Day 2569

Sometimes I feel like the bar that's being set for me keeps being raised a little higher every few weeks. Last night I found myself cleaning up Dot's poop in the kitchen at exactly the same time Dash was throwing up in the bedroom. It's a three ring circus around here. Needless to say, I didn't get to watch very much of the Dr. Who Christmas Special. Lord knows what makes Dash throw up, but it happens from time to time. Usually Dash has an upset stomach when he eats something bad he found in the yard. You might ask why I don't find the dead things first and get rid of them. I would, except that the yard is covered by a million Oak and Elm leaves that have fallen from our trees. I won't be able to find anything in the yard until Spring.

I made an appointment to take Dash to the vet, because when I was checking him out after he threw up, I noticed a small mass in his throat. This feels like a fatty lipoma to me, but since Dash has already had thyroid cancer and lost one lobe of his thyroid gland, I don't think I should let this one slide. It is always possible that another tumor is developing in the remaining part of his thyroid. I worry too much, but that is one reason why both dogs are still alive. I may be guilty of ignoring my own health, but I never ignore the dog's health.

Yesterday evening was far too distracting to sit down and watch the Dr. Who Christmas Special, although it was playing on both televisions. I got the general idea that this was a Superman and Lois Lane story wrapped around a typical alien invaders on Christmas Day story. I didn't think I'd like this one, since I'm getting tired of Peter Capaldi, but from what little I saw, the script seemed well written and clever enough to make me want to go back and watch the show again the next time I find some quiet time.

I'll never get used to Texas weather. After our recent cold spell. I really wasn't ready to start using the air conditioner again. It seemed to go from cold and dry to hot and humid almost overnight. I've had the air conditioner on for two days now. Go figure. At least the yard is finally drying out. I didn't need to clean the dog's paws nearly as often today.

Today must have been a holiday for people who have regular jobs. The park seemed really crowded for a weekday. At first I kept thinking "what are all these people doing skipping work," but I finally realized that since Christmas was on a Sunday, that offices were closed on Monday instead. Maybe if you were lucky, you got Friday off too. I haven't had a paid work holiday for decades. Of course there are those who think all my days are holidays, but they would be wrong.

I got an REI sale catalog in the mail and of course the one thing that caught my eye was something I'd never, ever use. It was a GPS satellite tracking device that lets you text people and send emergency messages when you're off the grid and far away from a cell tower. I haven't been off the grid since I was in college and if I had gotten in trouble, I would have been out of luck. Cell phones and GPS trackers weren't even invented yet.

I'm hoping for a quiet, uneventful day tomorrow. One can always hope.

Dash is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1547

It was that kind of a day. I went out for breakfast this morning, just because I didn't feel like making coffee or doing the dishes. I didn't go far because it was a busy day, but it was nice to have someone else take care of things for me. I have a feeling that my Friday breakfasts are eventually going to expand to other days of the week. I save money eating at home and I can keep an eye on the dogs, but I'll have to admit that I enjoy eating a lot more than I enjoy cooking.

While I was waiting for my meal, I overheard a group of people at the next table casually talking about getting robbed. Apparently they had all worked in retail at one time or another and they all seemed to agree that everyone in retail eventually gets robbed. The guy who used to work at a jewelry store clearly got robbed the most. I don't know what was sadder: that these people had all been victims of a robbery, or that they seemed to accept these robberies as an inevitable part of modern life.

I called about Dash's pathology report today and discovered that it had been sitting in the oncology clinic for four days and nobody had bothered to notify me. This place had fabulous physicians, backed up by a terrible administrative staff. They really need to do something about this. I finally ended up talking with a surgeon who went over the report with me. Yes, Dash definitely had cancer. No, he wasn't sure if the results indicated that Dash would need further radiation of chemotherapy. He told me that I needed to talk to the oncologist to get an in depth interpretation of the results. It was never clear why I wasn't talking to the oncologist in the first place. Hopefully I will be able to touch base with this guy tomorrow. I know nothing about the pathology of cancer cells, but I did hear one good thing from the surgeon I talked to today. Evidently, there were compressed thyroid tissue cells all the way around the periphery of the growth they removed. I asked the surgeon what this meant and he suspected that the cancer was still encapsulated and was pressing outward toward the edge of the thyroid, compressing the remaining thyroid tissue. Maybe this means that the cancer has not fully metastasized yet and hasn't spread beyond the thyroid gland. I wish I'd found out more today, but something is better than nothing.

Jawbone sent me a new UP fitness band today and Klout sent me some dog food as a Perk. Klout is finally learning what motivates me. Maybe this means they'll send me fewer tickets for movies I'll never attend and more things I'll actually use. It's not my favorite brand of dog food, but it's a step in the right direction. I'm glad Jawbone honored my warranty and sent me a new UP band too. I bet they've built sending a new band to customers every year into their cost structure. They probably already know that the internal batteries only last a year. This continual replacement strategy would certainly explain why these little bands are so expensive.

Today was a busy day. I did a lot of writing and a fair amount of website updates. I never got around to starting my taxes at all. There are so many things on my "to do" list that I don't think I'll ever get caught up. Things involving the dogs and their health and welfare come first. Things involving making money to pay the bills come second. Things involving my own health come third. Things involving broken things in the house come fourth. Things involving fun? Well, I haven't gotten to those yet.

Tyson is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1536

The only thing worse than a sick dog is a dog who doesn't realize he's sick. I decided today that the best way to keep Dash calm and sedate is to keep his routine as close to normal as possible. All the complicated instructions the vet gave me just seem to agitate him. He hates going out in the back yard on a leash. Using the logic that the meadow behind our house is really just an extended back yard, I took Dash on a short walk today. It made a world of difference. He got to smell his favorite bushes. He did his business much quicker than he would have in the yard. And, best of all, he was calm. When we got back home, he was a good dog for the rest of the day. A lot of people don't understand Dalmatians. You've got to meet them halfway to get anything accomplished. Dash and I have an understanding now. He'll still get his walks. In return, he'll walk nicely on a harness and keep his incision away from stray branches. As long as he gets to go outside, he seems fine with these shorter, more sedate walks.

It was a very busy day. The tree trimmers arrived promptly at 9 AM to clean up the trees that were damaged by last December's ice storm. I'm glad I finally got this taken care of, because eventually one of the precariously attached tree limbs would have broken loose and fallen on my neighbor's car. The tree looks much better now. My only problem was when I had to negotiate a truce between the tree trimmers and a neighboring fence contractor when they both wanted to park their trucks in the alley at the same time. As I expected, Dot slept through the whole thing. I wonder if they make hearing aids for dogs. Dot's hearing definitely isn't as good as it used to be.

I realized today that being able to get out of the house myself, even for a few short minutes, can make a big difference. I didn't even make a quick trip to the bank or post office today and the day seemed to drag on forever. Staying housebound for a while gives me an opportunity to observe Dash under a wide variety of different conditions and make sure he won't do anything stupid. So far, he's been an excellent patient. There is still no swelling at the incision site, so I don't think hemorrhaging is going to be a problem. Now that Dash and I have agreed to compromise on a few important points, he is being very calm and reasonable. Let's hope this continues.

My writing assignment today was long and complex. I'm still not finished with it. Maybe I'll get up early and do my editing tomorrow morning. I definitely don't like these assignments hanging over my head during the weekend. Tomorrow, I'll see if I can catch up on a few household chores as well. Maybe I'll even get to go to the gym again later this weekend.

Dash is still on pain pills, but he already seems better than he did yesterday when we brought him home. The little guy is a trooper. I only wish I could bounce back as quickly as he's doing. I'm just barely hanging in there these days. Bounce is no longer part of my vocabulary.

Connor is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1534

I got a phone call form Dash's surgeon at about 3 PM this afternoon. He told me that the procedure went as planned. Surgeons are different than other doctors. They are very matter-of-fact, displaying little of the warmth and empathy that veterinarians are famous for. I actually like this. I usually misinterpret emotion and empathy anyway, so I prefer sticking to the facts. The facts in this case were fantastic. The surgeon was able to remove the entire tumor with no serious hemorrhaging issues. Hemorrhaging is typically a problem with thyroid tumors, since these fast growing cancers quickly develop their own vascular system, which can cause serious bleeding problems when the tumor is removed. Dash is resting in the ICU now. The hospital will keep him under observation for several days to make sure there is not any internal bleeding, and then he will be released.

The most important thing now is to find out the results from the pathology report. The tumor is sent off to a lab for analysis and they determine exactly what kind of cancer it is. It often takes up to two weeks to get these results and they will determine what happens next. Certain types of cancers will require no further treatment. Other types will require radiation to eradicate the remaining malignant cells. The most aggressive forms of cancer might require a combination of radiation and chemotherapy. That's all in the future though. For now, Dash is doing well. The surgeon was very pleased and said it was very lucky that we caught this tumor so early. He said that two or three months from now, the outcome might have been very different.

The ironic thing about this whole situation is that a tick might have saved Dash's life. Vets are always trying to get me to use a flea and tick preventative like Frontline on Dot and Dash. I am very reluctant to do this, because both dogs have very sensitive skin and when I have used these topical preventatives in the past, their skin quickly becomes red and raw. Instead, I check the dogs carefully for ticks every evening. That's how I found the tumor.

It was amazing that I got any work done at all today, since most of my time was consumed with the dogs. When I wasn't up at the cancer center with Dash, I was over at the physical therapy center with Dot. Dot is the good news dog of the week. She has completely recovered from her episode of eating the bedroom carpet and seems to have more energy now. Her new perkiness may be the result of a new drug we are trying that is supposed to reduce the onset of Canine Cognitive Dysfnction. I guess this is what they call Alzheimers in dogs. The active ingredient in this product is supposed to protect nerve cells in the brain from damage associated with excessive calcium levels. Some vets are very skeptical, saying that the apoaequorin that that is supposed to prevent dementia will never even reach the brain in a pill and is destroyed by the dog's stomach acid instead. All I know is that Dot is definitely perkier and more alert this week.

I got a call from the specialty pharmacy today saying that my second shipment of Sovaldi and Rabavirin will arrive by FedEx tomorrow. This means I am already one third of the way through my 12-week treatment. The way they ship these pills, you'd think I was receiving a shipment of gold coins. As much as the Sovaldi costs, they might as well be sending me gold coins.

On a totally unrelated note, Baidu shares surged in after hours trading after the company released fourth quarter results that were much better than analysts expected. Yay! I still own some Baidu stock. Maybe this fortuitous turn of events will help me pay for Dash. Hepatitis-C and cancer have certainly taught me one thing: modern medicine is breathtakingly expensive. It may be worth it though. Dash and I are both still alive. Thanks for all the kind words I received from you guys today. It means a lot to me that you are thinking about Dash.

Bingo is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1533

Dash goes in for surgery tomorrow morning. The CAT Scan was fairly conclusive. The bad news is that he does have thyroid cancer. The good news is that the tumor does not appear to have metastasized yet. Dash's lungs are clear. There are no signs that the cancer has spread beyond the thyroid gland itself. From all appearances, this is an encapsulated tumor, which makes it much easier to remove.

I have been very impressed with the team at the cancer center. We have talked with a soft tissue specialist, an oncologist, and the surgeon who will be operating on Dash tomorrow. These doctors are clear, concise, and have a well defined plan that will give Dash a good change to live a normal life again. They make no promises though. All three told us that with any cancer, you don't really know what you're dealing with until you make the incision and take a look at it. They did appear confident that surgery was the best option in this case.

If the surgery is successful, they said there is a high probability that Dash will still need radiation therapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells. Radiation treatments would not begin until two or three weeks after the surgery is completed. He might need three radiation treatments a week for three weeks. This is going to be very expensive. I only hope it works.

The weather is turning cold again. The temperature is already dropping and it is supposed to be below freezing by sunrise. Some reports says we might get freezing rain again. I certainly hope not. I asked the folks at the surgery center if Dash would be OK if the power went out tomorrow. They looked at me like I was some sort of alarmist nut. Well, of course I'm an alarmist nut. I just wanted to make sure they had a backup plan.

I was able to get all my work completed, despite the trips back and forth to the cancer center. Writing this blog day in and day out appears to have helped my writing in other areas as well. I get my assignments finished now no matter what happens. If I worked this hard back in the days when I was a creative type at the big ad agencies, I would probably own a big agency now, instead of leaving behind a legacy as the agency troublemaker.

All that is ancient history now. I've been on my own for over twenty years. I can't say that my little company has exactly set the world on fire, but it pays the bills. I can fix the furnace on cold days. I can fix the roof on wet days. And I can take care of the dogs on troublesome days like this. That's all that really matters. Wish us luck tomorrow and keep Dash in your prayers.

Cookie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1528

OK. We're making progress. I've scheduled a consultation with an oncologist first thing Monday morning. After this initial evaluation, Dash will get a CAT Scan later the same day. If necessary, we've arranged for a joint consultation between the oncologist and a soft tissue surgeon. My philosophy for just about everything is to hope for the best while preparing for the worst. That's what I'm trying to do here.

It turns out that they didn't check my viral loads when I went to the hepatologist today. The nurse said that I hadn't been taking the pills long enough to see whether they were helping me. All they wanted to do today was to make sure they weren't harming me. I guess that makes sense. I would be very surprised if the pills were actually harming me. I feel fine. Dash seems to feel fine too, so maybe things aren't always as simple as they seem.

Dash has reverted to getting us up in the middle of the night again. Just when I think his digestion is back to normal, he has another of these episodes. We certainly aren't getting much sleep this week. I asked the vet if Dash's loose stools could have anything to do with his thyroid issues and she didn't know. She said anything was possible. I think both dogs have been going to the vet so frequently this month that everyone is starting to get Dot and Dash's stories confused. We thought we had some recent x-rays to send over to the oncologist today, but it turned out they were Dot's x-rays.

After a short break, I have returned to my insane writing schedule. The constant writing, plus all the website updates and dog issues are starting to take their toll. I'm tired. There are a lot of things that just aren't getting done the way they should. Ordinarily, I would have fixed the faulty can light in the bathroom by now. Not even close on that one. I still haven't gotten the damaged Oak tree in the back yard cleaned up after December's ice storm. I ended up fixing the hole Dot that ate in the carpet with Duct Tape. It looks like crap and Janet says we're living in Honey Boo Boo's house now, but at least there are no more dangerous loose edges that the dogs might eat again. It's going to take a while to get a new carpet put in. Getting the dog health issues resolved has to come first. There's so much furniture that would need to be moved before a new carpet could be installed that I dread even dealing with the whole thing. I don't know who to call anyway. My favorite carpet company went out of business five years ago. Nothing is simple anymore.

I was really hoping to get Dash in to see the oncologist tomorrow, but maybe waiting until Monday is for the best. He still acts and feels pretty normal. At least now, we'll have a chance to take him to his favorite dog park over the weekend and spend some quality time with him. If he does end up needing surgery and radiation therapy, he's going to have a pretty rough Spring.

Odie is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1527

I feel sick to my stomach. The pathology report came back today and Dash has some sort of thyroid tumor. We don't know yet whether the tumor is benign or malignant, but either way it is bad news. In all likelihood, the tumor will have to be surgically removed. If the tumor is cancerous, we will have to act fast, since some thyroid tumors grow quite aggressively. With the help of our vet, we are looking for the best available surgeon now. Dash will probably need a CT scan, nuclear scintigraphy, and possibly a biopsy prior to making a decision about surgery. If the tumor still moves freely in the neck and has not metastasized, removal should be relatively simply. If the tumor has already established its own blood supply and spread through adjoining tissue, the surgery will be much more risky. Even if the surgery is successful, there's a good chance that chemotherapy or radiation will be required afterwards as well.

Let's just hope it isn't cancer. Poor Dash hasn't gotten a lot of breaks in life. When we adopted him in the Spring of 2006, he was not a healthy dog. He had serious skin allergies, kidney stones, and recurring digestive problems. We nursed him back to good health and then he began to have epileptic seizures. His seizures are well controlled now and his coat looks great. These medical issues weren't the worst of his problems though. About five years ago, Dash was attacked by a viscous dog in the neighborhood and almost killed. It required three surgeries, months of physical therapy, and a lot of loving care to get him back on his feet again. After all this, the last thing our boy needs now is cancer.

I have to accept the reality that we have two very high maintenance dogs now. Dot is incredibly resilient, but she is very old now and has all the problems associated with old age. She hasn't given up though, and still seems to love her life. I think the water therapy and acupuncture are really helping. She is much more mobile and active than many other Dalmatians her age. She did great on the underwater treadmill today. Watching her go through her paces, it would be easy to imagine that she was 8 instead of 13 or 14. With both dogs, we're going to have to take things one day at a time from this point forward. Dot had a very good day today. Dash, not so good.

I didn't go to my networking breakfast this morning. I had other things on my mind. I'm beginning to realize that other than the breakfast itself, this group has very little to offer my company. I've been around long enough to realize that few, if any, of these people will ever have a need for my rather specialized services. Don't get me wrong. They are all nice folks and I enjoy chatting with them on mornings when I'm awake. I'm just not a morning person though and never will be. I've tried everything on the breakfast menu and had an opportunity to try on all my old suits again. That was fun. The Giorgio Armani and Valentino suits still look great after all these years. The Jhane Barnes looked ridiculous. I'm trying to think of valid reasons to continue to get up this early, but I can't think of many.

I go for my first evaluation tomorrow to see how well the new Hepatitis-C treatment is working. Mostly this will be more blood tests. I really hope this advanced treatment is successful. At a point in my life where so many things seem pointless, it would be nice to know that there was at least one instance where I was doing exactly the right thing at exactly the right time.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day