Moving Forward

On Monday, I dropped Molly off at our vet clinic for removal of the mast cell tumor near her nipple.   The vet performing the surgery gave Molly a thorough feeling-up and found two more small tumors and gave me a phone call to ask if she should remove them as well.

Sigh.

Okay.

One was in her left armpit, one was at the end of her sternum.   I really don't want her to have more surgery...at least not for say, the next month, so I was happy to say yes.   After the surgery the vet called to say that all had gone well, and that the additional tumors seemed like lipomas.   I actually thought the other day, "Why can't Molly just get lipomas like normal dogs?"  Well, maybe I wished them into existence.

All masses will be biopsied.

I also received a phone call from the oncologist: Molly has T-Cell Lymphoma.   We will begin chemotherapy next week.   The first week of Molly's protocol will involve prednisone and that can slow down healing.   The oncologist wants Molly's surgical incisions to have some time to heal before we begin, and with Molly's lymphoma not being as aggressive as the disease normally is, we have time to wait for Molly's body to heal itself.   I noticed she called the lymphoma "atypical" rather than "indolent."   Well, I am glad that Molly has an "atypical" version, because T-Cell lymphoma has statistically shorter survival rates than B-Cell.   But, my girl has already become a weird-case scenario, a best case scenario.   Screw statistics.   We're gonna give it our best and that's that.  This chemo protocol will also work against the mast cell tumors, along with the daily oral benadryl/pepcid combination that Molly has been on for the last week.

I have a lot more questions for the oncologist (I am hoping to draft up an e-mail to her, actually), a lot more research to be done.   One day at a time.

I am nervous for our first chemotherapy appointment next Thursday.   But I am ready.   Let's go.