We got back from Mayo yesterday for Margaret’s fifth round of chemo. She had a hard time with the fourth round (actually it was probably more the flu than the chemo) but because symptoms are hanging on for a while they decided to give her 50% instead of her normal 75% of the ‘normal chemo dose’. We obviously checked in with hematology and transplant and everyone was please with the progress so far. She has only one more round to go in about three weeks and then chemo for the lymphoma is done!! She does has some regurgitation in her right tricuspid heart valve but no one seems to concerned about that, she has had it for a while and we just recently found out about it because it was a little worse. The assumption is that when chemo is done and she stops taking the large doses of steroids then it should return back to the way it was and for the time she is limiting her salt intake. This was a good news visit!
The news for Riley is unfortunately not as good. The assumption at this point is he has lymphoma in his liver (this sounds familiar) but without surgery they could not tell for sure. There is also a little bit of concern with his platelets but mostly the steroids he is on would make healing very slow and there isn’t a lot they can do to treat the lymphoma. The surgery would be to take out a decent size chunk of his liver to determine what exactly is going on. They have ruled out all the easily fixable things that it could be and the only things left that it would be things that are bad, very probably not treatable for a dog his age (10 years old this last December). Based on tests they can do and the drugs he has been on the vet thinks that it is lymphoma that is attacking his liver and there is not much they can do about that. We have decided that based on this news that we would do nothing since it is better for him to feel as good as possible for as long as possible. They have not given us a specific time frame except it is measured in weeks and very unlikely to be a double digit number of weeks. No one in this house is happy with this news as you would expect.
That is all I know for now. Thanks.
Wow, what a lot to take in. So encouraged about Margaret and so sorry about your dog. I only had one dog in my life and she was killed when she was two and I cried for a year. It's a hard thing. Thanks for the update. I have been wondering how things were going.
ReplyDeleteLove and hugs, Auntie
I second what Auntie said! Hurray for Margaret's continued progress, though I grieve for Riley and his poor health. I'm looking forward to seeing both of them next week.
ReplyDeleteBig HUGS of comfort and encouragement to one and all.
-- Teresa
Hello!! Happy to hear of Magaret's progress glad things continue to go in the right direction!!! Feel better :)
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about Riley, just love him up and spoil him while you can
I'll be thinking about you and praying for you during this difficult time, dogs are a HUGE part of a family good luck!
Hugs Fran