Took Syd back to K-State this morning. They took him to do the recheck on the lung radioraphs. They called us when he was done to come back in. Normally, in the past, when he got chemo, they brought Syd to us, then we would go back into a room or the oncologist would come out to briefly chat with us. The last visit 1/29/04 when they told me about that suspicious thing on the x-rays, they came out WITHOUT Syd and told me to step into the room. They were carrying x-rays (which I've told when this happens, look out because it's normally not good news). That's when they told me about the suspicious area.
Today, when we came back in, the student vet came out and said she would go get Syd and then the oncologist wanted to talk with us. I just knew it was going to be bad news. I anxiously awaited and before Syd came out, the oncologist came out with the student vet and the oncologist smiled and simply said she was highly encouraged. She said that the suspicious area had NOT grown but she still didn't know what it was. She explained that, in fact, when they laid him one way, it wasn't there, and when they laid him another way, it was there. She was very encouraged because she said if it had been a tumor, it would have definintely grown in a month's time. The fact that it wasn't was a good sign! I asked her once again if she thought it was not a blood vessel. She said no. I told her I belonged to CBC and that a lot of members had said lung mets look more like little round grapes and the suspicious area was more irregular rectanglar shaped. She said they still don't know if it's not scar tissue or a legion, but she didn't think it was a cancerous tumor because it hadn't grown..
She said one way that we could definintely tell for sure was to do a CT scan, but that would require anestheizing Syd (which would run between $50-$100) and the CT scan itself would run $300. She said even if we did a CT scan and it didn't show anything else besides that suspicious area, then we will have spent the $400 for nothing. She said on the flip side, the CT scan could show tiny lung mets which can't be readily seen on regular radiographs. So it was up to me. I told her that the CBC list had helped me learn that even though you want to have positive thoughts all the time, that you have to realize what you are dealing with and the feeling is it is what it is and you do all you can do. So now I have to make that decision on whether to put Syd under and possibly find out he maybe really has lung mets or do I want to just enjoy the moment and just take regular lung radiographs in 1-2 months.
Now the kicker......the oncologist was talking to the radiologist about how Syd's initial lung xrays last August were unremarkable, in October, the suspicious area wasn't there, in January it was and now depending on how he was laying, it wasn't there and then it was. The oncologist said the radiologist had been trying to get funding from a grant to do a study on the difference between regular lung radiographs and CT scans for lung mets, because CT scans can be so much more detailed. She said, for some reason, Syd didn't initially qualify, but because he was (and I LOVED her saying this part) a "perfectly healthy dog" that depending on how he lays, now they see the suspicious area, now they don't, that he would be an excellent candidate for being part of this study. She said she was trying to convince the radiologist that Syd should be included in this study. She said that with this study, we would have to possibly pay for the anesthesia ($50-$100), but the CT scan (a $300 value) would be covered by the grant funding. She said if Syd is included, the radiologist might want to do CT scans at the same time they do his lung radiographs every 2-3 months. She said, depending on how much she gets for funding, she might be able to cover the cost of the anesthesia too. My husband actually told her he didn't care about $50-$100, that was fine with him.
So, while I am so incredibly happy that the suspicious thing hasn't grown any, which means it's probably just a scar or legion, now I am a little torn over whether to allow Syd to be anesthized every 3 months. My feeling is like things that help you (like getting your dog involved in a study to help absorb the costs that you wouldn't otherwise be able to afford) sometimes show up and you should look at them as a wonderful opportunity, if you feel it's right for your dog. I also am thinking that if Syd's legacy is that I allowed him to be part of clinical trials or studies, so that he could help other dogs going through this in the future, and it doesn't do him any harm, then why not?
Again, the oncologist said she was trying to convince the radiologist to get Syd included in the study and she will know more about the funding by Tuesday. So I am so grateful for my oncologist (who is the one who is doing the clinical trial Syd is on for piroxicam) who is willing to fight so hard for Syd.
Anyway, this is long enough, but I wanted to share my day with you. Thank you for all your prayers and thoughts for Syd. I can now breathe a sigh of relief....for the moment at least. |
