Hey everybody,

Thanks for all the well wishes.  Yoda is doing very well, I think.  He has been playing with his tennis ball bone - pouncing on it from time to time.  He's walked a full neighborhood block (pretty big block at that) a couple times.  He did cough up some more blood last night (almost 24 hours on the nose since the last time) and his appetite is picky (will only eat his food if I mix it with hamburger and only take his pills if they are well hidden in liverwurst) but that's good enough for me.  The coughing continues randomly throughout the day.  He is definitely perkier when he's up, but has been inclined to sleep much longer and his breathing is noticeably heavier than normal, but not as bad as I would have thought after seeing the x-ray of his lungs.

I haven't started the new job yet.  I have one more week of the old, which is good because I was able to get some half days this week and may be able to get a few more off if any of my co-workers would like some extra hours.  I'm pretty nervous about what Yoda's status is going to be when I have to start the new job and have no vacation or sick time available yet.  Also, my housemate decided to get a place of her own a couple weeks ago, and found one right away, so she'll be moving out with her dog about the same time as the new job starts.  So that sucks.  But my folks are offering to check in on him when they can, which will help some and I'm looking into dog-walkers in my neighborhood who I could maybe get to look in on him too.  But also trying not to worry about it because it will make me crazy.  He may not make it that long anyway - but today he sure seems like he will!

He got very excited about a black dog he saw playing with his/her family in the yard while we were walking.  Made me really want to take him to the dog park, but he probably shouldn't be allowed to play hard or be exposed to any bugs in his condition.  If he stays this perky though, I will ask the vet specifically how cautious we need to be, just in case I'm wrong.

Oh, by the way, if people are interested in stats or making comparisons in conditions now or in the future, I'll list some details from the write-up the oncologist sent me about Yoda's condidtion.  His lung mets have increased in size and number and vary in size from 7 mm to 1.8 cm and are present in all lung fields.  There is also a 6.8 x 6.9 cm "soft tissue opacity with opaque margins," which is believed to be a ruptured lung met which has caused there to be blood in his lungs.  His CBC and Chemistry showed everything to be in normal limits.  His gums are quite pale.  He is at risk for an acute cyanotic episode, but the oncologist felt it was reasonable to take him home, where he would be most comfortable, and keep him on multiple pain meds.  He could have anywhere from just this weekend to a few weeks survival time in his present condition.

Whoops!  Should have known liverwurst was too good to be true.  Just an FYI, Yoda's liverwurst had onion powder in it and onion is toxic.  Yoda probably didn't get enough to hurt him, but it is not the great recommendation I thought it was for hiding pills - unless you can find some without onion in it.  Fortunately, Yodas appetite seems to be improving to the point that he's letting me hide his pills in wet food again without spitting them out.  Phew!