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cameront120 · 07-29-2007, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

While I was typing this Alki came back and put her paws on my lap and gave me her 'follow me' look. So I follwed her and she eagerly led me out to the dog-cookie jar

So some things are just the same as always.

Just wonderful

safari57 · 08-03-2007, 10:20 PM

How is that cookie jar doing? Hopefully it's been getting a workout. We've been on the road (3,400 miles in 8 days - sans the Airstream - boo hiss) and I've wondered how she's been doing (and you guys as well).

Barry (and Donna)

TBRich · 08-03-2007, 10:50 PM

So glad Alki's doing well...what a little trooper! We are pulling for her...our little animal chargess are so special and dear to us...and we know what it's like when they are sick...we have a chronically ill cocker with a mega-esophagus condition... we'd do anything to keep her happy and as healthy as can be expected... We're wishing you and Alki the best!

Happy Trails, Happy Tails...TB

**Stefrobrts** · 08-03-2007, 11:07 PM

Thanks for the well wishes! We've made it to the half-way point today, and so far, so good. Alki's getting a bit tired of being poked at, but still submitting to it like a chmp. The vet says she's never had a dog quite like her - some dogs bark a bit, but Alki comes running back to me barking her head off, as if to say 'you won't believe what they did to me!'. She said she's got a real attitude about it, they all get a laugh out of her. That's Alki, she does seem to want to come back and tell me all about it!

One nice thing about the oncologist is that the people are really nice and the dogs there are all so well behaved. As you can imagine, not one of them is a dog who's ever been ignored or left out in the backyard, they are all members of the family. They are well socialized with dogs and people, well behaved, and the owners are nice to talk to. We're all in the same boat. It's been a real comfort to see the same people from day to day and hear how their pooches are doing.

2 more weeks to go!

safari57 · 08-11-2007, 03:26 AM

Finally, the last week to go. How's the little lady doing? You must be pretty tired too.

Just five more days and she's on the road to recovery.

Barry

**Stefrobrts** · 08-13-2007, 04:02 PM

Well, so far so good, sort of. She is straining when she tinkles. I was very worried because it took a few days to decide if she was having trouble or if it was just my imagination, but today I decided there was definitly something going on. I told the vet and they checked her over and determined that she is able to empty her bladder, so it's not the cancer closing it off. She suspects a bladder infection or something irritating it and causing her to think she needs to go more even after she's done.

I was going to calmly and cooly talk to the vet about it when we got there this morning, but instead broke down in tears because it's a lot of anxiety built up over the last few months. But I'm feeling much better now. They gave her some antibiotics and took a sample for the lab, so we should know more soon.

Poor pup, she strains and strains, then when she's done she's bounding around, bright as a button again. This is why she has been such a joy to us all these years, her boundless enthusiasm for life in general. I'm glad all this treatment has not worn that out of her! She is still all bright eyes and waggy tail.

Her last radiation appointment is next monday. We'd probably be joining some Airstreamers at the beach this weekend, but we need to be home for her last treatment. Too bad, at this point I think we could all use a long weekend at the beach.

BDandTTs · 08-13-2007, 04:20 PM

Remember, even those of us who have never met you nor Alki are stressing right along with you. Too many of us know how difficult it is to watch our pets suffer and also how rewarding it is to have them rebound. Best of luck during the next week.

safari57 · 08-13-2007, 08:00 PM

This is the tough part - the next week or so, as the therapy is aggressive and the body is feeling it. She'll be very tired, as are you.

Not that much more though and then back to the good little Alki again

.

It's hard to keep your chin up when you need to be heads down getting through this, but it's well worth it to have your little lady back to health again. The best part of all of this is that she doesn't really realize what's happening to her other than she's not feeling too well, but she will get over this quickly once the treatments are complete.

Take care and we are thinking of you.

Barry

**Stefrobrts** · 08-15-2007, 01:55 PM

The vet confirmed her problem tinkling is a bladder infection, and they have her on an antibiotic for it already. If it's not better by friday they have another pill she can take over the weekend.

She's still her bouncy self, but for shorter stretches at a time, then she naps. And when she's down, she's OUT. The alarm in the kitchen goes off every night to remind me to give her her pills, which means she gets a bedtime snack at the same time (something she is VERY enthusiastic about), and the last couple nights she's slept through it! I have to go wake her to get her snack! Now that's sleeping!

We'll be glad when we enter the recovery phase. Hopefully all this treatment will have wiped out the cancer. There's no way to tell for sure, so we're just keeping our fingers crossed.

I sure appreciate all the support here. It's good to know there's other folks who treasure their pets just as much

CanoeStream · 08-15-2007, 02:01 PM

We've got a 12 year old airedale who has started to sleep that hard all day. We can't deny her when she revs up for a walk in the evening. For such a sleeper, it's surprising when she thinks get-up time is 5:30AM or 6:30AM...

Good going Alki! And thanks for sharing Stephanie.

rebel beck · 08-15-2007, 04:55 PM

Stepahanie,
I watch this thread daily, we have Alki on the top of out prayer list.

**Stefrobrts** · 08-15-2007, 05:17 PM

Thanks, Becky, that's really sweet

**Stefrobrts** · 08-16-2007, 05:53 PM

Well, an interesting twist to the daily adventure of taking the pooch to the vet - today I got a photo radar ticket for last Friday!

Indeed, I cannot deny I probably was doing 46 in a 35 that day. it is on a highway, right after you get off the freeway. I had seen the photo radar van there before, and I try to be conscious of my speed anyway. But that day I had been stuck in traffic, and they caught me at 10:20, when I should have been at the vet about ten minutes before that so she could get her pre-shot. I probably was hurrying a bit.

Luckily it says that if the registered owner, who's name the ticket is in, was not the driver, you can get out of it. Lo and Behold, the car is registered in my husband's name! I've been driving his car to the vet because it has AC and mine does not. So he filled out the paperwork and sent it back - Nope, wasn't me. Funny they don't ask who WAS driving the car. Either way, we'll see if that gets us out of it. Otherwise add another $200 onto the vet bills for this week.

Now, lets just hope I don't have any more of these headed my way! Only two more days to go!

2airishuman · 08-16-2007, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

...So he filled out the paperwork and sent it back - Nope, wasn't me....

don't forget to include a photo of who really was driving!

cheers
2air'

sd90mac · 08-16-2007, 06:52 PM

Steph,
I just got a chance to catch up on reading the thread and was tickled to read about Alki and her hedgehog. Cookie (8pd peek a poo) has the same toy and loves hers to. She does a similar thing with the bed time routine. If it's late at night, she watches for me to turn the computer off and head for Terry's office to give him a kiss, and she'll run to the bedroom and look back to see if I'm coming, and if not she will come in to see what the matter is that I'm not there. Who says they are spoiled, not me. (rotten would cover it), but since we did it, oh well!

I continue to pray you have many more years with her.

Marie

**Stefrobrts** · 08-18-2007, 09:48 PM

Thanks Marie! The Hedgehog thing is all Bethany's fault - she started it here:

Full Hook Ups: The Days and Nights of Hedgie

I think we need a blog consisting entirely of pics of dogs enjoying their Hedgies

Alki is doing well. She has one more day of radiation on Monday, and then we get an interview with the vet to find out what the continuing treatment will be like. She has been fighting a bladder infection, and is on antibiotics for that. She is also taking another drug that is supposed to help the straining to tinkle. I think these are working. She seemed better today. She was really tired last week, but the last couple days she has wanted to go for walks. We took her for a short walk, but I don't want to wear her out. I'll be happy when we're on the recovery side of all this. Lets hope she has many more walks ahead of her.

Sugarfoot · 08-19-2007, 07:37 AM

One more day, YES!!! I pray that this is the end of the treatments and she is well on the way to recovery. I know this has been a tremendous stress on you. What a lucky dog to have such wonderful "parents" to care for her.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

. . . I think we need a blog consisting entirely of pics of dogs enjoying their Hedgies

. . .

What is it about those Hedgies? Its always a favorite with all the dogs in our family.

Click image for larger version

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Bella had a false pregnancy thinking the Hedgie was her puppy. She guarded it, carried it, tried to nurse it, groomed it, the works.

May things continue to go well with Alki.

cameront120 · 08-19-2007, 09:53 AM

My boys destroy stuffed toys, so they've not had the pleasure of owning a hedgie.

I'm so glad that things are going well for Alki. Hugs to her.

safari57 · 08-20-2007, 02:45 PM

Stephanie,

Today was D day if I remember correctly for Alki. Hopefully the news is all good. She's been quite a trooper through this so it would seem to me that when she gets home she deserves some extra treats.

Barry

**Stefrobrts** · 08-20-2007, 03:35 PM

She had her last treatment today, and everything went well - except for the three accidents on the freeway heading over there which stopped up traffic badly enough to make us half an hour late. So the vet didn't have time to do the exit interview, she said we'll talk next week.

The only remaining problem is the straining to tinkle, and they want another urine sample to see if the bladder infection is still hanging around. So I was following her around the yard and she just looked at me like 'oh no you don't' and ran back to the house. She didn't know what I was up to, but it can't be good! Ugh, the things we do for our doggie friends!