Sunday, February 28, 2010
Today marks 20 weeks since Jack’s lymphoma diagnosis. Our gratitude to the vets who have taken such good care of him and to all the friends and family who have sent good wishes and prayers to our best buddy.
Jack had a rough three days after his Vincristine treatment with fatigue and nausea, known in this house as “the funk.” However, Dr. Schneider’s pre-emptive approach with anti-nausea medication seemed to help, as he ate all of his meals (some slowly and with less enthusiasm than usual) and kept them all down. Right on schedule, he felt noticeably better today and ate with gusto. We took a ride to Reno (about 1 hour from our house) and went for a walk on the trails he enjoys around the wetlands. He didn’t walk far, but he made a couple of new doggie friends and really seemed to enjoy the fresh air and activity… and of course, barking at motorcycles. Tonight he’s tired after such a big day, but we’re happy to report that we think his eyes are starting to look brighter again!
The antibiotics have also improved those nasty “bogies.” They are much less frequent and are now clear. Hopefully Dr. Beebe’s herbal supplements will be able to keep the presumed sinus infection at bay.
Jack has “only” 3 more chemo treatments to go to complete Dr. Rebhun’s chemotherapy protocol. There’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Jack is having his usual "Vincristine Funk" after the chemo treatment this week. On Thursday he was very tired and fatigued but still had a good appetite. By this morning, however, he didn't want his chewable heart pill and he ate his breakfast very slowly. It appears the nausea has set in... it always does on Friday after Vincristine.
The last time he had this drug, he was a pretty sick boy on Friday but started feeling a little better by Saturday and was pretty much back to normal on Sunday. We hope this weekend will be the same scenario.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Jack had his chemotherapy treatment last night on schedule, with good results on his blood test. In fact, his hematocrit number is back in the "normal" range and he is officially no longer anemic! We attribute that to Dr. Beebe's bone marrow herbal supplement, which did exactly what she said it would do. That was the best news of the day. Dr. Schneider also said his lymph nodes feel the same as always, so we believe he is still in remission. His heart sounded the same, his heartbeat was a steady 110, and his weight is stable. All good news.
Several people at the vet hospital yesterday commented that his eyes are not as bright as they have been, despite everything else being positive. We're not sure how to account for that, unless it's from the suspected sinus infection that we're treating with a short course of antibiotics. The nose bogies are already improved, so maybe when we finish the antibiotics next week he'll feel better and we'll see it in his eyes.
Jack was very happy for breakfast this morning although not as animated as yesterday. This chemo drug, Vincristine, is the one that causes the most nausea in Jack. Dr. Schneider had us start him on some anti-nausea medication last night as a pre-emptive strike. He was restless overnight but eventually settled-down around 1am. All we can do now is wait and see how he feels over the weekend.
I took this photo a couple of weeks ago with my cell phone and everyone who has seen it really likes it! Sorry for the quality, but I thought it was worth posting.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Today we celebrate 19 weeks since Jack’s diagnosis – 19 weeks since we were told that without chemotherapy, he would be with us only 4 to 6 weeks. It was a tough decision and honestly it feels like ages ago since we made the choice and took a chance on chemo… not knowing what to expect but hoping for the best. Thank goodness we did. He responded well to all treatments and he remains happy to be with us. If all goes according to plan, his last chemo treatment will be April 7. When we started this journey, April 7 seemed like a dream… it seemed so very far away. Now it’s within site.
There are things Jack doesn’t do anymore… like rolling in the grass on his back, rolling “belly up” on his futon, or going for long walks. That’s okay. He is happy and anxious to go for rides in the car, where he barks with great joy at motorcycles and UPS trucks. He still tells us at each meal that we’re not fixing it fast enough, and then gobbles it down with enthusiasm. He takes himself out when he needs to go, and does his best to take care of personal hygiene needs. And he still hates getting his nails clipped.
All in all, he’s still Jack and people who have known him for years regularly comment about how great he looks. Our dear friend, Darlene, saw him on Saturday and said she expected him to be skin and bone, and very weak. He is none of those things. If you didn’t know he was sick, you’d never guess by looking at him.
This last week he seemed a little tired, but then surprised us on Friday afternoon with a nice walk all the way around the block, and a spirited play session with Jenny in the yard on Saturday. Today he jumped on the bed with Mom and Dad to watch a few minutes of Olympic hockey – it’s been a couple of months since the last time he jumped up without being bribed to do so! Today he also seems to be less tired and more like his usual self.
The biggest problem we face at the moment is the nasal discharge that has increased over the last several weeks. There are days when it’s not too bad, and days when it’s just a constant river of… there’s no good way to say this… dog snot. Thankfully it’s not a bloody nose, but thick pale yellow mucous. Dr. Beebe has been trying to treat it but so far there hasn’t been much improvement. The only time it’s been better was when Dr. Schneider put him on antibiotics before Christmas. Despite 2 rounds of drugs, it came back with a vengeance. We can’t just keep him on antibiotics, which is why Dr. Beebe was hoping to find an alternative approach. However, we believe it’s a sinus infection and on bad days, Jack looks like someone with a killer sinus headache. We’ll talk to the vets this week and see if another round of antibiotics is in order, with an herbal remedy that might keep it in check once the drugs do their job. Except for the ‘bogies’, Jack is doing remarkably well.
This Wednesday is another Vincristine treatment. That’s the drug we dislike the most, and the one that made him really sick last month. He only has two more Vincristine treatments to go and Dr. Schneider has an idea to help minimize the nausea this time. Still, we anticipate a quiet weekend at home next weekend, and hope that he gets over it with as little nausea as possible.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Jack had another great visit today with Dr. Beebe in Sacramento. The weather was beautiful this time… no snow storm to contend with. Dr. Beebe was very pleased with the improvement in his hematocrit (anemia) number and believes it is an indication that his heart is either stable or improving, because his blood is getting healthier (our layman’s interpretation of Chinese medical theory). She doesn’t want to start any new treatment for his heart yet because the Bone Marrow herbal supplement he’s taking is helping his heart… and she wants to be careful not to do too much while he’s still going through chemo. Once we get to that last chemo treatment on April 7, she will alter his herbal treatment regimen to keep him in remission and further improve his heart function.
Meanwhile, he had acupuncture as always and seems to have responded well to it. At present, it is 4:30 in the afternoon and he snoring away, sound asleep on his futon next to the computer. He’s very relaxed, which is a good sign!
Yesterday afternoon we stopped by for a quick check-up with Dr. Schneider to see what she thought of those “thick” lymph nodes. They felt the same to her as they have throughout his treatment, so we believe he’s still in remission. The only way to know for sure is another aspirate of his lymph nodes. He didn’t particularly care for it last time so we’d prefer not to put him through it again. As far as we are concerned, Jack is in remission.
We should also mention that Jack has lost about 3-1/2 pounds in the last couple of months. For much of the 9 years he has lived with us, he’s been consistently in the 65 to 67 lb. range. Last fall – about the time he was diagnosed with lymphoma – he gained weight and was up to almost 72 lbs. Yikes! For the last 2 weeks, he’s been a steady 68.7 pounds and everyone comments how great he looks.
Monday, February 15, 2010
We brought Jack home from UC Davis last Wednesday anticipating the usual onset of the ‘chemo funk’ over the weekend. By Friday, there was no sign of the fatigue we’ve come to expect following a treatment. There was no fatigue on Saturday…or Sunday either. In fact, Jack was quite full of it on Sunday so we loaded him into the car and headed for some shopping and a walk on his favorite trail in Reno. Much to our amazement he trotted out along the trail and took us farther than we’ve walked in months. So much for the ‘chemo funk.’
No chemo this week, so we’re taking advantage with another visit to Jack’s hero Dr. Beebe. We will also be stopping in to see Dr. Schneider for a quick check of those ‘thick’ lymph nodes - just to be sure they aren’t changing now that the chemo treatments have been reduced to bi-weekly. We’ve heard of some dogs that go into remission during weekly treatments, but come out of remission when the treatments are reduced.
It’s been 18 weeks since diagnosis. We live with lymphoma every day, and every day we live large. Jack remains interested and engaged, happy for his meals and treats, his walks and rides in the car, and naps in the sun. Oh, the life of a dog.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
So much news, so little memory…yesterday morning Jack was Dr. Schneider’s ‘wake up call’ with a very early blood draw. She wanted to be able to send the sample ‘over the hill’ this time and get the results back before we had to leave the house for Davis and Treatment #12. The results came back better than we expected - his hematocrit (anemia number) continues to climb – now a respectable 34% after bottoming out at 29%. His white count was very good, and his platelets are once again above 200,000. We believe this improvement is due to two things; 1) his chemo treatments are now every other week rather than weekly so his body has more time to recover, and 2) the treatments he’s been receiving from Dr. Beebe (http://integrativeveterinarycenter.com); specifically the Chinese herbal supplement to support bone marrow health.
So over the mountain we went – and the roads were clear which was a pleasant change from our last few trips. Jack slept well in the usual hotel (the rest of us not so much – we’re not yet blessed with Jack’s partial hearing loss), and this morning he was fired up and ready for his treatment. We dropped him off at 9:30 and headed out for a big walk around the Arboretum with Jenny. At about 10:30, Dr. Rebhun called to let us know that Jack looked good, but his lymph nodes were ‘firm’ and while he had not made note of that during our last visit in December he seemed to remember that was not unusual for Jack. Nevertheless he advised us to visit Dr. Schneider next week for a quick check-up.
Jack’s chemo treatment today went well, and he was alert and engaged for the drive home – unlike his last two mitoxantrone treatments when he slept all the way home. This evening he is active, has a great appetite, and seems to be feeling remarkably well all things considered. We suspect it will catch up with him in the next day or two and he’ll exhibit what we euphemistically refer to as ‘the funk.’
If you’ve been reading along for a while, you will remember our fun times with the UC Davis Vet Aide Club and photos with Santa. As it turns out, they were so fond of Jack’s photos (especially the ones with him wearing the Santa hat) that they used one in their 2010 Calendar fundraising project. Yes, Jack is Mr. December. If you would like to buy a calendar and support the UC Davis Vet Aide Club, please email Anjolie at Anjolie_d@hotmail.com. We really like to support this group of pre-Vet students – they may become the Vets that save our next dog’s life.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
The second Sunday in February – a day that has been eagerly anticipated by millions of people across America and the world…some have gathered in small groups in the homes of friends or co-workers, others in bars, or restaurants, and still others have travelled to places like Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe. All with a single, united purpose – to raise their glasses in celebration that Jack is still here and going strong, 17 weeks after his diagnosis!
To Jack! Salute!
Please celebrate responsibly.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Jack visited Dr. Beebe in Sacramento yesterday for acupuncture and a tune-up. He was in a great mood all day and marched into her office with tail and head held high. Despite the fact that she puts needles in him, he likes being there and I think he knows that she makes him feel better.
When she came in the exam room, he immediately got up to greet her. That’s the first time he’s done that. He was animated throughout the visit. What a difference from our first visit with her in November, when he laid on the floor and didn’t want to get up!
We talked with her about the dilemma with adding a new drug for his pulmonary hypertension. He’s on so many medications already, we are very reluctant to add another one unless it’s absolutely necessary. Dr. Beebe said she has treated this condition in many other dogs and cats over the years without medication and has had good success. She agreed that adding another drug at this point may not be advisable and she was confident she could help his condition.
Last night we talked a lot about it and decided to keep all of his medications the same, but not to add any more. Instead, we’ll see if Dr. Beebe is able treat his pulmonary hypertension. I think if we could ask Jack what he wants us to do, he would want to have Dr. Beebe treat him and he would ask us to please not add any more drugs to his daily medication cocktail. We just can’t justify adding more medication if a non-drug alternative exists.
After his acupuncture treatment yesterday, he slept in the car on the way home with a very relaxed and peaceful posture on his pillow in the back of the car. He was bright and very happy all evening and slept well pretty much all night... sprawled-out on his side on his bed, which is a sign that he was very comfortable. Today he’s alert and happy again, with a good appetite. All is well.