It's time for an update

Tally had Chemo #4 on Friday morning. This one was really easy. I can't believe I just called Chemo easy. But it was a lot less difficult than the first three. I'd say nary a side effect to be seen. WAHOO! She's still being picky about eating her normal food but I've been able to combat that by adding the canned version to her dry. She eats it all up lickey split.

This morning we took our normal walk and weekend Starbucks stop. Tally's usually very compliant when I leave her outside but today she just couldn't stand me leaving her behind. She kept barking and drawing me back out to her. A couple with a pug, wife getting the drinks and husband staying with the dog, offered to watch her while I went in. Tally was still very concerned that I was leaving her even with her new friends keeping her company. We usually get to Starbucks a bit earlier than we did today so there was a lot more activity than normal. I think that's why or at least that's what I'm sticking with. Right now she's passed out tummy side up.

And let's see an Emily update. The med taper is going fairly well. The shaking and jitters seem to have passed. Still having problems thinking of the proper words at times but oh well. My energy level has increased, which is GREAT! I'm able to go an entire weekend without a nap. That in itself is a miracle. I seem to need a lot less sleep overall which again miraculous. I've been tackling tasks around the house and generally able to keep moving. On Tuesday it will have been two weeks on the decreased dose and I'm not sure when I'll stop entirely. Maybe a few more weeks. I'll give it time. Take it slow and easy. For now I'm really happy with how it's going and I'll keep it at that.

Off to get more done around the casa. Perhaps I'll get those under cabinet lights installed. Certainly have to keep going on the den.

Happy weekend to all!

Those little annoyances

Shauna at Pickles & Dimes brought up some of the irrational things that annoy her and I realized that I have a LOT to say on that topic right at this moment. Rather than fill up her comments section I thought I'd write them down. Hang on here we go.

1) When someone on the bus talks on their cell phone or to their bus friend as if the rest of us aren't all stuck there having to listen to their conversation. 'Cause really all I wanted to do on the ride home was listen to you. Nope, didn't want to read my book in peace at all.

2) When people don't pay attention to the situation around them. Like when a long line has formed in the left turn lane and there is someone with ten thousand car lengths between them and the car in front of them and it would completely change the flow (or non-flow) of traffic if that one person would just move their car forward. Or in the grocery store when they just stand there in the middle of the aisle contemplating the rice cake selections when I need to get by. Or they stand in the middle of the escalator when a group of people have piled up behind them. Perhaps this is really several items in one?

3) Working lunches. The only time I have to get away from you people and now I have to eat lunch with you. Similarly when you have to come in early for a meeting. Please, as if my sleep isn't precious or anything.

4) When a book is assigned reading for work. Um, seriously? I have enough to do while I'm at work do you really think I want to read about work when I'm not here? That's a big old NOPE!

5) When someone is congested and is constantly snorting their snot as if we aren't all sitting here having to listen to their phlegm parade.

6) When people won't take no for an answer and keep pushing for you to try food. No really just try it. NO I DON'T WANT TO!!!!! I'LL EAT WHAT I WANT!!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!

7) When my hair just won't do what I want it to.

8) When my pants are too tight.

9) When I can't find a single solitary object of clothing that I want to buy even when I have a gift card to spend.

10) And last but not least, people who drop their cigarette butts every where and anywhere because the world is their garbage can OF COURSE!

Shaking and fidgety

Last night when I got home from work Tally seemed to be doing OK. We had a pretty good walk. She didn't eat anything except a few treats but she was holding steady. Then as the night wore on she started to get the shakes. It was so sad. She didn't want to lay down in her normal spot on the couch so I let her lay on the other side of me and wrapped her up in a blanket where she stayed comfortably for the rest of the night and on into this morning. It really made me sad to see her like that. I hated having to leave her this morning since she didn't eat her breakfast either.

Then there's me and my meds tapering fidgety self. So far it hasn't been too bad but it is a bit odd. It feels like every so often I lose control of my motor skills and have to fidget and contort. And I feel a bit of an odd tight headache which could also be due to the insane allergy issues I been having but who's to say. The feeling makes it hard to sit still or focus. Especially with one of my co-workers who expects me to automatically have all of the history and back story on tasks without even trying. He just says things and expects me to know the who, where, what, when and why of it and I can't think straight enough to figure it all out.

It's only day two so I'm going to keep on keeping on. Here's hoping it gets better and not worse. Same goes for my little Tally bear. Better not worse. BETTER NOT WORSE!

Chemo #3

This morning was Tally's Chemo #3. She did really well. I stayed home with her for the morning and then went in to work. It was hard to leave her right afterwards like that. I always get so concerned about her.

When I came home she was waiting for me at the door, which is always a great sign. She didn't want to eat any dinner and has been acting fairly uncomfortable all night. I was able to hide one of her anti-nausea pills in a treat and she ate it. Hopefully that will help her be more comfortable. Or at least be able lay down and settle in for more than a few minutes.

Time to put away the computer for the night and give her some attention. As if I haven't been already. :)

I'm a taperer

The tests my doctor ran last week all came back normal except my Vitamin D level which is low. Not a shock for someone who lives in the PNW. She's going to prescribe some D for a bit and then see how I'm doing. The other thing that I'm going to do is taper off my anti-depressants.

I've thought about going off them every now and again over the past few years. There was always a reason not to. This time it seems like the probable side effects are too great and out weigh any benefits I might be getting. So starting this morning I'm on a half a dose and will stay on that for a while. Not yet sure how long since there really isn't any strict protocol for going off them. It's sort of a try this and see type of thing. So that's what I'm going to do. I figure I'll take it slowly and see how it goes. No rushing it.

Wish me luck. I'm a bit nervous but I'll handle it. No matter what I'll handle it. Off I go. Off the meds I go.

No sir not today.

Tally's neutrophil count was 1100 today, which while higher than her low point of 900 was still lower than the 1500 threshold that the Awesome Cancer Vet determines for a suitable treatment level. So no Chemo today. But she did decide that we are only going to do a total of 6 treatments. So far we've got two down. Four left and they will be every other week from here on out.

Her energy level has been fairly decent this week. She's been picky about her food but I can handle that. When we got back from the Vet she was playful and actually ate her normal food with nothing added. I think she gets a vitamin shot after they take her blood so perhaps that accounts for it. Right now she's laying low. Or at least she was until I typed that sentence. She always knows when is the best time to need attention. It's hard to type with one hand.

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Brother just stopped by to give me this month's car payment. Yeah money! 

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Just took Tally out for a quick potty break. Cold and rainy tonight. Now I'm going to make myself some hot chocolate. It's a spicy hot cocoa. Numm Yummy.

On Monday I went to my Dr. to see if she can figure out what's going on with me. I am tired all of the time and sleep a LOT!! I can get a full 8 hours of sleep wake up for a few hours and then nap for another four hours, up for a few hours and then back to that napping thing. Lots and lots of sleep. She asked me a bunch of questions, obviously, and decided on a bunch of blood tests. Haven't heard back from her yet. One of the things that might be causing it is the anti-depressants and I'm kind of hoping it is them. I'd like to stop taking them, finally. I've been on them for more than 7 years and it just seems like time to be done.  Hopefully it will go well. Makes me a bit nervous, the thought of the side-effects that is. Getting off the meds seems right. Not sure why.

And that is all for today class. See you again soon.

Gratuitous Picture/Video Post

A while ago Shauna asked for some more pictures of Tally so I'm going to honor that request. :)

Here's a short video I shot in the park nearly a year ago 5/17/08. She LOVES to run in the dirt of the ball field.

And here's a picture I took the day she had her tumor removed. Such a drugged out sleepy head that day. 2/2/09 **Edit: This was actually after her scope procedure. Not tumor removal.**

And then one about a week later sleeping with her little bee. 2/12/09

A few of her shaved parts from IV's and ultrasounds. 2/26/09 & 3/25/09

In this one I just love her little face. 3/25/09

And this one is from tonight. You can see how much her tummy hair is growing back in. 5/7/09

So there she is. I have to remember to post pictures more often. She's so photogenic!

I drugged my dog

Yesterday morning Tally wouldn't eat and I was feeling crappy myself. After a walk and her trying to eat every blade of grass in sight I decided it was finally time to give her some of the anti-nausea pill. I took one out of the blister pack and used every trick I could think of to get it in her. In the end it was the old pry her mouth open and shove it toward the back of her mouth on that worked. Then we both hit the couch for a nap, after I'd called in sick to work that is. I'd been asleep for about an hour when I woke with a start and realized that I was only supposed to give her half a pill! Half! Holy crap I'd drugged my dog. Frantically I picked up my phone and called the Cancer Vet, of course since by this time it was only 7:15 AM they weren't open yet so I left and message saying what I'd done and that I was going to call the emergency clinic. Emergency Clinic called, fears allayed. Apparently three times the dose is safe. Thank god. Back to sleep we went. Around 10 the Cancer Clinic called to make sure I had gotten the info I needed. I told them that she'd hardly budged in three hours. Snoozing like a big old log. They said that was one of the side-effects. Either that or hyperactivity. Boy am I glad that she chose sleep instead of the other option.

She and I spent the rest of the day snoozing up a storm. But still that night I couldn't get her to eat anything. This morning I took her on a short walk, called in sick again, and dragged myself to the pet food store. Picked up more stinky foods and even stopped at the grocery store for myself.

Home again, pile of stinky food served and eaten! And joy rang out! Tally has had her first meal in a day and a half. Big sigh of relief for doggie mom. Then tonight just as I started to write this post she even tried to play for half a second! Wahoo!!! And she went to her food bowl and ate a few bites of her normal food. Of course now she's conked out again on the couch but still. It's great. I'm thrilled.

So I drugged my dog and she slept for a day and a half (well, so did I) but we are both bouncing back.

This week's chemo was a go

Tally has been a bit off since Saturday. Her appetite is not its usual voracious self. She can't lay still for more than two minutes at a time. She hasn't wanted to play for days. Grass is a MUST eat. Of course I've been terribly worried. I even made Molly come over last night to help me take her temperature. I was convinced that she was feverish and on the verge of death. I had even checked to make sure that the Emergency clinic next to the Cancer vet was open 24 hours.

Of course, she's fine. I'm an insane worry wart and she's fine.

Awesome Cancer Vet was a bit concerned about why Tally's been off the past few days. We talked about it and went over it and thought about it. In the end we decided to go ahead with the plan; blood test and then if that turns out OK chemo. Had to wait longer than the first week. A lot longer.

Now she's trying to sleep on the couch. On her back, legs straight up in the air. After much testing of every other spot imaginable. I hope she's able to sleep for a bit. I certainly hope that she sleeps tonight. Last night was rough. I think she moved around ten thousand times. Woke me up just as many.

Wish me luck that we have a better night tonight.