Well here we are at the end of October 2007. It also represents the end of Raven's chemotherapy treatments - she had her last one today. Cyclophosphamide aka Cytoxan, apart from needing to pee a bit more often she is as bright as usual. Dr Ken Wyatt and Dr Amy Lane and the Onco nursing staff gave her a card commending her on her bravery during treatment and wishing her wellness for a long time. Raven was 'meh' about the card but thoroughly relished the milky dental chews instead. She will go back for a consult with Ken in one months time. Her WBCs were at 3.5....which sounds low but is the norm for her. Her specialists have decided that she is one of those dogs who has a naturally low WBC so around 3.5 is the norm for her...she's had treatment when they've been 0.8 so I was pleased to hear today's count.
I can't believe we've made it....technically speaking she should have been finished around the last week in September...missed treatments due to chronic low WBCs meant she added around a month. So now we just observe, monitor and go in for check ups. I am always checking her lymph nodes, I do it now without a thought so no way are they going to change without me noticing. For me Raven's agility is the biggest clue to how she's feeling. If I'm getting complete and total perfect behaviours on start lines, contacts and keeping bars up I know she's feeling off. As much as that's great for qualifying and doing well I know really she is not feeling the best and that is a good heads up or warning for me that something might not be right. They say the key to beating cancer or this type of Lymphoma in particular is that you catch it early. We caught it early before...and we'll catch it again if it ever dares to raise its head a second time. I will keep Raven's fitness up and keep using her diet/nutritional intake to keep those mutated lymphocytes at bay. We'll keep running agility and enjoy every opportunity we get to play this game together. I don't set goals for how much I want to do with her before her time is up but I do want to make sure we appreciate every day we have with her. She deserves nothing less.
Nothing like a happy Raven face to make you smile
4 comments:
I'm glad to hear Raven is doing well with her treatments! My terrier Aspen is also one of those dogs with the "normal low WBC count" - I let my vet about talk me into a bone marrow transplant on a perfectly healthy dog over it! Needless to say, I no longer use that vet. :-)
I'm so glad to hear Raven has got through everything ok, and best of luck to both of you for the future. I hope she remains healthy and happy, and continues to wow us all with her agility - she is one extraordinary dog!
Congratulations on finishing the treatment!
That's wonderful news indeed. More milky dental chews! Great photo, too.
-ellen
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