lily
ah such a shame give doggy an extra big cuddle from me. there is one consulation he doesnt know whats up with him, so he will be carrying on pretty much as usual. at least hes getting 1st rate care, perhaps we could all go and see the doggy oncologist, (only joking sorry!)
everyone have a great weekend.x
Hi all
Hope Nicky is finding her way around Paris ok, and hope the weather is as nice for her as here.
I’m feeling fed up with myself today, arm hurting, tummy problems (as usual) and tired. Have had to try and perk myself up to heighten the wire fencing we have around the caravan to stop puppy from keep jumping over and scaring all the tourists that walk around our village. Bit of a difficult job really, if you could only see what it looks like, to me its like the “Beverley Hillbillies” (yes I really am that old), you are probably all too young to remember them.
Lily I’ve been waiting for some news from you, don’t you worry about upsetting me, you know I am an animal lover as we have a menagerie here. Hope that little Max gets through all the testing today, and you too!
bye for now
xx
everything crossed for Max, i know they do this type of treatment and it has been faster than us but if it was robbie I wouldwant to do whatever I could to stop any pain for him - like you i have insurance.
Got everything crossed for Max, give him a big hug from me xxx
Hi,
well we took Max to this high tech place today and it was the consultant in medicine who was on duty. She spent an hour taking his history down and discussing options and what could happen from now on to him. She asked to keep him for the afternoon to do another ultra-sound. His whole liver and pancreas are bloated and distorted but his blood counts are only slightly elevated and he seems really well. So she thinks this indicates that it is unlikely to be cancer but more likely to be chronic hepatitis and possibly some pancreas scarring too. She thinks this will be from attacks of pancreatitis, which he has had. She says she doesn’t believe he could be this well if it was cancer as it is virtually the whole liver and the pancreas and not just one small section. She also points to the lack of action in the blood counts. The only real check is for a biopsy, but as we know that doesn’t necessarily guarantee no cancer, as they only check the sample. So he can have some biopsies, which could be dangerous as the liver may not close after the needle pulls out. That is £300-£450. Or he can be opened up, which tells them a lot more but will cost £1000 as he then needs a consultant anaesthetist as well as the consultant surgeon and radiologist! They can also do a laparotomy, which has been developed for dogs but no-one knew the cost. He can also have the original huge lump off too, which she tested and is a lipoma (fatty lump), everyone seems to have forgottem our original reason for going. I am not sure what to do. Do we need to even find out what is wrong with him? They say if it is cancer it is so advanced that there would be no treatment at all. If hepatitis they can slow it and protect his liver from cirrhosis with tablets and sachets I put in his food. If untreated hepatitis, he will be gone in 4-6 months.I said is there a case for just treating it as though it is hepatitis and not bothering to put him through the tests. She said yes as the liver treatment would be the same but if cancer they would give him antioxidants to see if they did any good. Interestingly I have been told to buy him vit E tablets for his liver as they help it a lot but must be the right doseage or cause a problem. Then he has sachets of stuff you can buy humans too, that support the liver function.She said if it was C then we might like to really spoil him with favourite foods, etc but if we do that with hepatitis we will kill him very quickly, when he could have quite a lot more time. Hubby says do all the tests so we know. I am on keep him home and do the unobtrusive liver support. Anyone got a view on this please speak up. I really would like to know.My friend said this clinic were on tv as elitist in animal care.
Once again my apologies to anyone reading for whom this post about a dog is insesitive. I find his treatment almost disgusting myself as it is so excellent and much better than mine.It has unsettled me and it is a decision I have to make for him so I value other viewpoints on this. Max in himself is fine. Apparently the vet tried to sedate him as he was whistling (my vets don’t do this, so not happy)and whining. She said he fought it and it had no impact on him at all. My little fighter 
Enjoy the bank holiday
Lily x
Hi Lily - I may have missed it, but how old is Max? I had a little Yorkie who was 15’n’a’half. He’d seemed really well, apart from going nearly deaf and nearly blind, still racing around the park (had to get my old playground whistle out to get him to come back!) About 8 weeks ago, very sudden, he got very ill - Wednesday night, usual self; Thursday morning sick, didn’t want to eat; Friday - virtual collapse (I thought he’d died already.)
Rushed him to vets - they put him on a drip and ran tests, said it was his pancreas, either cancer or at best pancreatitis. Would have had to stay in for 3 or 4 days on a drip, at best would have needed daily insulin injections. Given his age, and the fact that even after 3 hours on the drip he was still out of it, we decided to let him go.
The difference with your Max may be his age, as well as his general state of health. If our little’un had been younger I might have gone for all the tests etc - he was a tough little tyke, and had the character to stand up to it all. But with some dogs, I think it’s kinder not to, even if they’re younger - our Affie may have needed a heart pace-maker, but we decided against it as he would have been terribly distressed by having to go off to a strange place for a couple of days. He’s doing fine on just medication, though he may not live quite so long.
I think you have to try to get a balance between the invasiveness of the tests, versus the possible benefits. If there’s a way to go whereby you can treat them fairly safely for the most likely scenario, and wait and see, I’d tend to go for that. One problem is that it can be hard to tell if they’re in pain, as they tend to be so stoical - best clue is if they’re eating OK.
Whatever, the best of luck with it. I still miss our little’un dreadfully - we’ll be out in the park with the Affie and I’m automatically looking round for him, still brings tears to my eyes when I remember he’s gone. But it’s the price you pay for all the love they give you. I read this wonderful thing, that every time a dog leaves you he takes a peice of your heart, and every time a new dog comes to you he gives you a peice of his heart, until in the end your heart is all dog.
sorry Lily to hear you are now going through such traumas with Max. The situation is probably opening up your own feelings again and understandably will make you feel very emotional. I can imagine how unsettling it must be to discover animals receive such first class treatment so quickly (even although you are obviously pleased this is the case for Max) I think you have to listen to your gut feelings about the situation. When one of my cats had cancer of the throat a few years ago we gave him a few more weeks (I needed that time to come to terms with what we had to do) but then decided to have the vet into our home to put him to sleep so he was completely oblivious to what was happening he was peacefully sleeping on my lap and then after the injection passed away painlessly. I am so glad we decided to do that rather than take him to the vets where he always got stressed out. A lot depends on the animals age and whether you feel he is in huge discomfort. Good luck with your decision and remember you have given him a loving home all the time he has been with you.
Sorry to hear that Max may be poorly, one way or another.
My own feelings are that if he wasn’t eating, showing discomfort, not interested in going for a walk and generally looking “sad” then I wouldn’t want him to suffer, as I’m sure you don’t. But, by the sounds of it he isn’t that bad, so even if he only has a few weeks or months left, as long as he can still remain in a content place then why not?
We had a Lurcher called Charlie, but after I had been away for a week, when I got back home I noticed he wasn’t himself, he kept being sick, and although he came over for his cuddle, his tail didn’t wag so often, he had also lost quite a bit of weight in that week, despite eating like a horse. We took him to the vets, and after a blood test they said he had a liver tumour, which they could also feel when touched. They said they could give him some tablets to make him more comfortable, but it wouldn’t extend his life and he would need weekly visits to the vets - this made our mind up because he hated going to the vets and used to shake as we approached the vets door. I cuddled him and talked to him as they put him to sleep, he had always been there for us so it was something we had to do, he died with dignity before he suffered pain and discomfort too badly.
I still miss him now, and believe our puppy, although a girl is like a Charlie reincarnation, the way she behaves, the things she does is so like him.
Whatever you decide it will be difficult for you, but you only want what is best. Good luck with it, it won’t be easy.
P x
Hi,
Peacock, Bev and Susanne, thank you. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me with my dilema. He is 9 but Tibetan Terriers routinely live to 15 so not old for his size dog. He is still eating, trying to steal food if he gets the chance, running up and down the garden and attempting to terrify the postman. A little more tired than usual but then he has been scared to death and starved 3 times this week, for each appointment. This morning he was leaping up the stairs to get in our bedroom as I had tea and biscuits in bed. At the moment I am thinking lets carry on as we are , no tests, just take the liver support sachets and vit E tablets and care for him ourselves. I think it will become clear very quickly whether it is hepatitis or advanced cancer. Like Charlie he is terrified of the vets which is another consideration but he still has quality of life so will stick it out until that changes I think. It has made me think of my Mother in law, who died of cancer a year ago. You may remember she kept asking to go and saying she wanted to go and asking for help. It was a terrible situation I hope I never encounter again and one that thankfully we don’t have to put animals through.
Thanks again ladies. Is anyone doing anything nice this bank holiday?
Lily x
hi Lily, im tempted to agree with you, he seems happy in himself and they seem sort of confident it isnt cancer and even if it is it sounds like there isnt much they could do, so if you treat him for hte liver things and he goes downhill then you can treat him lots - here’s to him getting better xx
Hi Ladies
It sounds like Max is still living a good quality of life, otherwise he wouldn’t be so lively, or interested in food! I don’t blame you for wanting to keep him at home, at least you can try one option and see how it goes. You know your dog, so you will know when and if there is something not right with him that entails something more serious. Hope you enjoyed your tea and biscuits in bed, it sounds like heaven!
Today hasn’t been a holiday in France so its been working as normal, although I went with a friend to her dentist as we’ve been looking for an English speaking dentist for some time, and this chap is South African, and inspired me with confidence to book an appointment for a couple of weeks time.
Tomorrow its off for a heart stress test, not looking forward to that particularly with my one boob flapping about whilst I ride the bicycle, can you picture it?? Then in the afternoon another medical appointment to see the endocrinologist about my thyroid and my diabetes! I just want a break from all these appointments, but at the same time really want to see a plastic surgeon to talk about recon, but that doesn’t seem to be happening.
Weather still hot here, picked all my sweetcorn cobs today as something has been eating the ends!
Take care, xx
Hi,
Thanks again and I will try to just give brief updates on Max now as it seems to have turned us into a dog thread lol. He is fine and I have cancelled his appointment for biopsies. Will ask the consultant to recommend a treatment regime to support his liver and time will tell how he is and what he has.
I went shopping for wallpaper for the lounge today and fell in love with a pale duck egg blue paper with long dandelion clock type patterns in pale beige and silver (not bling). No idea how it will look on our walls but I loved it on the roll.So it is blue and beige again! Same as the hall really. I seem to be trying to recreate the beach in my house. I am really looking forward to a new lounge but dreading the chaos, especially the ceiling being plastered as we have to empty the entire room. You should see how much there is to move! So beige sofas, blue walls, beige cushions with blue and brown flowers, brown silk curtains. What colour carpet with that?
Peacock I am amazed you are not going bonkers with all those appointments and things to sort out. Good grief! Sounds like you are the one who should be having tea in bed EVERY DAY! Please tell Mr P I suggested it :)Lots of luck with all those tests and do you have a close fitting top or sports bra to hold it all in for the cycling - just a thought.Lisa thanks and hope you have had a good rest over the weekend. Have you asked for that new office chair yet? I am loving x factor are you? I have recorded Wuthering Heights too and hope it is as good as they said. Nicky hope you are back with suitable accommodation planned for YD now. I expect you will be knackered after that and off to work again. Boo hoo it is that sad time when teachers remember they have to go back to work again. I might run away and open a cake shop instead. Lorraine have you had your appointment yet? I have been wondering how you are as you mentioned aches and they just get you down when you have to put up with them all the time. Bev hope things are improving for you too. Julia hi, Susanne hi.
Lily x x
just a quick update as shattered and very very busy (nothing new there). Peacock, hope your tests go okay tomorrow.
Lily, being natural carpet sounds nice, loving the colour scheme my bedroom similar.
No decorating here yet, been on the deamon booze all weekend and now on count down, sophie (my niece) birthday on Friday and still mid flow of organising mates surprise Hollywood themed party with hummer for Saturday - arrrggghh, back of to finish banners now!!
Here’s to a short week (oopps sorry Peacock)xx
Give max a treat from me (something healthy of course).
xxx
Hi Girlies,
Yes thanks Lily had a nice weekend went for a lovely walk with friends that ended up on the local pub and after a few tipples home to collapse and fall asleep how disgusting is that falling asleep in the middle of the afternoon. Your colour scheme sounds fab and agree with Lisa a neutral colour biscuit, (ophs sorry for mentioning that word back on food thoughts again) or otmeal (can I ever escape from thinking food?)
Peacock good luck with your tests all sounds a bit too much to cope with in one go. Well done for still bothering with your sweetcorn!
Lisa good to hear you are shattered by having fun keep it up!
Have a good week all and hope you had a successful weekend Nicky.
Bev xx
well girlies how do you do it?
i thought i had a reasonable amount of energy. But decorating? by the time ive done housework and ironing and been out and about theres no energy left for finding the paintbrush never mind actually using it. whats the secret? cos i have soooooooo much that needs doing.
lily ,
love sound of colour scheme sounds like my bathroom colours. the only suggestion id make is dont go for chocolate (sorry to mention that word)coloured carpet, cos it needs hoovering every day. and thats a pain, as ive discovered in my hall. thanks for enquiring on my scan, the appointment came today, for the 10th Sept im having a nuclear bone scan. i am nervous in a way because of aches and pains ive had, but lets hope it settles my wondering mind.
everyone have a fun week, and dont do too much decorating, cos its making me feel inadequate! Only joking, glad your all doing well.
xxxxxxx
Hi,
well this edible carpet you are all suggesting sounds right up my street:) There is a carpet shop right next to the sofa shop so today I dragged some carpet samples down the pathway and the furniture guy was rather bemused to find me sitting on my new sofa arranging carpet squares and cushions around it like I owned the place. Hmm well the sofa is more brown than I remembered and the light carpets made it look a funny shade so it looks like it will have to be a darker brown with a little speckle. Lorraine Max is mainly black so it might cover his hair up more. Not that he moults at all but blobs of hair fall off when his coat gets long. Tibetan Terriers have almost human hair and are hypo -allergenic dogs as they don’t moult. Speaking of him, Max is just working the room every day trying to get snacks off everyone as they all feel sorry for him now. He seems really happy.
Little chap starts school next week and they all wear caps at his school. How cute is that? I bought him a pair of plimsoles but he can’t remember how to say it. He calls them plinksolls. He has told MD that she has to wear her pants on her head on the first day to make him laugh and not cry. ED’s wedding dress has arrived and is hidden in my house. We made it absolutely impossible for anyone to see it without going to a lot of trouble, so no accidentals. We take it back nearer the date to be altered as they say brides frequently change weight in the run up to the big day. So that is what I need to do, get married and I will automatically lose weight - ha ha - I wish!By the way I am married, 29 years so far. Got married when I was 3
Lorraine my secret is, I am not doing it! Hubby said get someone in to do it for us.Will have my fingers crossed for you as always for good scan news. by the way love the photo and you look slim to me! Lisa you make me feel tired thinking about all those lovely things you do for friends and family. They are very lucky,
Lily x
Well off to bed all, a wierd day in all, planning lots for this party but feeling a bit wierd, pains in back of head and round side, think sometimes these niggles just whack me and make me think things could change so much in a day - how nice would it be for something to not pop into our heads each day,i hate the aches and pains, headaches, and pains in ribs and side, makes me panic as that’s what happened to aunt, im just hoping is this stupid prosthesis, bloody heavy in my size lol!!! I know we have to live life but I just get so freaked out and I know the research that has just been released says healthy diet, exercise and less alcohol and prevent b cancer and makes me wonder as I dont do any of the above if I made it come early, anyhow twine over, off to bed as cutting down today so off to reast my weary head rather than look in the cupboard for nosh!!!
Nigbt all - catch up tomorrow xxx
Hi girls,
isn’t is strange that food has become so important to all of us now. Don’t get me wrong I have always liked food but now have such an appetite (all the time!) that is is so hard to be controlled. My niece is getting married in a couple of weeks and has asked me to read at their wedding (aghhhhh! freaked me out at first but realised that I couldn’t refuse) and I really wanted to have lost a bit of weight for the big day fat chance of that I just don’t seem to have any willpower. Any suggestions? although everyone says I look well whilst looking at my newly plumped out face (smooths over the wrinkles) so I guess I will just have to sit down everywhere I go so people only see my face.
Lisa I get weird sharp little pains in my head too not every day but more than I would like them it is a bit like having a stitch in the head (like the stitches we get in our sides) really weird and goodness knows what it is but like you any ache or pain now makes me feel a bit vunerable and I never use to be like that at all. I think regarding beating yourself up over food and drink unless you are morbidly obese (which I know you are not) then it is just being normal and living a normal life and we cannot be blamed for BC it is down to bad luck.
Lily love the word “plinksolls” much nicer and hope all goes well for him. My daughter’s best friend had a little baby boy this morning which is lovely.
Lorraine thinking of you for your scan and sending good wishes.
Bev x
Hi,
Lisa and bev I am sorry to hear about the jabs in the head. I think it would worry and annoy me all at the same time too. I don’t really know if it is a side effect of your tablets perhaps? Just feeling fortunate that I don’t have it. I definitaly think my body pattern and constitution has changed since all the treatment and guess it is mainly from the public poisoning. I have to be careful not to eat late in the evening aand especially have to eat chocolate earlier in the day or suffer with acid or even reflux if I push it. My stomach was built like a tank before all this. My feet are really hurting and I think I might need to see someone about them as the backs of my heels really hurt like my tendons are too short, probably tamoxifen AGAIN! We nt back to school today and had to lug loads of things around as too embarassed to keep asking people to help. Made a complete fool of myself by getting the IT guy in as my computer locked and saying I didn’t know my password. He pointed out I had just used it to log on to the network. Then my interactive board would not connect and had to call him again and then did another 3 stupid things and i think he probably wanted to kill me. Might take him some nice biscuits tomorrow Bev how lovely to be asked to read at the wedding. I guess she was asking YOU and not your waist line so don’t fret too much. Tummy control tights from M & S are the only tip I have apart from a dress that flows from under the bust or a jacket to cover up bits. That is what I am planning as Mother of the bride:) Lisa hope you feel better maybe you should try having food sensitivity tests in case it is a food or drink affecting you. Two of my daughgters went and they have transformed how they feel each day. Have to warn you though, ED is intolerant of vodka and white wine amongst many other food. YD just came up with milk, which she had as a baby but also cigarette smoke (and she smokes, despite my best efforts to blackmail her to stop). They have never felt so well. Just a thought. Nicky how did it go? Peacock keep us posted on your recent appointments and hope you are chugging through them ok.
Lily x
Hi
Bev congrats on your daughters friends baby.
Lily - not sure I want to know any illergic foods, would prob be beer, wine, chocolate, nuts and pizza!!! Yum yum.
Well back on the wine tonight to de-stress, also think im coming down with what i hope is just a cold, i have a persisent cough which did initially panic me but it does actually feel like a scratchy cough and very dry throat (hence the wine).
Well hope everyone has a lovely weekend - I prob wont be around much as its my friends party on Saturday and Sophies tomorrow so lots of organising still to be done (which is why I shouldnt be on here). Well, if I dont fall asleep in the hummer I will let you know how the Hollywood party goes and if there is any gossip, wink wink!!!
Nite all xxxxx
Lisa the weekend sounds fab! have fun and I hope the cold soon disappears. Try lemon and honey (manuka) for the cough it does ease it.
Lily I couldn’t believe it when I read about your ankles mine have felt like that for months (now I am sounding like a hypchondirac) it is particularly bad when I get up in the morning my feet don’t seem to work properly (like the rest of me) so really weird to read you have the same issues which makes me feel it must be the tamoxifen. My achilles heels are also tender to touch. Not a lot we can do about it but was interested to hear you are having the same. Don’t worry about the IT man I am sure they are use to it and anyway you have an excuse!! that’s what I always say when I do something a bit dopey. Good advice on the big knickers I will invest in a pair. My daughter had intolerance testing for her eczema and quite frankly it would mean she would have to live on fresh air. I prefer the approach I was told to adopt from the Haven Trust’s nutrionalist and that is use a 20/80% rule. Meaning 80% of the time eat what you know is good for you and what your body needs and 20% of time throw caution to the wind and have a bloody good time. The trouble is i keep getting my percentages messed up and seem to have it the other way around! must try harder.
Have a lovely weekend everyone.
Bev x