Day 1821

I'm beginning to realize that you're never really finished with cancer. The best treatments today can slow down the disease or hold it in check, but it can always reappear at any time. Dash did great at his evaluation and we received our last two month supply of his Palladia chemo pills. In the beginning, I thought that when we reached the end of this year of chemotherapy, we would be done forever. Not according to the oncologist. He explained to me today that when active treatment is completed, it is more important than ever to keep monitoring and evaluating the patient to make sure that the cancer hasn't returned. I suspect that Dash, and probably Dot as well, will be going to the cancer center every three months for the rest of their lives. This is really no different than it is with people, but I was still hoping that at some point we would officially "beat" the disease.

I felt better this morning, so I didn't bother going to the doctor and getting a Tamiflu prescription. This was probably a mistake. By early afternoon I felt miserable again. I tried gargling with salt water, hot tea, cough drops, and another nap with the dogs, but nothing seemed to work. I still have trouble accepting the fact that colds are just part of life. I never get colds when I'm sitting at the computer with the dogs under my desk. I always get colds whenever I do something with other people in the Winter. I feel like saying "Please don't invite me to join you for anything if you're sick." That would be rude though. I'm sure nobody wants to get the flu. They get it just like I did.

I had some website revisions to make today, but it was a pretty slow day. I used the extra time to get my December invoices in the mail and go to the bank. The check I deposited today certainly didn't last long. A few hours later I spent almost the same amount of money paying for Dash's chemotherapy pills. At least when the Palladia pills are finished, these periodic visits to the cancer center won't be so expensive.

I hope Dash's vet is feeling better when we go for our physical therapy session tomorrow. She was sick last week and I could have caught the flu from her. I really think I caught it from Santa though. Santa was really sick last weekend. We couldn't have canceled the photoshoot though. We book these things months in advance and the show must go on. No matter how I feel this weekend, I will be taking pictures again.

Maybe I'll go out for breakfast tomorrow instead of Friday. I have my first evaluation with my new physical therapist on Friday morning and I hate to rush breakfast just to meet a doctor who is sure to make my shoulder hurt.

Princess is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day