[Dailydrool] Zoe's cancer

[R Groves]

Hi all .. Lisa I'm one of those that works behind the scenes at Brood.
 
I've not written in a while .. missed many of you droolers, brooders too, finally got work, so its been a struggle getting back on my feet ... 
 
In September I had to make that decision for my boy Franklin.
 
I was ok with occasional vomit and accident clean up ... I stood there at every meal for the month up to that day ... cringing every time he had to choke up some food, ready to step in to help him, offer the calm hand to let him know I was there, and then to protect his bowl from the others when he stepped away to throw up, then re-eat what he'd just had.
 
He had Thyroid Cancer ... from the onset it was 4 months.
 
as I said.. I was ok with the vomit, the accidents .. that last two weeks he started to have a few bouts of breathing spasms .... catching breath, coughing ... on Tuesday of that week .. I got home from my job around 11pm ... first thing head down stairs to ease the frenzy that was normal for "daddy's home, food's about to be spilt.." and the very first thing I notice is that one of my boys is dragging his rear ... he had "done something" coming off the futon bed (I build a 3ft by 2ft step, they all use to get into the bed, but coming off was just any old way possible)
 
my family had been home all day .. they didn't check in .. they didn't even know... though they started the.. "well I think maybe I hadn't heard him out ... he usually goes out and barks once or three times in a day" ... etc.. 
 
This immediately brought me back to the *last* time ... when my father (now deceased himself) had made remarks "yeah.. he's been acting odd today" ... 
 
all of these bits went flashing through my mind in the blink of an eye ... and it was at that moment I said.. I can't.
 
I can't face that thought ... of being stuck at work .. and having family once again not paying any attention ... not picking up on any of even the biggest of clues (my f**king eldest boy couldn't walk and *that* you missed, some family) that *I* could not bear the thought of being stuck at work, and Franklin's newest problem ... the lack of breath ... be stealing him away ... laying there waiting for daddy to relieve him.
 
it was at *THAT* time.. I knew.. even though through every last bit of it ... between every other part of his day that he was absolutely his normal self and happy and houndy.. but for that newest symptom.. i could not let it continue.. 
 
That saturday we went in and I let him go.
 
Were I not working .. I would be at the house 24/7 ... I would be there and hear and know to help him.. and could have "afforded" letting him struggle that 20th of his day where the symptoms shown .. but because I couldn't guarantee the level of vigilance I would have while not there... I had to let him go.. 
 
*that* is one of those things that lets you know its time.
 
We were on 10 mg of prednisone twice a day .. morning & evening, tramadol once a day, and I was giving him antibiotics off and on for those last 3 months.. 10 or 100 times more than I've ever had to do for any one of my boys (3 at the time) and it was nothing to me.. no trouble to me at all. effortless by comparison ... 
 
So... anti-nausea meds.. no problem .. so long as she tolerates that ... more power to you and her... I was able to wean Franklin down to the 10mg's twice a day ... we tried the every other day with a 20 mg but it caused him too much of a yo-yo ... spirit would be effected, etc.. its how we as slaves know when our hounds are slightly off.. 
 
but meds to help ease the pain.. not a problem.. so long as ZOE is acting normal, happy, "self" ... continue until the next hurdle comes your way.. 
 
-Robert, Indentured Servant to Riley & Henry
formerly slave to Franklin (ATB 9/8/2012) and Doc (ATB 07/19/2004)
 
 
 
PS:  and yes for the curious, for my boy that went down in the rear.. I had him back on his feet 5 hours later ... no sleep for me that night .. but having prednisone on hand is a godsend when the "drunken sailor rear-end basset syndrome" hits .... bit of the prednisone ... and that took out the swelling ... 

  _____  

Subject: [Dailydrool] Zoe's cancer

I am scared I am being selfish here.� If I am just managing symptoms, is it fair?� She is a little tremble -ey now too; this is new.� I wrapped her up in towels last night because I can't tell if she's cold. 

Please help. The vet said when she stopped eating, it was time.� Is it right to just get her to eat when she's on nausea meds?

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