Dec
8
Time Now to Really Prepare
December 8, 2011 | Progress Report | 8 Comments
We went to another checkup to the oncologist today. This time it wasn’t good. Her lungs have advanced metastasis. We had noticed lately in the last two weeks that she was getting noticeably tired, less active, she was coughing when she exerted herself and her legs and paws were swelling. X-rays today confirmed that her lungs had metastasized. The oncologist mentioned that the swelling was due to the metastasis in her lungs; something about the lymph nodes being affected that could be causing the swelling. She is uncomfortable, but not in pain.
Of course I cried while the oncologist was telling me all this. We were expecting this to happen sometime; but it is still very hard for me emotionally. Her spirit is still good. If anything, she was getting frustrated with her limited mobility in recent days. She would lie on the floor and keep barking for our attention like she couldn’t get enough. Of course I obliged as often as I could in between caring for our twin boys and other things I had to take care of in our home.
The metastasis is very aggressive now. We think she may have just weeks left. In the meantime, the oncologist said it is her job now to help us make sure she is as comfortable as possible so that her quality of life is as best as it possibly can be for whatever time she has left on this earth.
She was given two different injections of steroids to help with the swelling and coughing that she is experiencing. We were advised to stop giving her the carprofen and instead give her a very small dose of prednisone to also help with the swelling and coughing.
Within hours she seemed to be feeling and moving better even though her panting has increased as we expected from the steroids. She was on full doses of prednisone about five months ago and she was panting excessively as a side effect. But now reducing the swelling in her limbs and paws and the inflammation in her lungs is priority now.
Thank goodness the oncologist said we can call her as often as we need to to get us through this start of a very difficult time. I think I am going to need all the help and support I can get.
Jewels has been such a wonderful companion for me, my husband and for our family. She deserves to be as happy and as comfortable as possible in this last stage of her life. I am glad that she spent 11 very happy and fullfilling years with us, but I think because it has been so long that she’s been a part of our lives that it makes it all the more difficult to know we’d have to let her go. So now I’ve got to prepare myself and our family for the inevitable. In the meantime, however, I plan to cherish every moment we have with her.