Canine Cancer Awareness | Matilda"s Journey

I cannot believe it, but Matilda has completed the L-CHOP Chemotherapy Protocol Treatment for Lymphoma. She is in remission, and doing pretty well. I thought I would want to celebrate if we reached this day. Instead of losing her six months ago, her life has been extended, and is pretty good. Our neighbors saw her last night, and remembered when they had helped me get her back into the apartment when she had collapsed in front of the building and was diagnosed the next day. They were excited by how bright and alive her eyes are now, and how fast her tail was wagging, and that she was trying to get them to give her their food.

I am extremely thankful to have her still, and to see what a strong soul she is. She loves life, and struggles to hang in there even when not feeling that great. As soon as she feels well, she does her dancing around, flinging her long legs all about, nosing me and insisting on certain treats. Always, on our walks, she wants people on the sidewalk to pet her, and to hang out with whatever people and dogs are there. The sweetness of this 13 year old pup combined with the knowledge that she was put up for adoption from a divorcing couple when she was age eight make her my hero.

When she feels better from this last chemo, I want to do something special for her. Maybe I will invite her favorite people over, and we can all read to her and cuddle with her. She loves that!

Matilda is alive and safely sleeping and being treated at Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners, the Emergency and Specialty Hospital in our area. This is the top place in NYC, in my opinion.  The dog in this picture is Coco, a Great Dane who was waiting to see if her Bull Dog friend was going to be OK. She wasn’t that happy about having her picture taken, and gave me a little growl.

What is speculated regarding Matilda is that a cut on her paw, which just showed itself this morning is infected in a major way. This can happen when one’s immune system is compromised from chemo. So this cut has become an abscess, but in a somewhat complicated way. She had a cut  several weeks ago that was treated, and thought to be healed. Apparently when one is undergoing chemo, something like that can continue to be a problem, even when it seems to have healed. So they have worked on the paw, and she is getting intravenous antibiotic, blood work has been done, and her high temperature has been brought down. (She was so stressed having to walk out to the taxi to get to the vet, that she began panting at a level I’ve rarely seen). She is staying overnight, and I will pick her up tomorrow night. They think that this infection could be responsible for all the symptoms she was having.

 I’m hoping for good results, and that I will be able to take care of the wound properly. The vet assured me that this infection could have happened in a matter of hours. It seems daunting, since it is between her toes. Greyhounds have these very long toes with webbing in between. Matilda’s toes are very close together, and the little toes are turned in and encroaching on the other toes. It isn’t uncommon for greyhounds to have problems with their toes.

 Matilda thanks everyone for the good wishes and prayers.

Matilda is essentially herself. She has a food issue, but has managed to eat enough to be over the weight she was when she became ill with Lymphoma and began chemo December 13, 2012. She now also has arthritis , and her walking is a bit impaired. She is in remission, and has only one more chemo treatment left, which is a week from tomorrow. Her spirits are excellent. She has a sense of humor, dancing around and flinging her legs wildly, while moving her head up and down like a horse, in order to get certain treats.

I have to keep in mind that her health situation might fluctuate. We have bought her time, but who knows how much. Kelly K of Wishcuit reminds us that dogs and humans get cancer at the same rate, and that there are dogs beating the disease with the advent of new  treatments. Go to Wishcuit.com for more info on how she is doing this work.

And of course, how do we humans cope with the advent of a life-threatening illness in that special dog in our life?

Rainer Marie Rilke once said that our “deepest fears are like the dragons guarding our deepest treasures”. I want to be the person who who digs deeper, transforms anxiety, and can be present and at peace with Matilda.
        
Tillie decided to wear a kerchief or babushka for her picture that got separated from this post. Some people might have observed that she resembles Meryl Streep in the film The French Lieutenant’s Woman. 

Walking to raise awareness

Thanks to a post at At Home with Herbie, I just started reading about 2 Dog 2,000 Miles. Luke sold his truck, put his belongings in storage, and set off on foot with his two dogs, Hudson and Murphy. They are walking from Austin to Boston to raise awareness of canine cancer. Please visit their site, or you can follow them on Twitter. It’s inspiring!

One man"s journey to raise awareness for canine cancer

February 26, 1:13 PM
by Jane Porricelli, Providence Dogs Examiner

For Luke Robinson, the answer to that question is quite literal – 2,400 miles. On foot.

On March 16, 2008, Robinson left Austin, TX with his two Great Pyrenees dogs, Hudson and Murphy, by his side. They are now nearly one year into – and halfway through – the hike of their lives, one that Robinson hopes will help save lives.

This hike, which Robinson is chronicling on his website, www.2dogs2000miles.org, is taking the trio from Austin to Boston, all to raise awareness for canine cancer, which took Robinson’s beloved Great Pyrenees, Malcolm, in 2006.

Robinson says that Malcolm’s two-year fight, “was truly a life defining experience and one that’s made me re-evaluate my place in the world and what my contribution can be.” This re-evaluation led to his decision to quit his job, sell his truck, put all of his belongings in storage, and plan his cross-country walk in honor of Malcolm and all those touched by cancer.

As one of those people touched by cancer myself, I am deeply humbled by Robinson’s selflessness and dedication to the cause. In fact, he told ZooToo.com that since losing Malcolm he has, “devoted the rest of my life to canine cancer, to raising awareness for it.”

I lost my Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, Bismarck, to an aggressive form of Gastrointestinal Lymphoma in July 2007. He wasn’t even 6 years old. Seeing how one man has turned his devastation over losing his dog – a feeling I know all too well – into a journey to help so many others has left me inspired beyond words.

Robinson’s itinerary is not set in stone. Along the way, he has changed his route up a bit, made some unplanned stops, and stayed a bit longer in some places than others. But Boston is where this particular trek of his will end. And whenever that ends up being, I plan on being there. To shake his hand. To pet his pups. And to thank him. On behalf of Bismarck – and all of those touched by cancer.

After all, it will take me just 40 miles to get from Providence to Boston. Not even close to the 2,400 Robinson will have traveled to get there.