy of the moment that we forget to see the options that are right there in front of us. These times are when you gotta look harder, because they are there.
For example, as the bumper sticker said, play with your dog -- that's an option. Going for a bye-bye to your K-bear's favorite spots. Massage. Belly rubs. Kisses on the nose. Ice cream. These are all options available to you. And these are the things that you're going to remember long after the vet visits are over. These are the things that will make K's spirit live forever long after her body is gone.
I know that you are dreading the days ahead, and your heart is breaking and filled with fear, but trust me: don't waste your time on tears right now. There will be lots of time later for that. Right now is all you have with your baby, and the moments are too precious to waste. So go give that girl a kiss from us, and a skritch behind the ears... Breath in deep and let the Frito-head smell sink deep into your memories...
Rio's momma, Micki
 |
~ ~ Rio ~ ~ |
Aww man I couldn't have said it better than Rio's Mom. So true.
My heart goes out to you, I remember these words from our vet. Those words were somehow freeing, but also emotionally devastating. But Rio's Mom is right: life is always full of options. It's up to us to make the most of those opportunities.
Now get off your computer and go play!
{{{{{hugs}}}}}
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I'm sorry to hear the news but so glad that K isn't showing any signs of being sick yet which means she can continue to get good quality time with you. I know you have already been living that bumper sticker but it is always good to be reminded of it. It's a great bumper sticker.
While I gave Magnum as much of my time as I could during her almost 10 years I think her last 8 months with cancer were our best months because I started learning how to Be More Dog and totally immersing myself in our time together. May you continue to have that for some time yet.
Lots of hugs
Karen and Spirit Magnum
Magnum: 30th May 2002 to 5th May 2012. Lost her back left leg to osteosarcoma on 5th Sep 2011. Lung mets found on 20th Mar 2012 but it was bone mets in the hip that ended her brave battle. Magnum's motto - "Dream as if you'll live for ever, live as if you'll die today" (James Dean). Loyal, loving, courageous and spirited to the end. My beloved heart dog, see her memoirs from Rainbow Bridge ...... http://princess.....pawds.com/
We discovered lung mets January 4...the vet gave us 30 days. Levi didnt show any signs at all. We went back for another xray the end of march to see what was going on. The mets had definitely grown but he was still doing so well! Sometime this spring he slowed down. I think he just couldnt breathe enough to run like he used to. We just lost Levi last week, so he had 5 months longer than his vet gave him...anyway my point is, hopefully you have more time than you think!! Take a million pictures and have a great summer.
Levi was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma 7-7-11
Ampuversary 10-14-11
Lung Mets Discovered 1-4-12. Chemo seemed to not be working so we switched to Artemisinin and other supplements. In May, Levi developed a sinus infection and started having seizures. The cancer had moved to his brain. We let him go 6-26-12.
I think I am one of the very few that have not done regular x-ray check up's on my tripawd since amputation(as it wouldn't change my ways of treating Maggie if I found them). I figured, what will be, will be and I don't want to worry if/when we find something waiting and waiting for the "day".
Enjoy your time and you are so right "play with your dog!" 
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
First of all I am so sorry to hear about K. She doesn't know that she is so so sick, and although it will be so hard, be strong for her and in front of her, so you guys can enjoy the remaining time. I like that bumper sticker. We seem to forget our dogs do not have an expiration date so we should just live in the moment, not always wondering what if or "when". Cadence was supposed to have her 3 month X-rays in May and here it is already July. We keep postponing it and yet it is causing me so much anxiety. I keep wondering what if, and when we do get these X-rays and if they are all clean again, maybe we will just stop looking because it is making me focus more on "the day" rather than the moment, as now she is not sick and is just happy.
Cadence's Mom
Cadence Faye: Born 10/30/04, stepped into our hearts 12/23/2004. Rear leg tumor found 7/24/11 by mom and dad, Xray on 7/25/11, Osteosarcoma suspected 7/26/11, amputation 7/29/11, Carboplatin started 8/23. Met free so far!
I love it!! Not the news of course, that just plain sucks. The message though is one we should all remember and practice. Play play play play and when you're all done, play some more. Unfortunately many of us learn that lesson when we have our "cancer" dogs. It is with the hard dose of reality that we finally learn to value what we had all along and chose to not prioritize. Life gets in the way, being human means responsibility and I was as guilty as everyone else. Now, thanks to Tai and all of the other Tripawds who have graced my heart on this site, I play with my 4 legged dogs far more. I play like there might not be a tomorrow and never pass up the opportunity to scratch ears, rub bellies or love them up.
I'll be thinking of K and hoping you guys have many more days of playtime.
Laura of Kali and Angel Tai
Tai – 9 yr old lab. Diagnosed Osteosarcoma Dec 18/09. Front right leg amputated Dec 21/09. Started chemo Jan 7/10. Lung mets discovered Sept 16/10. Valiant to the end on Oct 26/10 when cancer reappeared in a leg and we made the decision to set her free. Forever in my heart where not even cancer can take her from me.
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