Patches Journey

So we had our first post-Palladia initiation vet visit yesterday.  Patches is doing great (vets exact words) on the Palladia, she gets five more  weeks of treatment and then we see if it’s working.  Blood work was great, no weight gained, no weight lost.  And she really IS doing great.  She is her usual self and that makes me super happy.  She met some new friends.  A pug named Boo who was adorable.  She really seemed to like him as they went nose to nose with zero barking.  And a big old yellow lab who was adorable.  I wasn’t paying attention as I was talking to the vet and his human wasn’t paying attention and then suddenly love blossomed.  By that I mean he was in her face tail wagging, poor girl cant hear that well, he startled her, she barked and she had him at hello.  LOL, funny things do happen at the vets office.  It’s like a support group and therapy all in one. Good thing too cause our visits seem to last forever.

And here’s the twist- last weekend I was watching a show called the Miracle Cure.  It was about medical cannabis with the THC removed and the cannabinoids upped in the crops for the CBD.  They are using CBD (cannabidial) for research purposes in cancer patients.  I was riveted.  The results were promising in patients who couldn’t possibly know about the placebo effect (kids) and patients who could know about it but scans don’t lie.  I approached the vet about it.  She said it can’t hurt so I’m going to give it a try.  And I will update all on how that goes.  If it can’t hurt and it could possibly help then what have we got to lose?  Hopefully in few weeks I’ll have a rastafarian update for everyone.  Otherwise it’s get ready for the holidays, take my last business trip for 2015 to Orlando and catch up on some sleep.  I could also use an attitude adjustment but that has nothing to do with this and everything to do being ready to retire yesterday lol.

Until then I hope everyone is doing as well as we are.

xoxo

Debbie and Patches (Marley 🙂

So we’ve had one whole week of Palladia.  And so far so good.  I hate to speak too soon but really, she seems to have had no effects to date.  I am astounded by the amount of food this dog can eat.  The vet report used the word “obesity”.  Those are fighting words people.  My dog is NOT obese and if she heard you say that……well, I give her permission to bite.  BUT……I have it in the back of my mind that she probably shouldn’t gain any more weight.  I don’t want her to lose weight either.  I just don’t know how much to let her eat before I cut her off.  She loves to eat and I love to feed her.  Lately it’s been rotisserie chicken and lunch meat chicken.  Every time someone goes to the kitchen or even stands up and glances in that direction……….she is off and running.  She isn’t a dog who will eat herself sick either.  She stops when she’s full.  Which seems to be, like, never.  I’m not complaining.  I will just see how much gravity she’s sucking up at her next visit and take it from there.

And then there’s the barking.  Oh boy does she love to be outside with her brother just barking at anything and nothing.  I swear, I jump up and down about 50 times an hour to check on her.  and darn if she doesn’t look up every time I check and just smile…….she would love for me to sit outside and bark with her.  One of us has to work.  Well, I guess she thinks she’s working too by warning me that the wind is blowing and squirrels are out and about.  She barks with happy abandon and gusto.  I’m getting my exercise 🙂

She’s so happy.  It’s all I can hope for.  One more week of therapy and then blood work.  And then next steps.  For now she’s just overjoyed and eating and barking.  Me too 🙂

xoxo

Debbie and Patches

So…..before I go into details, let me just tell you up front, this will not be a whiny rant.  I’m proud of myself and I’ll tell you why.

We went for our half way check up yesterday.  I’m getting into a routine there…….we get out of the car, Patches explores, pees a bunch and then we go in and try to get out most of the time that we’re in.  LOL.  She had blood work and x-rays.  I used a bunch  of their free tissues.  Typical.  Good news first, she GAINED 0.4 pounds and her other leg is fine.  Sort of bad news…..her lung mets didn’t shrink, in fact got a little bigger, from 0.5 cm to 0.8 cm.  Now, the me of yesterweek probably would have broken down in the car and eaten a snickers bar.  BUT, the new me took it like a champ.  The vet was so kind and she told me about Palladia, a kinase inhibitor that we are now trying.  So……like the human computer that I am I got on the internet when we got home.  Now…there are times when too much knowledge is a bad thing, and even on this journey it has been but today (and yesterday) too much knowledge was a GOOD thing.  My company makes oncology drugs.  I know oncology.  I know that sometimes people fail five drugs and find success with the sixth.  I know that people go into remission….and come out again.  To be God honest, I am happy Patches is now on a oral chemotherapy.  I hated the IV chemo and the after effects. As for the Palladia, my company makes a tyrosine kinase inhibitor too and I felt good having some familiarity with the class of drug. All that being said, I don’t know what to expect and I’m just winging it and hoping for the best.

I had a couple of “oh no” moments yesterday.  One when I heard the results and another when they told me that Palladia is a pill.  I have the worst little pill taker on the planet in my house and I couldn’t fathom how I would get her to take the Palladia.  I asked them to give her her first dose.  They gave me a surprised look and said well…..ok.  When they came out they no longer had the surprised look.  They had the empathy look and proceeded to tell me about pill guns and duck and potato pill pockets that stink but seem to be loved by picky eating canines near and far.  I told them she was picky and they laughed at that because as you see above, doggy gained weight.  So…..anywho, I get her to the house and I’m in a dither.  I have to get her pepcid AND, figure out how to get her to take it AND the Palladia, which is three times a week.

This is where two heads can be better than one.  Her daddy looked at my panic face and said “wrap it in that deli chicken lunch meat”.  “O” face.  Hm, why didn’t I think of that?  Heck, I nearly lost a finger giving her some over lunch.  Put my scientist cap on and went for the experiment.   First I offered her the pepcid pill sans accoutrement.  Nope, no interest, look of disbelief, you know the look “what the h*ll is that and why did you think I’d eat it?”.  Ok, phase one, results expected.  I then wrapped that sucker in the deli chicken, went to let her sniff it and damn if I didn’t nearly lose a finger again…..finger fine, pill swallowed.  Light bulb, mommy happy face.  Phase two, wowsers, results better than expected.  And she was cool afterward.  So we all settled in for the night.

I can’t say I wasn’t a little edgy last night but she seemed fine (after two helpings of…..oh never mind you already know what I’m gonna say) after she had her third dinner, some water and then passed out on her little soft bed.  No midnight wanderings to be had.  In fact, we both slept so soundly that she peed her bed and I didn’t even notice that Rooster’s hiney was practically in my face on my bed.  Now THAT is some good sleep there.

I’m proud of her.  I’m proud of me.  I need to talk to Rooster about where he puts his a&& but overall we had a good day and night.  I will keep you posted on how we do on the new stuff.  Yeah, I’m nervous and about 50 other emotions that every single person on here knows well.  And it’s BECAUSE of every single person on here that I’m hopeful, sane, even dare I say, happy.  You taught me to let Patches teach me how to live no matter what.  She taught me that consistent and unconditional love (and food) can change a little life in a big way and never to give up.  As Walt Disney said….”Keep Moving Forward”.   Tissues on the house.  More to come.

xoxo

Debbie and Patches

I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve posted.  Time is going so fast.  With nothing remarkable to speak of, which is pretty good for me.  Not to say I’m not worried about little things but I’m learning to cope and still find the happy in my days.  I’m blessed with a wonderful job with a wonderful company and we just had our second oncology drug approved yesterday, the second in months, and I’m so proud to work for this company.  Next year will be 25 years and it’s never failed to be exciting, educational, loving and oh my God I thank God every day to work for such a wonderful company.  That being said…….business is booming and so am I.  Work keeps me busy and happy and sometimes distracted whether that be good or bad.  If only they would take on canine osteosarcoma but hey they are making life better for oncology patients and that is huge.  It’s been kind of crazy busy but there’s always time for my family and my dogs.  Maybe not as much time for fun on the internet but that’s ok too lol.

My loves at home keep me focused and it’s nice to have a job that never lets me forget what’s important at the end of the day.  Today we go for our half-way through chemo evaluation.  They are going to do some tests to see if the chemo is helping my girl.  If it is helping we get round four.  If it’s not helping…….we talk.  We can consider trying metronomic therapy or just letting my girl alone to love her life.  And boy does she.  I’ve never seen a dog so happy.  She eats like a dog twice her size.  She loves with a heart as big as a house.  She brings joy and is joyful.  I’m scared sh*tless for today but I’m loving her and supporting her and loving her brother and my human baby and my job and life.  I’m learning from the master.  My dog is strong.  Her love is pure and I cannot believe how much I’m still learning from her every day.  Her transformation is guiding mine.  She is proof that love can conquer all.  It’s a crazy world, Paris made me sad, heartbroken for the people who suffered through that.  It made me hug my babies a little tighter.  The people and dogs in my life are my rock.  I’ve learned that strength is something you choose.  We can take every day lying down or standing up………and sometimes a combination of both.  Whatever the day brings, each one ends with hugs and kisses.  We’ll see what today brings.  Wish us luck.  More to come.

xoxo

Debbie and Patches

Just more cuteness to brighten my day.  She is too cute for words.