Holiday Advice from Champion of My Heart Dog Blog
In a year when many times it looked like Lilly might not survive to celebrate, I officially declare the start to the HOLIDAY at our house. 12 glorious days of togetherness begins in 3 … 2 … 1
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Neurology Exam – 14 Weeks Since Adverse Vaccine Reaction Relapse and Counting
This week marks 14 weeks since Lilly’s massive brain inflammation relapse in August. This recovery streak eclipses her previous record of 9 weeks without a setback from earlier in the year. I went into today’s neurology exam expecting we’d continue to wean Lilly’s steroid dose. I was wrong. Here is an update on what we’re keeping, what we’re dropping, and what we’re adding to her treatment plan.
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Dog Dad in Charge ~ What Didn’t Happen?
Poor Tom. As soon as I headed to town to see my mom Tuesday afternoon, things went to #*!!. When I returned a couple of hours later, I saw signs of things amiss. Here is the sad, sad tale.
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A Dog Blog Post for the Mojo Challenged
Exhausted doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of our current state. All the worry, stress, and veterinary activity has caught up with us. These chemo weekends kick our @$$e$. We also stayed mostly off social media last week out of respect to our friends in the wake of the big storm. We didn’t want to clog anyone’s feed with our day-to-day hoohah.
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Sleep Deprivation and Dogs with Long Illnesses
We’re dog tired here at Chez Champion of My Heart. About 10 months into this medical saga with Lilly’s rabies vaccine-induced meningoencephalomyelitis (brain inflammation). Between being incontinent (both ways) and fussy at night, we haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep in a long time. So, this week, we’re trying yet another strategy.
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Complementary, Not Alternative, Therapies for Lilly’s Adverse Vaccine Reaction
Today, let’s talk a little bit about some of the extra or complementary treatments we’ve decided to use on Lilly. My rules are pretty simple.
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Improvement Report: Lilly’s Recovery from Adverse Vaccine Reaction
Last weekend, Lilly got her 3rd cycle of cytarabine injections (4 sub-q injections over 2 days). She handles it like a champ. Honestly, other than the fact that everything about her reeks of medications, you’d never know she was getting pretty aggressive treatment for rabies vaccine-induced meningoencephalomyelitis (brain inflammation). This week, we saw some improvements.
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5 Dog Vital Signs You Should Know BEFORE Your Dog Gets Sick
In addition to continuing to chronicle Lilly’s treatment for rabies vaccine-induced meningoencephalomyelitis (brain inflammation), I’m trying to glean some valuable lessons YOU can learn from our experience. For example, do you know your dog’s “normal” vital signs? Trust me, it’ll help you know when something is wrong and when / if to worry about your…
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Preemptive Grief and Sunrises
Yes, Lilly is doing well right now. With all the illness / death / destruction in my life in the last 4 years, however, it’s hard not to wither from anticipatory grief — not just for Lilly but others in my life (like my mom, who is terminally ill with a progressive brain disorder). Autumn fills with angst for me anyway. Not my favorite time of year. So, today, some sunrise photos.
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Lilly News: Veterinary Neurology Recheck
Miss Lilly and I hauled our silly selves across town for her veterinary neurology recheck appointment this morning, in advance of this weekend’s third round of cytarabine injections. It has been 6 weeks since her last neuro exam and 9 weeks since her major adverse vaccine reaction relapse. Here is today’s news.
