Energizer Bunny...

I'm proud to report that Emmie is still going strong and remains cancer free.  She has a bit more gray hair than she did before but is doing really well.

Suck it Cancer!!

Happy (Belated) 1 year Cancerversary Emmie!

I was introduced to the term Cancerversary by one of my friends who is a survivor. I think it's such a remarkable event to celebrate because it's not only a reminder about your diagnosis but a very strong reminder that you are here to celebrate the milestone. I'm very happy to say that Emmie has now passed her 1 year Cancerversary. In fact, she has also passed the 1 year mark since her first chemo. It's hard to believe how fast time has gone by.

As I type this Emmie is impatiently waiting for her breakfast, looking better than ever. I couldn't be happier about the outcome of her treatment and am thankful to all of the vets who cared for her during that time.

Go Emmie - Suck it Cancer!

A bit of a scare

I followed my own advise this past week and took Emmie back to CAVS to have a new lump checked out on her stomach. It was small but looked just like the mast cell tumor that got us into this whole mess in the first place.

I was nervous about the outcome but Emmie was happy to be petted by everyone in the office. She did her normal beagle job of sniffing the place out for any food and happily greeted the vet for her exam. I walked the vet through all of the old and new bumps and they took her to the back so they could aspirate each of them. After maybe 5 minutes of waiting Emmie was back in the exam room and the tech gave me the good news. The prior lipomas were still nothing to worry about and the new lump was just a Sebaceous Cyst which would probably go away over time. She reassured me that it was nothing to worry about and I just needed to keep an eye on it to make sure it didn’t get infected.

I happily paid my bill, told everyone that I hoped I didn’t see them again, and we were on our way home. Whew, what a relief.

This is one happy & healthy dog! Suck it Cancer…

Happy National Cancer Survivors Day

I can't believe that I didn't post any photos of Emmie's Cancer Free Party. We had so much fun and Emmie really seemed to know it was her party. She took every opportunity to be petted and steal food from unsuspecting adult or child hands. Bad beagle! Overall the party was a huge success. We had great turnout, really good food and raised more than $500 for Austin Pets Alive. Congratulations Emmie on being cancer free!

Since it is National Cancer Survivors Day we are celebrating survivors and for that I am thankful! I feel fortunate that we were able to detect Emmie's cancer early enough, that it could be treated and that we had the $ to pay for it. Today especially I am praying for a cure for all types of cancer and hope that if you are reading this you pass along the message of a survivor that you know. Suck it Cancer!

Emmie is Cancer Free Party Planning in full swing

This Saturday we are hosting a celebration of Emmie's health. We have invited both human and canine friends to spend the afternoon enjoying what will hopefully be a beautiful day in our backyard. I have gone a bit overboard on decorations but I know it will be 100% worth it. Emmie already tried on her outfit. Green is her color!

Because Emmie and Gir are lucky enough to have a loving home with plenty of resources to keep them happy and healthy we have decided to invite our guests to help us support Austin Pets Alive. We hope to raise both money & supplies for local animals that need a home.

More photos to come of our big celebration!

Howl if you feel good

Anyone who has spent any time with Emmie knows that she loves to howl. Typical Beagle! We live very close to a fire station and there are frequently emergency vehicle sirens that set her off. My mother is probably the only person who loves it more than me.

I wasn't able to get a video of her tonight (3 fire trucks were headed deep into our 'hood) but Ron did take a funny picture of us singing a few nights ago. We were celebrating Em's energy level after this last dose of Chemo. Howl if you feel good...let's make sure Cancer can hear us all loud and clear.

Final Chemo - Arrivederci Cancer

It was an exciting trip to the vet today. Emmie’s CBC came out great and we took our Chemo to go. It was the last ~$200 treatment and now we only have two more appointments. One for a follow on CBC and another for a 1 month checkup. I think I will have to start taking Emmie with me on little roadtrips to run errands. I’m actually going to miss our quality time in the car.

It really is an amazing transformation that Emmie goes through during this treatment. One minute she is excited about her chemo sandwich (pictured without the bread) the next she is sacked out on the ottoman feeling yucky. The only good thing I can say is that I know Cancer is getting a final beat down, if it’s even still around. Wish her luck!

Dear Cancer

RIP

Love,
Emmie, Gir, Kathy & Ron