Athena is cancer free!

What a huge relief.  Athena is okay!  She had the lump removed and it’s benign.  It was really hard waiting for news especially after losing Bosco to cancer.

 

Athena needed two teeth removed and we had no idea.  So I’m glad this happened.  She had bone loss because of her teeth and she must have been in pain.

She did end up with GI issues a few days later but our vet gave us some meds and she was on the mend.  Then a few days after that, the incision where the lump was got infected.  Luckily my vet just needed to see a photo and she gave Athena a broad spectrum antibiotic.  She is still finishing those meds but it looks much better.  Hum… I wonder what cause the infection?  🤢.   (As a side note, cold water is the way to go when cleaning up after pups with GI issues.  Apparently hot water was a bad idea because it sets those kinds of stains.  🤦‍♀️).

Quick update

Athena has surgery yesterday and it went well.  She seems happy and bright today.  The vet was pretty optimistic and said there were no obvious signs it is cancer.  We have to wait a week for results but that’s a good sign.  Athena needed two teeth pulled.  That’s a good thing too.  Hopefully it accounts for her bad breath, which is also a sign of melanoma.  Poor girl must have been hurting and I am glad she will be feeling better.  I’ll update as soon as we know more.  Hopefully she will be ok.

It has been a year

A little over a year ago we lost Bosco.  The grief is with me every day and getting used to our new normal has been hard.  I feel badly that I have not been around because I want to support others who are going through similar journeys.  I am not really ready to be here.  There are a lot of things I’m not ready for.

 

when Bosco was first diagnosed I didn’t know what to expect, but I did know him.  I knew he could learn anything he needed to know and I knew I could help him.  I knew the wasn’t afraid of the vet and I knew that he knew I would always come get him.

About a month after Bosco died we decided to foster.  It was something that I had wanted to do for years but never could because Bosco had issues with other dogs.  I couldn’t stand how quiet the house was and fostering seemed like a good idea because we weren’t ready for another dog.

we ended up fostering what we think is a lab/ beagle mix.  She was quiet.  Very quiet.  She was terrified, abused, still lactating, and suffering from extreme separation anxiety.  Somehow she managed to destroy our kitchen from inside her crate while my husband and I were at work.  She even chewed up Bosco’s rubber dish mat.  She made me cry a few times.  But, my husband and I understood and we worked with her.  We worked hard.  No one wanted to adopt her, so about a month ago we did.

 

Athena has come a long way!  She is able to be in the house without being crated. She has learned some basic commands and a few tricks.  I think she trusts us .  Things are just starting to get good and were finally bonding.

 

she is a sweet and gentle dog.  She deserves to know what it feels like to be loved and to be safe.

I wanted to believe the growth on her lip was a bug bite. She loves to walk in our plants looking of bunnies.  It didn’t go away and so we took her to the vet.  I wanted to believe it was nothing, that it would go away.  But deep down I think I knew it could be something worse.  I’m not ready to go through this again.  It could be just a wart but I have a feeling it’s cancer.  Her breath has gotten especially bad and that is a symptom.  We will know more after surgery this Thursday. I am so worried for her and I am incredibly angry with myself for waiting to take her to the vet.  Melanoma moves fast.  If that is what it is and if she could be treated, she may need part of her jaw amputated.  Athena is already terrified of the vet.  How can we do that?  And we have spent so much on Bosco, how can we afford this?  I am a wreck.  I’m not ready to do this again.

How?

How do you get through the bad days?  Today has just felt like the longest day ever.  My husband works 12 hour shifts and he worked today.  So far, staying busy has helped but today it’s not working.  I took a bath.  That didn’t help.  Tried to watch TV.  I can’t concentrate.  I addressed some x mas cards….anything to stay busy.  Gosh, I still feel so on edge.  I can’t stop crying today.  It’s so quiet.

 

we did apply to be a foster family.  That was this past Thursday but we haven’t heard anything yet.  Neither my husband nor I are ready for a new dog of our own.  I’m not ready to give me heart away because Bosco is my heart.  But…it would feel good to help a dog in need.  I can give him or her a good home for a bit.  I like walks.   Hopefully it would be a win win for the dog and us.

 

I miss Bosco.  I have been questioning if euthanizing him was the right call.  Did we do the right thing for him?  Was it the right time?  If only I had an answer for these questions.  He really was the best dog ever.

Limitless

 

On Sunday we planted a tree for Bosco.  I would always speak for Bosco and say, “Don’t limit me.”  It’s a phrase from the Down’s community.  We decided to call the tree limitless.  I sure hope spirit Bosco has come by to pee on it.  🙂

 

If you look closely you can see that the tree is a tripod!