Time for another update, though I’ve been kind of putting it off….
First, the Bad News
So. Wednesday was supposed to be Laev’s last chemo treatment — except that her lymph nodes were enlarging again, and while she achieved clinical remission pretty quickly, her oncologist isn’t happy with her latest progress and the lymph nodes. So I’ve been worrying a bit.And then, as we pulled out to go to the chemo appointment, a black cat ran across the driveway. Now we don’t have a black cat, and I haven’t seen a black cat in the area since, I dunno, years, so apparently one had to move in just so it could run across the drive in front of my car en route to chemo. Good thing I don’t believe in all that superstitious twaddle.
Laev’s protocol was tweaked already, when one set of nodes enlarged and then went down. (This resulted in Laev’s favorite visit, when they decided to give a different drug in oral form instead of IV, and they fed her 30+ pills in 30+ spoonfuls of canned food. FAVORITE TREATMENT EVER.)
In two weeks, they’ll aspirate the lymph nodes. So I have to wait to find out if Laev is done and clear, or needs more chemo, or something experimental, or….
Well, we’re not talking about “or.”
Her oncologist thinks the cancer is not responding to one of the most common drugs (I’m sorry, I wasn’t taking notes and I don’t trust my memory on which it was), but is responding to others. So if the cancer is resisting, we could continue chemo on a Rescue Protocol with upgraded drugs. Or, in my perfect world, her lymph nodes could come back and show that the lymphoma is responding and she’s still in lovely remission.
The Good News
Though her nodes had been enlarged, they were back to normal during this last exam and chemo. So, I’m reminding myself that her popliteal nodes (rear legs) were enlarged and then shrank again once before, and maybe that’s just how they’re cycling with this protocol and that one drug but we’re still winning.
Your prayers and thoughts are welcomed! I saw someone post (unrelated to this) on Facebook that offering prayer was insulting, like “asking someone else to care instead.” That’s a pretty fundamental misunderstanding of prayer, and let me just spell out now that I will not be insulted if you pray for Laev and me. 🙂
The Good Training News
Laev during chemo. She doesn’t like restraint, but she’s working hard to be good!
Laev doesn’t love her chemo visits — it’s needles and sitting absolutely still for long periods of time, so seriously, silly humans, why would she? — but she likes her team, and they like her. I’ve gotten some really nice feedback on her behavior during treatments, which is huge considering what I know of Laev and how hard she’s working to be good during them with people she doesn’t know well. Restraint is hard for her, which is why we’ve worked so much on voluntary blood draws and such, and I can tell by how she comes out that she’s been loading stress — but she holds it during treatment.
Today her tech said that they were administering the drugs when a dog in the next area went loudly berserk. The two chemo techs tensed and reached to hold Laev, who has to remain still — but they said she just put her head down and lay quietly as the dog raged. They praised her and gave her cheese. 🙂
Laev’s special clinic toy is a red devil-teddy bear.
I always send her back with a can of squeeze cheese or liver paste and a stuffy which she gets only at the clinic (and which the desk staff is always laughing about, in a good way). I’m really appreciative of their willingness to use treats and toys with her. (OSHA regs prevent me from being in the room during treatment.) She never takes the toy until they’re done, and then she holds it hard and dumps all the loaded stress into it, never letting go of it again until she’s in her crate in the car and I ask her to release it. But huzzah for better channels to relieve stress!
I hope to have good news to report in two weeks. We’re hanging in there!
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The black cats of the world would like to send their collective best wishes to Laev for a speedy recovery!
I am curious about this: “OSHA regs prevent me from being in the room during treatment.” Do you have a source for this statement?
That was from our oncologist, who was emphatic that while she could bend a bit and let me in during ultrasound and during set up for the rads, I couldn’t be present for the chemo itself, per OSHA.
Thanks! I hope to have good news to report next week…!
Found it: “Limit access to areas where [hazardous] drugs are prepared to protect persons not involved in drug preparation.” (p. 12 of . Not an OSHA regulation per se, as far as I can tell, but a recommendation (and a good one).
Looking forward to good news to come!
Hi Laura. I’m so sorry to hear of Laev’s setbacks. I’m keeping both of you in my thoughts and hoping for the best. Other than the enlarged lymph nodes, how is she doing? Happy and active? When I go home to visit my folks I treasure my time with Charlie, their dog that is dealing with lymphoma (I “steal” him to be my cuddle buddy in bed). Hugs to Laev and I hope there are a few more nice fall days in Indiana for you to enjoy together. Rita and Abby (who loves hanging out and going for walks with her “cousin” Charlie)
Hi Laura, I just finished reading your book and am going through it a second time in preparation for starting the program. I’m very excited as I think this is going to work! I went to your website for more info, etc and was just devastated to hear about Laev’s diagnosis. My prayers go out to your family and Laev and her doctors. You have such a positive attitude, that helps so much. I hope things are going well… this post is 2 weeks old now. Share when you can and in the mean time we will all be praying!