Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010 - Night before radiation begins

Here we sit, all settled into our hotel in Carlsbad, CA.  Tomorrow starts HH's (Handsome Hardee's) radiation.  Of course, he doesn't seem fazed by that fact because he doesn't know the fight ahead of him.  I do, and I am nervous and anxious.  I feel like my "insides" are a big bowl of jiggly jello.  I hope when I snuggle HH tonight before sleep, he doesn't feel me shaking inside for him.

Our appointment at CVS (CA Veterinary Specialists) is at 1:30 tomorrow.  From there they will start his I.V. and transport him over to Cyber Knife where H's radiation will be at 3pm.  I hope I get to talk to Dr. Proulx before they start the radiation.  I want to find out the results of that precise CT scan they did last Friday and ask some questions.

Since we chose the gamma knife radiation, it is only 3 days now I am told (Wed, Thurs, Fri).  I was originally told in Las Vegas that radiation would be a week, so I hope we are getting what H needs.  I don't know what all the side effects are so that will be another question for the Dr. tomorrow. 

One of the side effects for H will be starvation, I'm sure he'll think.  His fast starts at midnight.  I HATE the fasting part of general anesthesia.  Nothing to eat until around 7pm the following night for the boy.  Also, not much time to eat before he starts the fast all over again for the next day's anesthesia.  I'm worried about the anesthesia also.  A couple of times, Hardee has had a "hard time" waking up from anesthesia, and now he has to have it 3 days in a row.  Too many things to be worried about!!  No wonder I'm a ball of nerves!

Hardee is having a hard time with his allergies right now.  I haven't given him his allergy shots since we found out about the tumor.  While his immune system is compromised, the oncologist agreed with me about stopping the allergy shots for now since they do challenge his immune system.  Starting yesterday, he is scratching out tons of hair and biting himself everywhere.  I feel so badly for him and I still give him his Claritin, but it doesn't work.

It will be long nights and days heading into this radiation for me.  My goal is to not let Hardee know my feelings and nervousness.  It is all about perceived joy and of course, all about Hardee!!!

Thank you all for your support, caring, prayers, and good thoughts.  A great big hug of thanks goes out to those special people that have supported us in other ways.  You know who you are, and we will be forever grateful.  You mean the world to us!