I'm still standing

Hi there. It’s been a while now. I’ve got loads to tell you. I’ve been on holiday a couple of times, I’ve been swimming in rivers, ponds and swimming pools all over the country, I’ve been to the hospital a couple of times but most importantly: 

I can’t see the rainbow anymore! 

Mum says it’s probably because I am getting old and I need glasses!

Last time I wrote on my blog, I had just been told by Doctor Cindy that that was that! No more operations. I was going to live whatever time was left and then….. over the rainbow.

So my Mum and Dad and all my friends like Sophie and grandad and Geert and Lief and Melissa and Dominique and Stefan and many others decided to spoil me rotten. So here’s all the things that I’ve been doing:

In March I went to the hospital for a check-up. Doctor Cindy told me that the cancer had hardly grown. The lymph nodes had gone from 1.5 cm to 2.1 cm. I have 3 of those bastards.

Liver and spleen still good! The main tumour in my bum is not back yet. The chemo is doing its job!

In March I celebrated my 9^th birthday! Mummy and Sophie made me a big cake with banana and carrots and biscuits and yoghourt!

They never thought I’d make it! It took me 2 minutes to finish it...

It may have been my last birthday cake. It may not…

So Sophie was in Belgium for a couple of days too. We always have great fun. We do lots of walks and cuddling.

Then there is Melissa. I love Melissa. She picks me up every now and then and we always do fun things. She treated me to a weekend at the seaside with a Bongo voucher. 

I went with Mum and Dad before the Easter holidays, when doggies can still run freely on the beach. I had loads of fun there. And guess who joined us: grandad! Don’t know where he came from all of a sudden but look: there he was!

It may have been my last time on the beach. But then again, it may not…

Shortly after that, I was invited to come along to a party at Dominique and Stefan and the happy six’s house. They have a swimming pool you know. 

Now, if you have been following my blog with only one eye, you know what that means! Exactly! Great fun!

It may have been my last time in the pool. But then again, it may not…

Then Mum and Dad decided to take me back to the Ardennes where we went last year. Last time the water was really high and the current strong. Swimming was really dangerous. This year, it was much better. I played in the water for days.

We didn’t walk that much. I can’t run that long anymore. I am getting old you know. One day I was so tired that Mum had to lift my bum up the stairs! How embarrassing is that?

Mum and Dad took me to this fabulous place last year on a so-called “last holiday together” and look: there we were again.

It may have been my last time this year. But then again, it may not….

Today, we went back to the hospital for a check-up. Guess what? The cancer has hardly grown. It went from 2.12 cm to 2.45 cm. That’s even less than last time!

Doctor Cindy said that where the cancer is, I have enough space in my tummy for the cancer not to bother me any time soon. Mummy thought the cancer would crush the main artery into my rear legs and paralyse me but Doctor Cindy said that the artery lining is too strong for that to happen. My spleen and liver are still clear! The chemo is doing its job! 

Take that you stupid cancer!

Doctor Cindy also said that, as I am getting a bit older, my walks shouldn’t be that long anymore. Mum and Dad were quite happy to hear that. They never thought I’d get this far. They’d rather see me deteriorate from old age, than from stupid cancer.

So there you go. I am still standing. And you know what? I can’t see the rainbow anymore…. Maybe I don’t want to see it yet.

But then again, neither do Mum and Dad!

I can see the rainbow from where I’m standing

Hi there, it’s me again. Mum and I went to the hospital again in January for my quarterly check-up. I was put on the machine again by Doctor Cindy. She saw a small lymph node again in my tummy so Mum made an appointment to have it removed. She knows I can handle it.

On the day of the operation, Mum dropped me off and went to the office. About a quarter to ten in the morning, Doctor Cindy called Mum in the office to tell her that she had taken a closer look at the ultrasound images of my tummy, together with the doctor who was going to remove the cancer. They had decided that it was too dangerous to operate because there was a small lymph node between an artery and my spine. I am in good shape right now and anything going wrong in the operation could ruin that.

Mummy agreed that the best thing to do was not to operate anymore and let me enjoy whatever time I have left. So she picked me back up from the hospital around lunch time. That’s it, no more operations….

Doctor Cindy doesn’t really know how much time I have left so she will do an ultrasound every 2 to 3 months to see how the cancer evolves. Eventually, she said, I will probably stop eating and die of liver failure. Mum and dad don’t believe that there will ever be a day that I will stop eating, but there you go. There is a first time for everything.

The Doctor said that there was stronger chemotherapy, but it is very expensive, it will not cure me, and there will be side effects. Mum and dad feel strongly about it: not because of the money issue, but because they do not want me to suffer any more than necessary. The stronger chemo is not an option. The Doctor understands that.

Obviously, this is not the best news I’ve had. Mum and Dad, however, are at peace with it. I was diagnosed with cancer in September 2015. I was given another year. We have had a great year – and longer – together and as long as I am still well, Mum and Dad are happy.

But they are going to spoil me rotten, they said – even more! We started with a great long walk in the Beeltjens in Westerlo with my mate Clovis and his family. If I hang around till the summer, they promised me I could come over for a swim in their pool.

Mum and Dad have noticed that I am a bit less energetic than I used to be. I sleep a bit more but there are no signs of pain or discomfort. They said I can sleep as long and as often as I like. Also, I am almost 9 years old. I am getting a bit older. 9 years! 

Who would have thought that I would still make that? I wonder which cake mum is going to get me this year…

Mum and Dad talk about “the day” of course. They know it will be a difficult one but they are determined not to stretch it any longer than necessary.

My best friend Sophie is gutted obviously, but I want her to know that I’ve had – and still am having – a good life and I am grateful for her friendship. We all have to accept the inevitable and I need her to be brave about this. And even though I can see the rainbow from where I’m standing, I’m sure we’ll still have good times next time she comes to Belgium.

 Charlie

Medical update: still standing strong!

I haven’t got a lot of time to blog because I am too busy enjoying my life. But I know more than 100 people are following me on my blog so I have this duty to write something. Anyway, that's what mum says!

I went to the hospital yesterday and here’s the verdict:

The tumour in my ass had not come back yet: good!

There is no metastasis in my spleen and liver yet: good!

The calcium levels in my blood were OK: good!

My white blood cells were a bit below average. That is due to the chemo so were gonna stop the chemo for a while: don’t mind!

The ultrasound of my tummy was mildly positive. A small lymph node was found again near a blood vessel. It is smaller than the one they removed in June. The surgeon (a lady again!) thinks she can remove it even though these operations are never without any risk. Removing it is always the best option, she said. I'm going in in October.

The oncolodomist was a bit worried about “it” coming back so soon after the previous operation. Mum and dad, however, think I am doing great, given that 10 months ago they said I was only gonna live for another 12 months! And look at me now: still standing strong!

The loncomonist doesn’t really know whether the chemo still works or not. There are other more aggressive therapies out there but they might make me sick. Mum and dad feel strongly about this. Stretching my life with less quality is not an option! Do you agree? I certainly do!

That’s it for now!

Charlie

I am going on holiday and I am taking...

I went to the Ardennes again this weekend and that reminded me that I hadn’t given you the full report of my holiday in June yet, or any pictures.

Next week I have to go back to the hospital for a check-up so, before I have to report whatever news I’ll have, here’s my holiday report! 



Dad promised me we’d go to the Ardennes for my birthday and he kept his promise. 













It was superb, even though it was only “Belgium”. Usually holiday means mum and dad drop me at the kennels and pick me back up when they’re done. 

Not this time. I was coming along!

When we arrived, I felt like I had just arrived in seventh heaven: there was a river, there was a hut with a wood burner, there were chews, there was mum and there was dad and there was my bed and there was piggy.

I even got a second piggy for my birthday and a tin of biscuits. I don’t know what that other black thing in the middle is but mum insisted on taking it. She said it was absolutely necessary for her stress management.

First we had to drive very very far. Like almost 2 hours! That is if we don’t get lost. Otherwise, it is 3.5 hours! 

When we arrived, I saw this.


Mum said I had to calm down and she kept repeating it for 24 hours!! 

Tell me: how can I calm down with this right in front of me? She doesn't seem to know me very well...




Mum allowed me to swim in the river in front of the cabin for a while but the current was so strong she thought she was gonna have to collect my nose on one side of the river and my bum on the other. She said: “hey matey, we’ve been fighting this cancer together for 6 months, I shall not have you drown in the river!” 

I was very restless that night. I couldn’t stop thinking about that river. I had to swim. Mum and dad blocked the stairs down to the water so I couldn't escape. Pity! 


Anyway, I swam a lot. I mean A LOT! 

Jumped in the water at every opportunity.

Sometimes there are other people in the water. I always go to say hello to them.

The next day, we went on a walk. Well, walk is the understatement of the century! 

Mum and dad can’t read maps together ‘cos they’ll end up arguing, so only one of them reads the map. Obviously we got lost. I won’t tell you who was reading the map. 

The bottom line is: we walked A LOT. Mum and dad think I ran about 50 km.

The next day, I was absolutely knackerooned. Dad said: “come on, mate, let’s go for a walk.” And I thought: “Really? Again?” Anyway, we did go on a slightly more moderate walk and swim. I also cleared the water of some wood. 





I do that because it is in my jeans, apparently. Don’t know what that means. I haven't got any jeans but mum told me that that's what it is. She knows these things, you know.





Sometimes the twigs are quite large… But when my jeans tell me to do it, I have to do it.









































On the third day, after a good night’s sleep (without hyperventilating), I was ready for more. We went to this big lake where I had been before. It is called the basin of Nisramont. Check it out! 

It was raining, but that didn’t bother us because I was swimming anyway. It was beautiful.

I did about 35 km that day. We had a picnic on the way. 




I also love jumping in the high grass.

I like to play hide and seek but mum and dad always find me... I don't know how they do it.

The last day Mum and Dad put a BBQ on the floor. Now normally I would steal whatever they put on it. Not tonight. I was knackered! Mum and dad were able to BBQ comfortably!

That was my holiday in a nutshell. I enjoyed it. I hope to go again soon.

I hope you enjoyed my pictures.

That's it for now! 

Charlie

My tummy hurts a little.

My tummy hurts a little.

I went back to the hospital 10 days ago. I told you a couple of weeks ago that I had to have this small lymph node removed. Well, that’s gone now. Mum dropped me off in the morning and picked me up in the evening. Don’t really know what happened in between but apparently it was not too bad.

The doctor told Mum that all went well, taking into consideration that the lymph node was very close to the main artery into my rear paws. Mum said if anything happens to my rear paws, she will build me a wheely chair so we can still go on walkies.

The doctor said that the lymph node was full of active cancer. That, of course, is not so good. 

My tummy hurts a little now and I lost my appetite for a while but I am recovering fast and before she knows it, I’ll be drooling down mum's lap again for more biscuits. We went back yesterday to have the stitches removed and to start up chemo again.

The oncologist said that, as long as they can reach the infected lymph nodes, they can remove them. Some of the lymph nodes are in too dangerous a place, like in between 2 arteries (left and right rear paw). If those lymph nodes get infected, they will not be able to remove it. But there are other chemo options, be it more expensive ones. 

We will have to wait and see what happens next and if we can afford whatever needs to be done.

Right now, it looks like I’ve got some good months ahead of me and I intend to enjoy them to the utmost!

Holiday pictures next!

Take that, you stupid cancer!

I went to the hospital with mummy yesterday. The oncololodist did an ultrasound of my tummy and took some blood. The blood results came in today and were good. The calcium was good and the white blood cells were good. The calcium will go up when the tumour comes back and the white blood cells will go down when I had too much chemo. And yeah, she checked out my ass as well. She couldn’t feel anything. That was good.

Then we did the judo thing again. Mum and the loncodomenist put me on the table, shaved my tummy and had a good look on the screen. The lonkomedician said she saw a small swollen lymph node in my tummy, quite close to the major artery. It isn’t big, about 1 centimetre, but it is almost certainly cancer and it will get bigger. She wasn’t sure whether they can remove if it is so close to the artery so she checked with the close-to-the-artery-lymph-node-removal-doctor and he said there would be no problem removing it. Anyway, if during an operation, they come across a really dangerous problem, mum and dad can decide on the spot whether they want to take the risk or not.

The loncomodist said she would prefer to have it removed ASAP while I am still in good condition. She wasn’t sure how mum and dad felt about these oncoming problems and maybe some smaller operations, but the cost would be considerably smaller than my big operation and during the operation recovery time, I don’t need chemo, so it compensates a bit. Mum discussed with dad and they prefer to keep me in good condition so I can enjoy life and recover fast. The lymph node will be removed soon! So everything is looking relatively positive. The only thing going downhill at the moment is mum and dad’s bank account.

But first, we go on holiday to the Ardennes. Mum booked a cabin on the river bank just for me. All we are going to do for a week is walk, swim, sleep, chew and cuddle!

Did you hear that? Walk, swim, sleep, chew and cuddle! 

Take that, you stupid cancer!

They need my help in Scotland!

I have had 2 chemos so far, I am on the 3^rd chemo now. Well Mum says she gives me pills, but to be honest with you, I don’t think she does. She gives me paté and smoked salmon. Should I tell her?

In between chemos, I had my blood drawn to see if my white blood cells were not too low. Both blood tests were fine (which is more evidence that Mum is not giving me the chemo).  I don’t have to go back to the hospital now until May.

Auntie Gin sent me a get well card. She enclosed a little newspaper story of a dog who got his favourite dying treat from his owner: a tub of ice cream. That gave Mum and Dad the idea of taking me with them on their trips this year. Dad just said we were going to the Dardennen for my birthday. I’ve been there before, several times, and I love it! 

Thank you auntie Gin! I owe that to you. I hope to see you again some time. If you don’t come to me, then I will come to you! Mum said something about Scotland and a lake with a monster that nobody can find. They obviously need my help then! I will swing by auntie Gin on the way to that monster!

Today is my birthday, well one of my birthdays. Yeah, aha, you heard me. I have more than one birthday.

When I was born, they took me to the vet to get my first jabs and my vaccination leaflet. My birthday was written on it as 14 March. The lady where I was born said it was actually 18 March. 

Then Mum and Dad had me chipped and got me a passport. On that passport, my birthday is 13 March.

Mum said that, this year, I can have as many birthdays as I want. 

And you can all wish many happy returns!