white with foam

I wish there were some succinct, ancient saying to address what’s been going on with us these past few weeks, and how people have responded to it. You might say our situation reflects, with Chauncey’s face, the mouthy paroxysms of the previous news cycle, but that seems a little forced.

First to edify, an email Karyn sent out to a few friends:

Chauncey had surgery on Aug. 13 to remove a mast cell (cancerous) tumor from her back leg. The pathology results indicated it was likely there were cancerous cells still in the area.

We consulted with a veterinary oncologist at the end of August, who did a number of tests on Chauncey, all of which came back perfect. The tests included an ultrasound of her chest cavity, which showed no metastasis.

Based on the consult and recommendation from the vet, we decided to proceed with radiation therapy. Without it, there’s a 35-50 percent chance the tumor could return, or worse, spread. With radiation, that chance drops to 15 percent. Chauncey’s good health overall, and her age (7, with potentially still half her life ahead of her), were the factors that tipped the balance toward radiation.

Last night, we began the first of 14 treatments. We will take her up to Edmonds three evenings a week for five weeks; at this oncology center, they treat pets after hours when all the human patients have gone home.

We were able to talk to a couple other dog owners while we were in the waiting room, and they were very helpful in letting us know what to expect. While it was very difficult seeing Chauncey right out of sedation, it didn’t take long for her to return to normal. By the time we got home, she was barking, ready for her dinner and begging treats. She has, so far, been very resilient and we are hopeful for a good outcome.

Thank you so much for inquiring about our girl. If you would continue to send positive energies her way while she continues her treatment, we would be most grateful.

Telling people about mast-cell tumor removal and the subsequent radiation therapy allows them to share with you some pretty wacked-out ideas about cancer treatment and health care in general. And if I really want some quiet time, I simply tell people I’ve been down with the flu that’s going around (which is true).

Sometimes I feel tender towards those who describe cancer as a population-controlling inevitability, the way you admire college sophomores their earnest innocence. Same goes for those who tape a napkin to their face in my germy presence. Such elaborate, doomed structures! Other times the offense is just too strong, and even if Chauncey weren’t in the middle of this therapy regimen, I’d still have to correct the poor bastards. Polio, malaria, AIDS, hunger — just as inevitable, right? Or are economic imperatives the real immutable population control device?

The funny thing is, it’s not even something I feel that strongly. Of course it’s important to combat ignorance and fear, but there are so many horses to ride, each one higher than the last.

Queens of the Stone Age: Sick, Sick, Sick

Tags:   cancer · H1N1 · mast cell tumor · radiation · rat terrier · swine fluNo Comments