Dec 2012-Jan 2013 - 3 years cancer free

Well, it's three years since I first had my cancer diagnosed and removed and while Mum and Dad were celebrating, I decided that I would put a spanner in the works.

On the 7th December, I had my first ever nose bleed.

A horrendous gushing torrent that stopped my Mum's heart temporarily, and then stopped my Dad's heart temporarily after Mum texted a picture that said "Look what's coming out of Gromit's nose" and then ignored his reply text for the next two hours. She had a good excuse. I was at the vet physio when it happened, and then getting out of the car coming home I fell over big time, and she left her bag in the car and forgot all about her phone. Dad came home from work quick smart and found me in the garage on the cool concrete where Mum had left me while she rang my cancer vet.

Anyway, I had an urgent review at Dr Rod's BVSC that afternoon and the next morning it was the same old routine - no breakfast and another trip to Dr Rod's. Mum and Dad are calling it the "day spa" and I had a lot of things - a CT scan of my head, a liver ultrasound, blood tests, cancer site examination, Xrays and a general feel over.

Dr Rod found lots of things - a new lipoma (benign), some tiny spots in my liver (that can't be biopsied), a big hot spot inside one nostril, which is suspected to be a seed tucked deep in the back of my sinuses, but no cancer. And no real reason for a nose bleed.

We stopped my anti-inflammatories just in case they were causing bleeding and I went home with no real answers. Mum and Dad kept a close eye on me and over Christmas I had another three more nose bleeds. Stopping my anti-inflammatories was making me miserable, so Mum rang and asked for another appointment. Dr Rod was surprised I'd kept having nose bleeds and I was whisked away for more testing - more Xrays of my lungs, bigger and better blood tests, including one where they cut my lip and waiting to see if it would clot. It did. He let me restart my anti-inflammatories because they obviously weren't the cause. I even had my CT scan sent to Sydney for a second opinion to rule out cancer. And the news there is good. No cancer.

So, I'm now officially a mystery. I have another appointment in two weeks (or immediately if I bleed again). The next course of action, if it continues, would be to put a scope into my nose and find the hot spot, but its a big operation and I'm getting on in years. If we can avoid another anaesthetic, we'll all be happier.

So wish me luck!
Gromit

Twenty-seven month Checkup - 5th March 2012

Yesterday I attended what can only be described as Dog-Nose-Cancer-Clinic and saw the fabulous Dr Rod, as well as all my friends in the hospital (waves to Susan and Kirsty on Reception) and everyone out the back. Everyone is very impressed with my three whiskers - all on one side and one of them is curly. Whereas once I had the Lone Whisker, now mum calls them the Three Muskateers.

Met a Golden Retriever who had a tumour removed from the back of his nose having his six monthly check (all good) and a really cute Golden Retriever puppy (16 weeks worth of wiggliness) who doesn't have cancer, but instead had a kidney that wasn't working (they took it out). And there was a sick poodle (snake bite while defending her babies) with tiny weeny puppies who exploded out of their carrier bag and ran riot in the waiting room. As fast as their human mum put them back in their carrier, they were off again in another direction. Both human mum and dog mum looked like they needed a break. (and my mum had a big cuddle of the black one).

It was the usual for me. No breakfast, which means big trip to Specialist Centre, then chest X-rays, ultrasounds, mouth exam and a fine needle aspirate of my new lumps and bumps. I tell you, I'm thinking that needle is not so fine. This time I went minus anaesthetic - I am pretty good at this now and they don't need to knock me out to get their pictures. But a little bit of local wouldn't go astray on the lumps.

And, drum roll!!!

ALL GOOD. The new lumps are fatty lumps (benign) and all my pictures and scans are normal. Next checkup - September 2012. Yippee.

Celebrating Gromit Adoption Day - 11th January 2012

Eleven Years?

Can you believe I've been living here for eleven years? I can still remember that first day, when my mum snuck me into her work in a box because she was too scared to leave me home in case I slipped through the pool fence - back when I was a tiny 3kg. Those were the days.....

On the weight front, there has been a new regime. Breakfast is out. Light dog kibble is in. I am walking miles and I am now down to 37.5kg (from the all time high of 41kg when I was not walking). Everyone is very happy with me, even though my fatty lumps now stick out more. I have a waist! Mum and Dad say I am aiming for a number starting with 36. Personally, I am aiming to distract Misty and steal full strength biscuits. A girl has to keep up her strength!

Here are some photos from Christmas. The close up shows my scar and my weepy eye - it doesn't have as many tears so it gets gunky. I hate having it wiped! And then there is the nose - it gunks up too and if it gets blocked, that's Dad's job. Now, I run away if I see tissues. The indignity!!!

I will leave you with photos of my Christmas bear. I really loved him but alas, he has had a slight decapitation incident (Thanks very much Misty). Right now, he is in intensive care (the sewing room), minus the bits of stuffing that are spread far and wide over the yard. Mum says we might be able to save him.

Hope you are all having a fabulous 2012. My next check up is in March, at which point I will have survived over two years (average survival is 18 months). Pretty good, hey?

Twenty-One Month Check Up - 5th September 2011

Hi Everyone

I'm a bit sleepy tonight. It was my big check up - full mouth exam, Ultrasound of my belly (which is now a lovely smooth pink belly), chest x-ray and to top it off, knee exam while I was knocked out. Mum and dad dropped me off early and decided to wait (instead of driving the 45 mins home and 45mins back) . I was supposed to be out at 10.30am. They rang at 2pm - no results. They tried to wait patiently. Then they came back at 5pm and decided to wait in the waiting room.

And the results.... (drum roll please)....

ALL GOOD. Now you might remember right at the start they told my mum and dad that average survival was eighteen months. And now we're up to 21 months, which is pretty good. All those pesky lumps and bumps are all fatty lumps (labradors are prone and I've got the labrador gene). So now I don't have to go back for six months. Yippee.

I will leave you with a photo from the farm on the weekend. Spring has sprung (we woke to a very balmy ten degrees) and I spent Sunday morning enjoying the sunshine, while mum and dad worked on the fences, and Misty chewed up a tennis ball and watched for cows.

Off to bed for me.

Gromit