We have been absent for a while but have been having a blast enjoying precious time together. Since our last post we have participated in the K-9 Cancer Walk in Elk Grove, gone camping at the ocean, swam in the river, lake, pool, and just been living large. On June 25 I turned 7 and just this past weekend, on July 3, I celebrated my six month ampuversary.
We had been looking forward to this date for so long because it seems to mark such a turning point in this incredible journey. Just as we were cleaning up from all the partying, I started not feeling too well though. Mom and Dad had been talking about visiting the amazing oncologist for our six month check up when I just sort of lost my appetite. I ended up getting sick and running a fever so they put wet rags on me to keep my temp down and took real good care of me. We had blamed on all hte excitement over the previous few days and the heat wave that set in and were sort of chalking it up to over exertion. Things did not get much better so Dad took me to doctor. My temperature was sporadic and my hunger was not really there which is very unusual for us labradorks. The initial tests at the docs office showed signs of an infection and the x-rays showed the two most feared words of any osteosarcoma survivor, LUNG METS! That in and of itself does not present itself with fever and nausea so they good folks at the doctors office kept me over night to see if they could figure out what the infection was. Per my usual self, I have them looking in the most unusual places for causes, leptospirosis, and several other illnesses that not any ordinary dog might have. I have to do everything the hard way and keep them thinking. I think Mom and Dad wish, just once, that I had one easy illness.
Today they did an ultrasound and found what looked to be mineralization in both kidneys which they said looks an awful lot like cancer. The antibiotic treatments are continuing to see if we can get a handle on the infection so I can go home. Mom came by to visit me tonight and Dad is gonna come tomorrow. We are not sure what options we might have but want to spend every precious moment together we can. I keep getting told to try Vitamin C IV to see if that will help things out but there is such little evidence of success on it out there. We will know more tomorrow so happy trails and waggin’ tails for now.
Sierra, Brad, and Anna
geesh sierra, you just gotta hang in there and get rid of those kidney bean crystals!!! we know the lung mets is an awful thing to hear, but there are still wonderful times ahead hopefully, and sounds like you really get the whole idea of enjoying each and every moment! we’ll be thinking of you here in ET and we send our ‘best ET juju’ to you, hoping all of this is just a bump in the road and you still have adventures to enjoy!! please let us know how you are doing!
charon & gayle
oh, and congrats on six months, we need to celebrate every way we can!! (hope you got treats…)
Oh Silly Sierra, give your poor peeps a break! Get better and get home. There’s lots of stuff to smell and pee on.
Sierra, first of all, happy ampuversarybirthday to you! What a long road you’ve traveled.
I hope that you are feeling better by now, please let us know OK? Tell your folks to remember that lung mets aren’t the end of the world, I lived with them for a long time and I know you can too.
Keep us posted OK?