Sigh of Relief

On Sunday afternoon, Sparkle suddenly started having issues supporting her weight on her remaining rear leg. To save you all the worry I went through for two days, she is now much better. Apparently, all she needed was to spend a few hours and a few hundred dollars with her oncologist 😉

It is hard and stressful to have a dog with a life ending disease — because you never know exactly when that disease process is going to be life ending. Sparkle should have months but I know well that what should happen isn’t the same as will happen.

And so I spent two days thinking she wasn’t getting those months. Never mind a bounce — she literally wasn’t even getting a hop!

But Sparkle was happy with bright eyes and no apparent pain — wtfork?! She just could not support her rear end. Not a 911 and so we waited until Tuesday morning when the oncologist was back at work.

I cannot say enough good things about the specialists at WestVet Boise. Sparkle’s oncologist, Dr. Sparkles (so named for the sparkling clogs that she always wears), is so responsive and patient-focused. I sent an email, she responded.

I teach an in-person class at Boise State on Tuesday afternoons and so Sparkle spent the afternoon with Dr. Sparkles and her team yesterday. They determined that she likely has some peripheral neuropathy from last week’s chemo. It is an unusual side effect from the particular chemo agent she received but it can happen — btw, aside from some tiredness, that was her only obvious chemo side effect.

It is already better — she is hopping again this morning 🙏

Those two days of worry reminded me of the importance of never, ever making a big decision in a panic.

Apropos of nothing and everything…