Sally I am keeping VRCC's number handy. Thank you so much for your phone call. I felt like you came through the phone, picked me up out of the gutter, shook me and then dusted me off. I spent most of yesterday crying and while the tears are still there today, I feel like I at least have a little bit of a plan of action. 

We have an appointment with the oncologist at 9:30. They are pretty busy but thankfully they are squeezing us in (I didn't even have to get batshit crazy), and I'm sure we'll be there for quite awhile. I just want this lump gone. I am praying they can remove it, whatever it is, even just the part that's near his throat. I read on the holistic vet's site that they do vitamin C therapy for tumors, has anyone tried that? There's a success story on their website about a dog that had a hemangiosarcoma around his heart and the vitamin C therapy worked. I'm sure it's a one in a million success story, but I definitely want a consult with the holistic vet. I am vowing to do the things I regretted not doing with Jake. When I brought up holistic therapies, the onco kinda rolled her eyes at me and not knowing I kinda dismissed the idea. NOT THIS TIME. I also ordered Rosco a stroller yesterday so he can still go places with us (he can't really walk without getting winded right now). I wish I would've done that with Jake b/c he loved going on walks. Rosco will also be getting another McDonalds hamburger at some point. What Sally was referring to was yesterday when we left the ER we had to get his prescription filled and I had it in my head that he needed a McDonalds hamburger patty. He ate it way too fast in way too big of chunks (he doesn't like to chew or can't chew) and promptly threw it up all over me. We were parked in a no parking zone on the side of a busy street and there I was digging through vomit trying to retrieve the hydrocodone pill. I love that little guy. So we're headed off in just a few minutes......please keep the prayers coming. I'll update as soon as I can or if I'm too much of a mess I'll just call Sally. Thank you thank thank you...all of you, I am so grateful for each and every one of you. 

So I have no idea why I started a new thread to update (my brain is in a fog and I got very little sleep). 

http://tripawds.....FormAnchor

We saw the oncologist this morning at Dogwood (Sally, it was Dr. Waite and she was good). She was very optimistic about removal of the tumor when she saw it, particularly when he was having a breathing fit and I manually moved the tumor just a tad and he could get a good breath (her eyes almost popped out of her head); however, her surgeon did not feel the same way. The surgeon felt that the tumor may be too attached to his ribs and she didn't want to operate. It looks like the tumor has gone into the chest cavity but she felt that the main tumor was under the scapula at the amputation site. Until we have the CT scan we won't know for sure. Dr. Waite still felt he could be a candidate so she has referred us to their Northern Virginia Office at "The Oncology Service"  b/c they have radiation and an aggressive doctor (Dr. Gordon). Dr. Waite talked with him via phone today and he will have his team and the CT scan ready for us Wednesday morning at 9am. She also did the consult for him (saving us a bunch of money b/c his consult fee is apparently very expensive). He requested blood work and a tissue sample which they did today. She said that it is definitely presenting as a malignant soft tissue sarcoma, but we won't know for sure until the tissue sample is examined. 

I feel pretty confident that we are headed in the right direction. There is still a chance that they may feel surgery is not appropriate due to how it's placed but even if so it's possible they may try to shrink it and then remove it. We just don't know at this point. She also said she thinks he's a young dog, so there is also hope just in that alone. 

Now I just need to figure out how I'm going to pay for this. I'm still paying Jake's off  

Thank you all so so much! I definitely feel better with a plan. He was SO happy to be in the stroller. I thought he might be scared of it but he loved it. I hadn't seen that boston smile in days.