This is just a quick update on how Hardee is faring. HH is doing great now, and seems totally healed from his ICU stay from the chemo side effects last week. He ate kibble for the first time on Monday, and his appetite has been back in full force since then. He sleeps quite a bit, but I think it is his bodies way of fighting the cancer and keeping his strength up.
His hair that had started to grow back in is now falling out, again. I guess the doxorubicin (chemo) that hit him so hard has now affected the hair, again. I was told that the body reaches an equilibrium with the chemo and the hair grows back. No one said that it would fall out again, so I'll have to ask about that. There's not much we can do about it but keep him covered up to stay warm and put a jacket on him when we have to go outside. Hopefully Spring is around the corner, and I won't have to worry so much about him being cold.
Hardee still sneezes a lot, and his nose drains constantly. The oncologist that took care of him while he was in ICU called his nose drainage a "mucopurulent nasal discharge." Most of the time the nasal discharge is blood tinged, sometimes with more blood than other times. His eyes also drain. The tumor has caused the right eye to water and drain since last May. A couple months ago, Hardee's left eye started to water and drain. It seems to me that the tumor has spread further into the left nasal passage to now block the left tear duct. That area wasn't radiated, so it's entirely possible.
This morning Hardee finished the antibiotics that he was on for his lack of white blood cells that the chemo had wiped out. Hopefully he is no longer neutopenic, and his immune system has recovered. Maybe I should take him for another blood test to make sure, even though we have to run blood next week to see if he can withstand another chemo round.
Hardee has an agility trial this weekend in So Cal. The Southern California Portuguese Water Dog Club is holding it's first agility trial of the year. Hardee and Jim will be running agility, and I'm the agility trial chairperson. We are looking forward to a fun weekend of running agility, and seeing other PWD friends. Hardee is resting up for it and getting ready!
Until then it is all about joy and all about Hardee....oh, and rest and agility also!
Handsome Hardee
We are a patriotic family!
Face of Courage
Face of courage
From the CC list. I almost did something similar to this for Frisco, but it was so painful to put into words everything that was going on. Kudos to you for doing this. I hope your sweet Hardee's story is a successful one!
ReplyDeleteThank you! At first it was very hard for me to put everything into words, but it turned into something very cathartic for me. It is also a record of all we have been through. I originally started the blog as a way to keep everyone who cared about Hardee updated as to his progress because I didn't have the time to answer emails individually. I appreciate your nice comments.
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