It looks like my last post was almost 2 years ago; can’t believe it. Just want to update and although it isn’t a happy ending, it might be helpful for someone to see someone else’s journey.
Oscar had 6 rounds of chemo which ended in Dec of 2013 or Jan 2014. He did very well except for 1 time when he came home and laid on the kitchen floor and cried on and off for about 6 hours.
After the chemo, we volunteered to be in a clinical trial of a new medication and he was to go on oral chemo meds. We took Jan off and were going to start the oral meds in Feb; when we had a check up in Feb prior to beginning everything- his chest x-ray already revealed mets in both lungs. As a result, we didn’t do the meds or the trial. Pain control and spending time together was my only goal. He was on tramodol for pain which covered him but due to his size (English Mastiff) he needed to take a lot of them and needed to take tagamet for stomach upset. He was a trooper-he had so much dignity and tried so hard…
Sat March 15th, 2014, he became unable to walk. He went outside in the am, and then in the aft, i kept calling and encouraging him to get up (he didn’t always want to go so i usually did have to beg and cajole). After a few minutes; i realized he was not able to get up. (felt so bad that what i thought was refusal was inability). called the vet and explained what was going on and made the appt for tuesday march 18th. I was really torn-he was awake and alert-how could i do that to him. The vet talked with me (she also cried along with me) and what made me decide was when she talked about his dignity and going potty all over himself. On that Saturday, he held it and held it-it was around 17 hours, so i knew that he had tried not to go.
We spent the weekend in the kitchen with Oscar. He crawled around the house-used his front paws and pulled himself around the house. i put him on a sheet and pulled him into the living room so we could all be together but he wanted to be in the kitchen. I had to sit in the kitchen with him or he cried, so i sat on the floor next to him. (he had developed the habit of wanting to be in the kitchen, so for about 3 weeks, i would sit in the kitchen with him.)
am going to stop at this point-it’s long, and it still is very difficult to write-will continue very soon.
Lora, Gus and the spirit of Oscar (so glad to “see” you benny55-always so kind and encouraging!