Dandruff

Well it is Dandruff City in our house, everybody's sores seem to be clearing up and I am all flaky and peeling. Daddy took me to the vets for my usual weekly check up, and he made the decision that because I was a little bit perkier, and the sores needed a break, he would delay my last lot of chemo for about 4 days...so I had my last lot of Vincristine last Sunday.

On my scans, it looks as if there is still that big old mass but the good news is that the fluid is down from usual, and it looks like this mass has not metastasized anywhere else...this looks like it has not spread and is local. The problems with breathing are still there because the trachea and lungs are diverted, but I can now lie down comfortably and I am back onto the sofas. In fact, some of my annoying habits have come back so I must be feeling better.

I overheard Mummy and Daddy talking though, and they are worried because the insurance company only cover up to £3,000 and they are now at their limit. Neither is working, Daddy was made redundant and Mummy is sick and not working at the moment and is lame and not able to walk on her left foot. I am doing well, and it seems a shame not to proceed with treatment that is working....so they will probably be running up credit card bills just for my treatment! They can't stop now....can they? Also, I am a bit of an elderly gent for a greyhound and cannot believe I will be 10 next March, so it is difficult to persuade a charity to help out if the treatment only gives me a tiny chance of improvement or a short remission.....

Oh dear, I am doing my best to try and appear normal. 
I am doing the odd retching and chundering noises and breathing problems occasionally and I am off my food since my last Vincristine, but no more sores breaking open.
I look a bit tired and grey from normal, but hopefully will bounce back after this last treatment. The plan is to break from that and do a scan/xray in 10 days. Then what...we don't know. At some point, my vet might want to open up my chest and take out that big old lump....especially as it has not spread. I don't like the sound of that idea, but Mummy and Daddy will do their best....and I am loving the walks and attention.
I am still refusing nice food though, I feel entitled to get a bit fussy!

Dizzy

Dee Dee the Service Dog

Oh no, Mummy has found this wonderful, saintly and useful greyhound to compare me against, and its going to be hard. Dee started life as a racer, and a fast one at that. Then she retired and went into foster care, and then got adopted by a new Mum who trained her to be a companion and petting service dog, which I know I could do if I was not so afraid of people. Then Dee Dee's Mum got sick, you can read about her on this blog http://aroundwiththehound.com/.

Dee Dee learned to become more than just a constant companion to her Mum, she was trained to be an official service dog and helps her do day to day tasks. She can pull the covers over her Mum, open and close doors and pick up things and fetch them. Here is her story:

Now this puts extra pressure on me. Everybody knows I have been intelligent enough to manipulate people into thinking I am royalty, everything in life goes my way....and I am quite selfish really.....so please, nobody send me off to train to pick up Mummy's laundry and do the washing....and I really couldn't cook, but I can eat!

Lily