Day 2004

I got a call from Dot's oncologist around dinner time. The cytology reports came back from the lab earlier than she expected. The good news is that her spleen is completely normal. The bad news is that the small growth in her liver appears to be the same type of tumor that we successfully removed from her intestine over a year ago. Since the cancer probably spread to the liver from her intestinal tract, surgery is not recommended. Metastatic liver cancer does not respond well to surgery. If there is any silver lining to this large dark cloud, it is that this particular type of tumor grows very slowly. It has also been successfully controlled using Palladia, which is the same chemotherapy drug that Dash took for his thyroid cancer. The oncologist wants to start Dot on Palladia for six weeks to see how well she tolerates the drug. Dash did fine during the year he was on Palladia, but every dog is different. If Dot doesn't show any adverse side-effects from chemotherapy, she would probably continue taking the drug for the rest of her life. The thing I remember most about Palladia, other than having to wear special purple rubber bio-hazard gloves every time I touched the stuff, was the huge expense of treatment. When Dash took Palladia it cost us around $400 a month for the pills. I don't think Janet and I will ever be able to retire.

Luckily, Dot doesn't know she has cancer. She did great  in the underwater treadmill this afternoon and appeared much stronger than she did last week. Even with limited mobility, she is still a happy and very determined dog. At her age, she's probably got two or three years left in the best of circumstances. I would like those years to be happy, pain free years, so we'll do whatever it takes.

I finished my latest mobile friendly website today and replaced the old static site. The client was delighted. Things usually go well with this particular client because they just leave me alone. I can do amazing things for you if you don't try to micromanage me. Most of the micro managers and divas are gone now, because we just didn't get along. I still have a few left though and I wish I could just get rid of them. There is no satisfaction in working for someone who thinks they could do your job better than you can if they just had more time. These people will never have more time, but they are never happy either.

They found my blood work at the clinic. Maybe somebody was reading the blog yesterday. I can predict what the results will be. The doctor will say my A1C levels still aren't normal yet. He'll want my HDL levels to be higher and my LDL levels to be lower. I'm pretty pleased with my blood chemistry, but my doctor always thinks it could be better. I mostly want to find out if Benicar is really a dangerous drug. I switched from Benicar back to an ACE inhibitor to control my blood pressure. The nagging cough I had before when I was taking ACE inhibitors like Zestril has returned though. I want to switch back to Benicar if it isn't going to kill me. I'm still seeing those 1-800-BAD-DRUG ads on TV though. Who are you going to believe?

I'm so disappointed that Dot's cancer has returned, but we always knew that it might. We'll just do the best we can. I wish the dogs weren't so mind numbingly expensive, but they keep me happy when nothing else can. The dogs are definitely worth it. The rest? I'm not so sure. Today's watch of the day is kind of how I feel.

Willa is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day