Well, it's been a while since I posted. I'm sorry about that. Here in Queensland it's been raining, and raining and raining. And flooding and flooding and flooding. So we've been refencing and repairing flood damage and things like blogging went out the window. (Well, I wasn't fixing fencing, I was asleep on my bed back at the shed, Mum and Dad were fixing fencing.)
So, in early February I went back to the vet because I was still having nose bleeds and he decided to put the scope up my nose (YUK) and find the mystery object in the back of my nose. So off I went to vet hospital and they gave me some nice medicine to send me to sleep, and while I was out for the count, they went into my nose (YUK). The mystery object turned out to be a fluid filled cyst that burst when they touched it (DOUBLE YUK). So they collected the bits for pathology and washed my nose out with antibiotics, then woke me up and sent me home with mum.
The great news - its nothing cancerous. Just some weird cyst thing and nothing to do with my radiotherapy site. Even better, I haven't had a nosebleed ever since. Although its not one hundred percent fixed. If I dig in the dirt, I do get a crusty nose. This is because I don't have the glands that make runny noses anymore, so it doesn't self clean. Not that I care, but Mum and Dad are a bit fixated about it not getting infected. Especially since I dig up every hidden treasure Misty buries.
Ever since my operation I have made an official decree - no-one even looks in my nose now. So Mum and Dad have to be very tricky and sneak a look when I'm just waking up. A quick look is okay. But no touching. Fingers crossed, that's the end of the nosebleeds and I can go back to being a normal dog again.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
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
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
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Happy Twelfth Birthday - 11th October 2012
I love October!
It's my birthday and even better - I get to have my birthday when I'm on holidays. It's great.
My mum and dad found this spectacular pet friendly holiday house in Hervey Bay and this year we've got two weeks at the beach. In the mornings I wake everyone up at normal time (5.15am, thanks Gromit :-( ), mum takes Misty over to Aunty Allison's while I keep dad company for breakfast. Then we hop in the car to go pick up mum and Misty. Sometimes, dad sneaks in a walk to the beach for me while Misty is gone.
In the afternoons, the beach at the end of the lane is dog-friendly and we go for a sniff and a walk and a paddle. It's great.
This year I had a lunch birthday party - cheerios, cold meat, sandwiches, salad (yuk) and cake. It was great. Here I am enjoying my cake.
I even managed to dig myself a hole in the garden to sleep off my birthday feast. I love birthdays.
Mum says I'm really good for twelve. I'm cancer free and I'm recovering from my recent surgery really well and I'm walking twice a day - its just a bit slower than it used to be. My nose can still pick a dog treat at 100 paces and dad has figured out that no matter how slowly and carefully he opens the biscuits (or how flat out asleep I am) I'll still hear the crinkle of the packet and come to investigate.
Misty is FINALLY starting to grow up. Here's a photo of us chilling after a big walk.
It's my birthday and even better - I get to have my birthday when I'm on holidays. It's great.
My mum and dad found this spectacular pet friendly holiday house in Hervey Bay and this year we've got two weeks at the beach. In the mornings I wake everyone up at normal time (5.15am, thanks Gromit :-( ), mum takes Misty over to Aunty Allison's while I keep dad company for breakfast. Then we hop in the car to go pick up mum and Misty. Sometimes, dad sneaks in a walk to the beach for me while Misty is gone.
In the afternoons, the beach at the end of the lane is dog-friendly and we go for a sniff and a walk and a paddle. It's great.
This year I had a lunch birthday party - cheerios, cold meat, sandwiches, salad (yuk) and cake. It was great. Here I am enjoying my cake.
I even managed to dig myself a hole in the garden to sleep off my birthday feast. I love birthdays.
Mum says I'm really good for twelve. I'm cancer free and I'm recovering from my recent surgery really well and I'm walking twice a day - its just a bit slower than it used to be. My nose can still pick a dog treat at 100 paces and dad has figured out that no matter how slowly and carefully he opens the biscuits (or how flat out asleep I am) I'll still hear the crinkle of the packet and come to investigate.
Misty is FINALLY starting to grow up. Here's a photo of us chilling after a big walk.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
September 2012 Checkup - 30 months Cancer free
Spring has sprung and I had my September cancer check. The good news is my fibrosarcoma site is clear - no sign of any recurrence. But I did have to go to hospital - I had two worrying things. The first was a lump down the back end that was worryingly close to my original melanoma and the second was a series of lipomas (fat-filled lumps) across my chest that was making walking difficult.
I went to Dr Rod's vet hospital and they took three lipomas and one bottom lump and I came home same day, with all of my drains and a compression stocking suit to stop me getting a lot of swelling around my chest stitches. I've been on bed rest ever since.
The good news - the bottom lump was a benign adenoma, the lipomas (weight around 1kg total) are benign and I'm walking a lot better with them gone. Mum and Dad said I had some "work done" and a "boob job" but I don't know what they mean.
You'll notice in my photos I have a constant companion while I've been in the crate. Misty has been lost without me, so much so that she has also confined herself to the garage. Even when Mum boots her out, she wants to be straight back in. She's a great little sister (except when she steals my treats).
Tomorrow I have my recheck and if its all clear, I'm off bed rest. Wish me luck.
I went to Dr Rod's vet hospital and they took three lipomas and one bottom lump and I came home same day, with all of my drains and a compression stocking suit to stop me getting a lot of swelling around my chest stitches. I've been on bed rest ever since.
The good news - the bottom lump was a benign adenoma, the lipomas (weight around 1kg total) are benign and I'm walking a lot better with them gone. Mum and Dad said I had some "work done" and a "boob job" but I don't know what they mean.
Tomorrow I have my recheck and if its all clear, I'm off bed rest. Wish me luck.
Monday, June 11, 2012
My friend Arthur
Today is a sad day at Chez Gromit. My good friend Arthur the beagle has been diagnosed with a sarcoma and needs to go and have some radiation too. Luckily, he knows Dr Rod, and he's going to have his therapy at the same place I had mine.
Arthur, Misty and I have EVERYTHING crossed for your speedy recovery. And we'll make sure we drop by your blog www.arthurscancer.blogspot.com.au. to check how you're doing. Make sure you get Biscuit, Poco, Koffi and Darby to look after you mum and family and we'll try and catch up with you as soon as we can.
Arthur, Misty and I have EVERYTHING crossed for your speedy recovery. And we'll make sure we drop by your blog www.arthurscancer.blogspot.com.au. to check how you're doing. Make sure you get Biscuit, Poco, Koffi and Darby to look after you mum and family and we'll try and catch up with you as soon as we can.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
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.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
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?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
