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It's cancer - removed a mass, waiting for oncologists report and recommendations to come Sunday or Monday... an eternity. I am heartsick. Thank you All so much for reaching out to me - you all have wonderful souls - may your kindness be repeated back to you ten fold... it feels like love flows so readily around here...
 
From one Aussie to another (Charlie!), I wish her a speedy recovery and that they were successful in removing all the bad bits. Hopefully she'll be chasing that ball again soon and for a long time to come. Thinking of you both.
 
It's cancer - removed a mass, waiting for oncologists report and recommendations to come Sunday or Monday... an eternity. I am heartsick. Thank you All so much for reaching out to me - you all have wonderful souls - may your kindness be repeated back to you ten fold... it feels like love flows so readily around here...

((((hugs)))) Wish I could be there with you , I know how difficult it is , worrying and all that, I've been there too.. Keeping Charlie and you in my prayers,
LC
 
aww, pc. i didn't know what to say yesterday, because i went through this with my boyhood dog, scooter. she was sneezing blood everyhere. but she was an old dog of 133 (19 human years).

your charlie is a young dog, and hopefully has a good chance of recovery.

my cats, turtle, hermit crabs, and parrots and i will all offer up our prayers to the one, for charlie's future well being.
 
Will continue to think good thoughts and pray for you and Charlie

kadesma
 
It has a name...

Nasal Chondrosarcoma. :bash: I have twenty pieces of paper in front of me - all of them have big, unrealistic numbers on them, accompanied by words one never wants to hear when describing the illness of their beloved pet... invasive, extensive, destructive, malignant. Charlie is still "good" in that she wants to eat, play ball, get the paper, but she cannot breathe out of her nose, and that obviously will become more problematic as time passes... and the mass grows.

Surgery is tricky - it's so close to her eye, her brain, in her nose - very tricky and delicate areas to remove cancer. They can't "remove" all of it - they can only "debunk" it, which is a clever way of saying, "We'll go in there, but we're not sure what we'll find, or if we'll be able to really scrape all of it out..." She could lose her vision if not her entire eye. Then there's the radiation therapy - estimates (for surgery and radiation) range from 12 to 18K, not including what I have spent on diagnostics so far...

I may only buy 2 more years with her - no guarantees. That's a gamble. I've never liked gambling and I'm not about to start now...

I am awaiting holistic remedies from a practitioner who specializes in cancer - we'll see if that reduces any swelling/improves her life more... I have to try (every second!) to remove my emotions from this. Feelings are not fact, and I cannot let my ego make decisions for this other sentient being based on my selfish needs...

In the meantime, we struggle through the night - poor thing makes incredible noises - otherworldly, really, and we go through another day of phone calls, reports, meetings, hand-wringing and tears. There are good moments - it's all very surreal...

I should make my decision soon, as I'm not sure I want to remember my Girl as having suffered, but the flip side is that because she's doing "so well" now, I flirt with the hope of keeping her around a bit longer... I am truly my own worst enemy right now...

A thousand blessings and thank you's to All who have responded in kind - it has given my heart something to smile about in a dark and uncertain time.

Thank you for letting me tell my story about a little fuzzy ping-pong of a girl who stole my heart... I am a better person because of what she taught me, not the other way around...

:heart:Sara and :heart:Charlotte :heart:AKA Charlie
:heart:
 
Dear PC... I pray God give you wisdom to make the right decisions. I know how difficult it is , you want what is best for Charlie and you want to keep her comfortable and keep her around longer. I will continue to keep you both in my prayers...
LC
 
I'm so sorry to hear this news. I will continue to pray for healing for your Girl Charlie. Please keep us updated with her progress.

:flowers:Barbara
 
I'm so sorry to hear about this. It must be devastating for you. And the realities affecting your decision about treatment must be painful for you. I couldn't afford the kind of treatment they have offered so that would be out of the question for me. But since Charlie is still comfortable and playful and eating, perhaps you could try some of the holistic treatments? Waiting to decide is not such a bad thing either as long as you are watchful for any signs that she is becoming uncomfortable. Anyway, I'll definitely keep you and Charlie in my thoughts and prayers while you sort through this awful time. Keep us posted, PC, and remember we're here for you.
 
So sorry to hear this news PC. I cry as I type this. My cat had nose cancer but as he was also FELV and FIV positive (Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS), he was not strong enough to undergo any form of surgery, on top of which, even if he had been, surgery would not have given him much more time as the AIDS was letting things in. It signified the beginning of the end for Greizie one way or another. He also wasn't a young cat. I am not sure about the differences in the cancers but as an alternative treatment, well to keep him comfortable for as long as possible, the vet froze the cancer off from inside his nostrils. Wasn't able to get it all and had to be more drastic than she had planned but it certainly gave him several more weeks of enjoyment. Again, unsure of the differences here with cats and dogs, but when cats can't smell, they don't eat. I kept Greizie alive until he could no longer smell his food and would just look at me and the fridge and not want to eat anything I offered him. Next day I was at the vet saying goodbye to him. He was still active until the end. From the sound of it, and allowing for certain similarities, I would say you have quite a bit of time in front of you before you have to consider euthanasia, should you opt for conservative treatment that is. It is a horrible decision to have to make but you know when it is time because you love them and you can see it in their faces. It is much harder to consider the option... until the time comes when you have to do it and then you feel the decision is not yours but you are just the facilitator.

Consider the chemo option as a stand alone, focussing on the potential outcome vs the money. Consider any other options after you have evaluated this. Don't try to bundle the decisions in all together. It makes it SOOO much harder.

Good luck to Charlie and you stay strong. Thoughts are with you both.
 
I hope you can feel me giving you a mostsincere heart-felt hug

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{pot clanger}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

We're here for you anytime you need us. Charlie is beautiful...
 
Those of us who have or had a little furry family member feel your hurt..Your love for Charlie and share in it with you..I wish I could take some of the hurt from you..I will continue prayers and good thoughts for Charlie and for you, for all who love the two of you.Do what you feel is best Charlie will love you no matter your choice. That is something I wholly believe..I just know that my little Maggie is waiting up there with my Maxie boy for me to come watch TV with them.I;ll explain later..So gather up your courage and your love and take care of Charlie as You feel is best..
kadesma
 
An apology for my tardy Thank You...

I'm slowly coming back around here (DC), and I just re-read all the kind posts you all have left for me about my Charlie. I kind of forgot about them... I was fiddling around looking for something I posted, and it brought me back here...

It's like I was reading it all for the first time. I can't tell you what a comfort your kind words have brought to me. It's been two months, and I still have dreams about her, about losing her, not being able to find her, calling her name and straining to hear her collar, her "noises"...

Most folks who see me everyday must suppose I'm "over" losing her, as I have kept myself busy, started yoga again, cooking more, digging in my yard... but I wake up in the middle of the night, sometimes after a nitemare, and my heart just aches.

I guess it's easier to reach out to you all "out there" then go on about it/her to my everyday peoples, and for that - for allowing me to sneak in here and be vulnerable and sad, for reaching out to me with such compassion - I am so grateful.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Blessings, Love and Light to You All
 
Oh no. Oh I'm so sorry to hear you lost Charlie. When we lost our Golden I was a mess for a long time. They leave a hole that is tough to fill. Sending you a big hug.
 
An apology for my tardy Thank You...

I'm slowly coming back around here (DC), and I just re-read all the kind posts you all have left for me about my Charlie. I kind of forgot about them... I was fiddling around looking for something I posted, and it brought me back here...

It's like I was reading it all for the first time. I can't tell you what a comfort your kind words have brought to me. It's been two months, and I still have dreams about her, about losing her, not being able to find her, calling her name and straining to hear her collar, her "noises"...

Most folks who see me everyday must suppose I'm "over" losing her, as I have kept myself busy, started yoga again, cooking more, digging in my yard... but I wake up in the middle of the night, sometimes after a nitemare, and my heart just aches.

I guess it's easier to reach out to you all "out there" then go on about it/her to my everyday peoples, and for that - for allowing me to sneak in here and be vulnerable and sad, for reaching out to me with such compassion - I am so grateful.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Blessings, Love and Light to You All

I'm so sorry you lost your beloved Charlie. (((big hugs)) I don't think we ever *get over* the loss. We will always miss the ones who are gone, believe me , I know how it feels, having lost 8 cats and 3 dogs over the years.
LC
 
pc - please accept a big hug from me. We will always be here and ready to help our fellow DC'ers through whatever they are going through. :flowers:
 
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