Tug of War

Cali Update:
I'm going to call this week a draw on the Lymphoma:Cali battlefront.  We finished the full 3 weeks of biweekly 'induction' treatments of the Monoclonal Antibody and got the 2nd dose of chemotherapy that worked very well last time.
We started the week on a high..higher red blood cells, high appetite, high energy.
But she has started a slow slide downward..which is concerning.  Her red blood cells have started a slow creep down. They still aren't too low or where she was at her worst..but the downward trend may have started.  Her appetite isn't as good as it was and while I don't think she feels bad..she isn't playing like she was last weekend.  This last dose of chemotherapy had more side effects than ever before and quite honestly we aren't sure if the symptoms are from the chemo or the cancer.

We haven't surrendered yet though we've thrown every weapon we have in to the mix.  The monoclonal antibody treatment protocol continues every other week for 4 weeks now.  The next dose should be on Thursday.  We will go in and test her red blood cell level.  If that has continued to drop from this week..I'm fairly certain the oncologists will agree to discontinue treatments.

So fingers crossed her immune system rallies and uses the tools we've flooded her system with to fight back. Our bubble hasn't burst yet.

Dana Roo Roo Pants

She was our first greyhound.  We adopted her on December 3, 2005...the year we got married and bought our first house. She was scared of the leash and most everything else when we got her.  But through lots of time, patience and exposure..she learned to trust us.  And she did so many things.  We always considered her special and a little 'in the spectrum'..but she warmed so many hearts.  If you were on her 'love list'..you knew it.
She would dance and roo whenever she saw you.  She loved to dance and roo.  She was Shiloh's BFF and needed Cali for confidence. 

We will miss you, Dana.  It is hard to believe you are gone.

Great Day Ahead
1/25/2001-6/11/2015

From the moment we first met, you were special

Roaching was your favorite past time..

And sleeping on your nose..

When you were younger..you were very playful

But you definitely knew how to sleep..

Our life will be so different without you...

17 Months

Cali is 17 Months post amputation today.  It is hard to believe.  What makes it more unbelievable is that she has responded well to the most recent chemotherapy and we have continued with the monoclonal antibody treatment.  So far..she is eating well, active, playful and happy.  this week..she has felt great.  And her bloodwork confirmed this showing massively increased red blood cells.
So we enter week two of treatment (out of 3 weeks of this biweekly injections) feeling optimistic. So we have started the beating Lymphoma clock.  She is 3 months post diagnosis.
This week...Cali is winning.