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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I just spent a very tough hour and a half at the vet’s office, sitting in the back room with Leia Round. She’s not doing as good today. She’s not eating again, she’s pretty un-interested in what’s going on around her, she seems to be in more pain than before. The latest x-ray showed no noticable improvement – the fluid in her lungs isn’t clearing up anymore. And it actually looks less like heart trouble and more like a mass in her chest restricting the use of her heart and lungs. It’s that ugly word…you know…starts with “t” and ends with chemo, radiation, and other drastic measures. But we’re afraid she doesn’t have the strength to withstand that.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We’re going to give it another day. If she seems to be getting stronger, we’ll keep working with her. If not, we have to talk about the hard decisions. It’s hard to believe that just a few days ago we were rolling around on the floor and chasing each other around the house.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dexter, of course, is lonely. He was crying like a baby when I came home. But he is eating, and behaving normally. He was all over me when I came in smelling like Leia – he’s such a dear.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Just a quick thank you to everyone for the notes of encouragement – I know most of you have been through similar situations, and sharing the burden sure helps me feel better.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tim ‘n Puppies<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>