Yogi is in Remission!!!!

We have just been officially told !
Well done Yogi...
Merry Christmas everyone!

1 down, 2 to go.....

Mum had her operation to remove her adrenal gland on Wednesday. She had a bit of a "funny turn" with the anaesthetic. They thought that she may have a heart attack so kept her in recovery all night to monitor her. It was quite worrying because I was ringing the hospital every hour or so just to be told that she hadn't returned from recovery yet. Eventually the ward put me through to recovery and they tried to explain that she may have an ischaemic event. Very worrying. All we could do was wait. By the morning, all seemed to be OK. Visited her and she seemed fairly bright. Even better, the next day she was to be discharged. When I went to pick her up, she didn't look well at all. She felt very sick, and was in some pain. OK, so how do I get a poorly woman accross the hospital to the car? The porter wasn't able to help (I gather he had a hangover). They said I could borrow a wheelchair. Great! The one they gave me was like a duff supermarket trolley with three wheels that worked and one that didn't. The only advice they could offer was that if I was about to collide with a wall or person - stop!! Off we went in a rather higgledy piggledy fashion. By this time I am afraid I had the giggles, probably a touch of nervous tension. Poor mum I think felt even worse by the time we had reached our destination.
This morning she was feeling really ill so I called the emergency doctor. They told me that it may be that the painkillers weren't suiting her or that the remaining adrenal gland wasn't working so bring her in. After a 2 hour wait, we saw a lovely doctor who examined her and did feel it was the tablets. So he gave her some different ones and something for the sickness. If she isn't feeling well tomorrow she has to go back for tests. I have just spoken to her and she thinks she feels a little better. So fingers crossed there is nothing more sinister going on.

Lesley, I am so impressed with your mum having a major op at 80! It has reminded me that I shouldn't expect miracle recoveries when the patient is older. I think I forget that sometimes.

You are right, God did give us dogs to make us smile. Yogi and Larry have been doing just that. This morning I think that they were acting out a scene of the old TV show Gladiators. There was a game where 2 contestants would stand on a pole and knock 7 bells out of each other with a weapon. Today, Larry had the "teddy" (weapon) and Yogi had to go for his front legs while Larry beat him on the head with it! They went on for ages - well until Yogi was tired and Larry felt he had won. He always has to win - that's the rules.....:o)

What a day! Firstly, Mum has developed a streaming cold. I don't think they like to operate when someone has a cold ? Not sure if a head cold counts or whether it has to be anything worse? She has been on the phone to nurses on and off all day, but not one of them has mentioned how awful she sounds ! Mum won't ask as she just wants it done and over with. No idea what I should say or do. She was supposed to go into hospital this evening for her op tomorrow. All was arranged that we would get her to Leicester by 7pm. At about 5pm the hospital had called her to say they didn't have a bed until the morning. How the hell can they work like that? Now we have to take her in at 6am. Not a problem but its just another night of worry (especially now that she has a cold to add to her woes). What worries me even more is that she is supposed to have the operation tomorrow (they can't tell her what time exactly) but there was NO MENTION at all that she shouldn't eat after a certain time!!!! I can't believe it. She has decided that she won't eat or drink after midnight (based on previous experience) but how can they not tell someone? This whole thing is just unbelievable. The reason she has had to wait so long for this operation in the first place is down to a lack of communication between hospitals - she is being treated by two and one didn't think to chase the other to arrange treatment. I shouldn't knock the NHS because on the whole in the past they have been pretty good. But this time there has been a number of problems. It worries me that as she is not young, is she not getting the best treatment?
I am crossing everything possible that all is OK tomorrow....

7th Chemo

This session turned out to be pretty uneventful really which is a blessing. Yogi was a bit louder than he has been, but they gave him a plate of food that seemed to do the trick.
All went smoothly and he was home by 12.30.
As always on chemo day, his appetite increases by about 1000% then decreases slightly for the rest of the week. Sometimes I can't believe that his little tummy can hold that amount of food.
We have just been for our sprint round the village and now I am pretty frozen. I think a long soak in the bath is the order of the day. Larry and Yogi insist on this being a group activity so it's not always the most relaxing of persuits. Larry likes to chase every splash and ripple obsessively as collies do, Yogi likes to watch Larry as if to say "what the hell do you find so interesting?". It makes me laugh though. Showers are even more fun for Larry. Then he excells himself and does the shower dance with the bath mat ;o)

Worrying times

This week it's my Mum worrying me and not Yogi. She is going into hospital on Tuesday to have her adrenal gland removed. this is one of the areas her cancer has spread to. I was under the impression that she would have her adrenal gland removed, then the portion of her lung that is cancerous and then her breast. And then possibly very naively, I thought that she would be more or less OK. Possibly needing chemo but that the treatment schedule was decided. Now I find out that further treatment will be dependent on the results of the adrenal gland removal. She is sounding worried which worries me even more. She is also saying that some of the symptoms she is having are as a result of having cancer. She has never said that before either. I am SO very scared and trying not to show it. Trying to carry on as normal.
I read an article in a magazine written by someone who has had cancer and they said that one of the hardest things was seeing the people that loved them worrying and trying to help with suggestions etc but ultimately underneath showing their fear (naturally). The thing that helped them most was just being treated normally. How the hell do you do that ?

On a lighter note today I have braved the shops again trying to do some Christmas shopping. Quite successful but still not quite finished.
I am supposed to be going to the office Christmas party on Wednesday. Not sure if I'm going yet as it depends on Mum. But I might do as it may be better that sitting at home worrying. Mum thinks I should go too.
I am not usually one for the Christmas bashes each year. I usually end up going though because it's easier than going through endless lame excuses and also don't like to be thought of as "unsociable" even though I am :o)
It should be quite impressive. The theme is "One night in Bangkok" http://www.the-christmas-company.co.uk/venues/miltonkeynes/entertain.htm and it should be quite a lavish affair. Lesley has offered me a Thai dress to wear. Sadly it isn't fancy dress. I wish it was now with the offer of that. Thank you Lesley, that was such a kind thought. I bet the dress is stunning.
I am having the usual issues of what I SHOULD wear though. I am not one to dress up at all normally. I spend most of my waking hours scruffy except for work. If I could go in jeans I would be happier.....
Still, if I go, I am sure I will be fine once I get "into the swing" and it's always quite good watching people that you see each day letting their hair down. Think I will take my camera :o)

Yogi and Larry are being little stars (as ever) I have just buried my face into Larry's neck for a dose of bliss. It makes me feel calmer.
I agree with Graham about not changing Yogi's diet as I too just want to give him whatever he wants for as long as I can. I also completely understand Handh for changing Herbies diet. Each situation is different and I think that somehow our dogs tell us what we should do.

This week I am going to start working from home some mornings so I have been given a remote access account from work. Now being a bit of a technophobe, I have been told what I need to do to connect from home but I am sure I will probably get it wrong. There is an alarming amount of passwords and passcodes that need to be input at each step. Now which one comes first ............... :o)

6th Chemo

Well, today Yogi went in for his 6th session. It was great from the start as he didn't have that initial panic that has been apparent over the last 2 weeks. He just trotted off happily with the nurses. I think he probably thought it was a good chance for a food raid from all the other inhabitants. Once again there was no problem, he had the drugs with no reaction and came out like a bouncing bomb :o) And he has continued to bounce for the rest of the evening. Absolutely superb.
I sort of can't believe it. Other dogs seem to go through ups and downs with their treatment. Yogi hasn't really looked back at all. He hasn't had any down days and the only thing that appears to be different is his appetite. He has even stopped (virtually) weeing in the night. Now I don't want to think all this is too good to be true, but it does seem a little unusual ?

I have been reading some lymphoma sites for example Help Your Dog Fight Cancer and Chemo (Dogdoggiedog) and they both talk about diet e.g. eliminating carbs. I haven't gone down this route and am thinking that maybe I should. But then I think that he is doing so well, should I change this? Difficult. I have been adding flax oil for the omega 3 but other than that he gets the same diet he has always had, just more of it. It is a good quality one, he has Burns plus some Nature Diet, plus of course his regular snacks of chicken, cheese and veggie sausage :o)
They also talk about side effects, he doesn't seem to have any. By all accounts, the dogs I have read about do.
It seems strange, we worry about them when they're sick and worry about them when they're well. I guess we are just programmed to worry full stop.
He has 2 further chemo sessions before we begin to reduce. That means just having medication every other week for a couple of months. How scary will that be? I will probably turn into a compulsive gland checker. More so than I am already.
I remember Graham once saying that he used to check Prince's heartbeat. I haven't done that yet but I do check his gums pretty often (if he is bleeding internally, they will go pale). Soon I think that he will lift his lips for me as I approach :o)
The bouncing bomb is now barking for attention, better go and see what he wants however, I suspect it's food :o)

Even top models need to lie down sometimes....