Emma Update

Hello wonderful furiends,

You have no idea how much you all mean to me and how very blessed I am to have met all of you.  I want to thank each and every one of you for all of your encouragement, prayers, well wishes, and support.
Thank you!!!

I've been to see the doctor a lot the past few weeks.  After the x-ray showed that mass in my neck my parents took me back to our regular vet to find out what was going on.  Our vet did an ultra sound guided needle aspiration of the mass.  The results came back - cancer.  My parents also suspect this lump on my head that has been there for a few years now that they told us was nothing to worry about is most likely cancer too. 

My Mom is very upset that our regular veterinary office never did any diagnostic testing the past two years and many, many, many, many, many visits later to definitively diagnose why my appetite was steadily decreasing, why I was coughing (ok they did do an echo cardiogram to check my heart and it came back good) , why I have diarrhea all the time.  She is now worried there was something going on then that could have been treated to prevent the issues we are facing now. My Mom is feeling most horrible she didn't push for tests, but believed the reasons the doctors gave her such as Emma is getting older that is normal for an older dog, she's older her muscles are weaker, she's older................, it's benign because you can feel it's not attached, it's benign because you can feel there is no stalk, it's benign because........ Mom now wishes more than anything she had insisted upon needle aspirations of all my lumps, but we were told back then that it wasn't necessary and you don't want to go poking around at things with a needle because if it were cancer it could cause it to become irritated and flare up and send cells out everywhere in response to the irritant.

The mass in my neck is cancer and we have talked to the doctor about surgery to remove it.  The doctor said he consulted with a veterinary oncology friend and they both said it would be impossible to remove the entire mass because it's neurological and you can't remove nerves.  Our doctor said he could remove most of it not all of it,  but the mass could return and he can't say how quickly that would happen.  We asked him if it was something we could wait and do after our vacation.  Come on who wants to miss out on sniffing new grass, trees and pee mail.  The doctor said that would be fine.

Two days before we were scheduled to leave for vacation I became very, very sick.  I couldn't even hold myself up and was lethargic, running a high fever and drooling.  My parents rushed me to the doctor.  The doctor said I had stay over night on i.v. fluids or I would not make it through the night.  Mom asked about surgery to remove the mass and whether or not we should do it now.  Would that help me improve.  They said no I wasn't even stable enough to have a surgery now.  This doctor said even if they did open up my neck the mass could be so entangled with everything that is in there the esophagus, trachea, carotid artery, and jugular vein that the doctor might just have to give us the option of not completing the surgery and not waking me up.  They said I wasn't a candidate for surgery right now either.  I was so week the nice vet tech ladies had to take the edges of the blanket I was laying on and drag it to the back because I couldn't get up.  Mom said it was the sadest moment ever to watch me watching her and Dad as they drug me away.  They gave me a big bed sized comforter to lay on and that's how they got me moved to the overnight area.  The dragging blanket game is something we do at home, but I wasn't having any fun with it this time.   

The veterinarian called Mom and Dad before leaving for the night and said I was doing ok and if they didn't call any more tonight to take that as good news because she said our vet doesn't like to wake people up and no news is good news.  Mom and Dad tell me it was a very long night for them.  It was the first time I'd ever spent the night away from home.

The next morning Mom called to check on me and they said I was still receiving fluids and I had been out to potty, but I was refusing to eat any dog food the gave me.  Mom told them I would not eat dog food and asked if her and Dad could bring me some Arby's roast beef.  They told her sure bring whatever I will eat. 

Mom and Dad arrived with my roast beef and I could smell it all the way back where I was.  Mom and Dad could hear me coming down the hallway and the techs trying to keep up with my iv poll and fluids in tow.  Mom almost fell over when she saw how huge my leg was.  They wrapped my catheter/iv too tight and it swelled up huge.  They assured us the swelling would come down.  My leg and chest was also swollen from the iv fluid kinda just hanging out in there and they said that too would go down and Mom and Dad could massage me.  I'm all for the massage :)  I was so happy and excited to see my parents.  I missed them so much.  I really, really missed my soft comfy couch and king sized bed ;)

I had to eat  and walk around a bit and wait for the doctor to decide upon my release.  During that time I've never seen my parents cry so much and up until that day I had never never never ever seen my Dad cry.  Apparently I looked most sad and not myself although I was much better than the night before.  I heard them talking about "letting me go" and "is it time?"  Then they would say "I don't want to do that to her" "I'd like for her to have walks and vacation".  After a couple hours the vet examined me and gave me the all clear to go home.  They said I could go on vacation too.  Mom and Dad tearfully and happily decided that I deserved to have as many days as possible. 

As I walked out of the doctors office all the staff was happy and relieved at how much had improved from the previous night.  Several expressed their heart felt amazement and well wishes for me and my parents.  They were so nice to all of us.  They took really great care of me.

A few days into our vacation Mom pointed out to Dad how much visibly larger the mass in my neck has grown in just a short amount of time and it's been decided that surgery will not be of enough benefit to be worth the risks and pain involved.  We are going to enjoy however much time there is left.

We are doing just that enjoying life and having a wonderful time.  You can see us doing that in the up coming post of my 2012 Smoky Mountain vacation. 

Your Furiend,
Emma

Emma's Xray

 Hello Everyone,

I know it's been awhile since our last post and I do apologize.  We have been trying to come around facebook and catch up with our blog friends and to those that do not have facebook or those we have not connected with yet I do apologize.  We have haven't had a lot of online time and we were trying to find a way to maximize the time we had available.  Hopefully we can come around to all our friend's blogs soon.  We do miss reading about your adventures and good times.

Emma went to the vet and the lady found swollen lymph nodes.  She suggested we have blood work and an xray done.  We followed her advice and this is the xray they showed us.

The Dr. said there is a mass between her neck bone and the trachea/esophagus.  The trachea/esophagus is the black tube toward the bottom.  They recommended more diagnostic testing.  Like a chest x-ray and an ultrasound to guide a needle biopsy of the mass to determine what kind of mass it is.

Problem:  Emma is still losing weight, has no appetite, has had diarrhea for a very long time.  She doesn't eat enough to have gotten the proper nutrients for a very long time despite our determined attempts to encourage vitamin supplements and balanced foods.  She refuses anything we add a multi vitamin powder to and most times refuses any kind of dog food.  This makes us very leery of any surgical procedure.  Today we requested the xray be done only if it could be done without any kind of sedation.  The Dr. agreed he did not want to use sedation.  And sweet, gentle, mellow, Emma was very cooperative. That's my wonderful girl!  Our fear is no matter what they find out she is not going to be a good candidate for surgery.  I am going to guess that surgery in this area of the neck is a major surgery since it's so close to vital arteries.  I'm worried any type of surgery in this area would cause her to completely stop eating from the pain and discomfort.  I'm worried the stress surgery places on the body and the anesthesia would be too much for her to handle.

So, that leaves us with the question...what do we do?

I don't want to let her down, I don't want to make the wrong decision, most of all I don't want to let her down.  She's counting on me to take care of her and I feel I have failed.

I can only hope what they are seeing in this xray is not a mass.  I've asked our primary Dr. to take a look at them and see what he thinks.

Sincerely,
Emma's Mom

RE: Topic of Couches

My furiend Dexter has posted about a most interesting topic and one I am very experienced with.  Couches.  He has asked if any of his furiends or loyal readers have a couch of their own or favorite chair.

Dexter the answer is Yes.

When Mom and Dad adopted me I was living on concrete and had callouses, a scuffed up and bloody naked tail tip from rubbing it against the concrete block kennel walls (too small for me), and bloody fly eaten ears.  The first thing I discovered at my new home was a very soft and comfy couch I quickly claimed as my very own.

This used to be my favorite couch lounging style.  Every time I did this Mom would come running to rub my tummy.  It felt marvelous.  Yes, I have her trained very well.

Now a days my couch lounging style is more like toes in the breeze (visit Dexter's blog for a better example of the style).

Being a benevolent Queen I do share MY couch with my sisters.  Although if Mom or Dad even thinks of adding one more dog to our royal court I may not be as gratuitous. 

After 8 years of doggie drool, a missing cushion (some doggie thought it was a fun toss pillow to play catch with.  Don't know what kind of Dane doggie would do that ;)  Mom and Dad decided it was time for a brand new Emma couch.  On Labor Day weekend we got this.

At first it was not very comfortable and I wanted them to bring back the Emma couch because it fit my body perfectly.  After 8 years it was all molded nicely to all my shapes.  This new thing was like trying to sleep on a rock.  Dad said after we sat on it and laid on it it would soften up.  Now a month later it's much better than it was.  At least I don't feel like I'm going to slide right off during my Zzzzzz's.  Whew, that was one rough month. 

I will sometimes squeeze myself into the chair, but my ultimate favorite piece of living room furniture is MY couch.

I have no idea why my parents have such a small chair.

Bella and Dexter share the same favorite couch lounging style.

Bella also likes to play up the cute factor and make Mom sqeeeeeee.

She also likes to snuggle under the blankies.

In doing this Bella also helped in the need for a new couch.  She likes to get under the blankies to snuggle and that is accomplished by digging up the ones covering the couch. 

I know what you are thinking.  You think I forgot someone.  Nope.

Sweet Pea likes both the couch and the chair.  Sometimes at night she prefers to sleep out on the couch instead of with all of us in the big bed.  I think that's because up until she came to live at our royal estate she had never known the comforts of softness.  In her previous life she had been confined to a basement and furniture was off limits.  My parents are very generous and share everything with us.  They have discovered that we love soft and comfy things just as much as they do.  Hmmm, maybe a topic for a later post.  We have lots of those plushy, furry blankies that we stole borrowed from Mom :)

Here's Sweet Pea enjoying the comforts of both the chair and couch.

I think her favorite couch lounging style is touching us with her hairy Pea feet (she has long hair between her paw pads).

 

Dexter I hope this answers your question and I'm looking forward to your next inquiry.

Kisses & Nudges,

Emma

Count Down to Vacation ~ 26 days

It's that time of year.  The weather is much cooler and provides many more opportunities for walks, car rides, and it's also getting close to our.......vacation :)

We have decided not to wander all over this year.  Mom and Dad thought it would be less stressful for me if we stayed in one place and sniffed out all the fun things to do like walks and parks in nearby areas.  With my eating issues Mom felt the best choice would be some place with a stove and refrigerator to prepare my meals.  Paws crossed I won't make finding something I will eat too difficult for her.

Where do you think we will go this year?

Here is a hint:

Emma

Oh the Humiliation

How Humiliating ! Mom made me wear this out on our walk tonight. Everyone passing by car, by bike and on foot STARED at me. I'm sure most of them will be feeling the effects of the whiplash tomorrow.

I'm sending a plea out to my friend Mr. B over at Two Pitties in the City to please come claim his frog suit. I'm most certain it got lost and wandered away. Pleas, Mr. B I can't go out in public like this again.

It wasn't enough that Mom humiliated me in front of a city full of people she also has plans to have my sister Bella parade about town in this silly monkey suit.  Ummm, I hope weren't not going to be expected to walk together in our mismatched duds.

I just can't figure out what we ever did to Mom to make her do this to us.  I've heard we get the pleasure of wearing these hideous get ups the entire month of October.....but it's got 31 days....why can't we wait until February it only has 28?  I sure hope she's kidding. 

Emma

I Spy with My Little Eye

I had the most interesting walk the other day.  Not only was the weather absolutely gorgeous I also spied with my little these........

Did you see that?  The bunny is not scampering away.  He wants to be my friend.

Hmm, what would we do with him? 

My little eye also spied these...........

I know it's difficult to see but there really is a tiny chipmunk in there

If you look really close you can see two white swans.  Do you see them?

Guess what Mom spied with her little eye....

ME. 

She said I'm the apple of her eye :)

As you can see Fall is definitely here and the leaves are falling fast.  We have already spotted several naked trees.  We are loving this cooler weather and enjoying more walks. 

What have my furiends been spying with your little eye?

Emma

Dog Days of Summer #29 ~ Favorite Photo

Oh my goodness this one is really difficult because I can't seem to pick just one.  Please bear with me on this.  I was able to narrow it down to.......a few of my favorites ;)

Hahaha Bella I'm winning this one!

Show off!

This one I was laying all comfy in our bed and Mom thought it would be fun to play around with the flashy and some black and white film.  I think it turned out rather simple and elegant.  Classy may be the word I'm looking for.

I think this oozes of the sweet snuggly-ness that is my little Sis.  She is such a lovey little girl.

I can't forget the Pea Dog.  She did a really nice job of posing all pretty for this photo op.  She's our jester.  Who could look upon that face and not smile?

 I saved the very bestest for last.  Mom said this is one of her most precious favorites of me.

Emma

Dog Days of Summer #28 ~ Running/Jumping

Who said old dogs can't run and jump. Look at me go!

It's really hard to believe those photos above of me running on the beach were only taken 5 months ago.  I pray my strength, energy, and appetite are restored.  I would love to run and romp and play like this again. Come on tastebuds don't fail me.  Come on tummy you can do it.

O.K. so maybe I'm not the only doggie here that can run and jump. 

I still think mine is much  more impressive ;)

I know. I know.  She's  a little cutie and very good at learning and performing tricks.  Good job Sis.

Emma

Dog Days of Summer #27 ~ Eyes

Look into my eyes