Hi Margi and Ladywolf
Thanks for checking in on me at my thread -- I have my days - yesterday wasn't a good one. That picture of Sammy was the last Christmas card we took of her for Christmas 2008. I took one of her every year from the first year we had her. She was always very cooperative. One year it was red fuzzy deer antlers she was wearing -- one year I put her in a wooden wagon that was decorated for Christmas -- one year she even let me put her in a box I had wrapped with white paper with a big red bow on it -- just the top of her head peeked out. She never seemed to mind me taking the photos -- but sometimes it seemed she gave me a look that said '' enough already". Our friends and family enjoyed the "Sammy" christmas card every year.

I'm finding that it's those kinds of things that you remember doing that can bring you to your knees when you realize it's over and never to be again.

How are you doing post surgery? I hope you're getting better every day and that Ladywolf is still doing well.

I think of you two often and include you in my daily prayers.

Have a great Sunday

Sharon

Hi Sharon and everyone--

I'm so sorry that your grief still throws you to your knees, Sharon--but I know how that can happen. I still feel it over my mother sometimes, who committed suicide in 1983, and my dad, who died in 1987. I was the only child, and I never HAVE adjusted since to being totally alone in the world, but for my friends. Sammy was obviously super-special!

I'm doing better by now. The bandages are gone and I just have a row of tidy stitches around the lower half of my nose on one side. It's healing well, no infection, and I'm not taking painkillers or antibiotics any more. (I was finishing off a course of antibiotics at the time I had the surgery, because I had a massive dental infection the week before. Gads, it's always something, isn't it?)

Anyway, I'm reconciled to it being what it is. I'm old enough to think that a new scar shouldn't matter, but of course, I am curious to see what this will look like a year from now. Getting the bandage off and the pain going away were big steps in my accepting this thing.

Ladywolf is hanging in, not much change, really. She just climbed up on my bed while I ran to the store to get a Sunday paper, and when I came back, she had very very carefully extracted a chunk of cheese that I'd been munching on from the baggie it was in--no tooth marks on the baggie at all, just the cheese gone. Crafty!

Hugs to all--

Margi and the Wolf

Hi Margi....I'm glad to hear Ladywolf is still doing good, she is a fighter for sure.

Try some cocoa butter on that scar....I've used it for my scar on my tummy, it's about a foot long...runs vertical from under my rib cage straight down through the middle. It comes in a stick like a fat tube of chapstick and I do think it helped the scar. Scars are like maps...keep you focused on where you've been and where you never want to go again...lol.

Hope you are doing well.

Sending hugs for you and dear Ladywolf...and Poppers,
Brutus' Mom

Hi Sonya and everyone-

Well, the stitches are out now and yes, there IS a noticeable scar between my nose and mouth, but like you said, scars remind you of where you never want to go again--in my case, through "Moh's" cancer surgery! I'm doing okay with it, however. Thanks for the cocoa-butter tip, but I have some special bee propolis cream that I have great faith in and I think I'll stick with that one.

Just an update on Ladywolf--she is still gorging herself on the people-food I am feeding her, and still getting around pretty well. There's a little deterioration in her ability to move with the hindquarters, where the tumors are, but no noticeable decline at all. I can't help but believe that custom-cooking for her is making a big difference in the speed of the growth of the tumors. She is still perky and alert and demanding and has her usual attitude, so I still have the Full Wolf, thank god!

Love to everyone--

Margi and the Wolf

Margi I'm glad that you and Ladywolf are doing well. It's good to see them eating isn't it? When Foxy was ill I used to love to cook her something nice and watch her eat it. You'd have thought she'd never been fed in her life, she loved her food so much.

Irene

Hi, Margi and Ladywolf, I am so glad to log on to find your latest news. I have been thinking so much about you and wondering how you've been doing, and when you would be free of the stitches. I have a "very remarkable" 2 foot scar on my right hip from where the rod implant is holding my femur together, and I have numerous other scars on my right leg from various other surgeries - - all from the automobile collision of almost 25 years ago. Never had a broken bone in my body before then, but sure did make up for it all at once. Five surgeries in 3 years and had to learn how to walk - - - after a fashion - - all over again after each of them. So, yeah, I know what you mean - - been there done that and don't ever want to go there again, thank you very kindly.

I'm so glad Ladywolf is hanging in there with you and seems to be doing well. Please know you both are continually in my thoughts and prayers and will look forward to keeping apprised as to how you both are doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hi Margi and Ladywolf
Glad to hear you are doing okay! I think your good home cooking is the trick for Ladywolf too. In fact - if I get another Westie I think I'm seriously going to think about cooking for my new pup from day one. I have some holistic pet books on order from Amazon and am going to do some research before we think about another furbaby. Have a great day and give Ladywolf a big hug from me.
Sharon

Thank you, everyone, for your kind thoughts. Sharon, I am totally convinced that corn-based commercial dog foods CAUSE cancer--there's barely anything nutritional in any of them, even the best of them.

Ladywolf is slowly beginning to fail more and more. Her rear leg is more swollen, she can't walk as far, she's having more trouble getting in and out of the car, and she's more uncomfortable when lying down now, I think. But she is still perky and alert and demanding and ready to go at a moment's notice, and still a glamour girl--just moving more slowly and with more difficulty. It's very sad to see, but I sure am having a good long time here to get used to the idea that she won't be with me forever (as if I could ever really "get used to" that idea!)

The way the vet who checked her out was talking back in January, she made it sound as if I'd be lucky to have a few weeks left with Lady, and now it's been a few months and she's still relatively healthy, aside from the tumors. (Which are not really an "aside," but at least they're not impacting her overall health much, I don't think--the problems are localized to that area so far.)

I'm so grateful to have all this time, as life without Lady will be pretty bleak, I fear...

Big hugs to all--

Margi and the Wolf

P.S. I'm still pretty scar-y from the surgery, but I'm sure it will get better with time. New scars are so shocking--especially on one's FACE!!!

I just posted something similar, I can only say I am going through something very, very similar with my German Shep and your post describes exactly how I feel. I wish I could help more, but maybe knowing you aren't alone and there are others going through this awful thing and feeling just like you.

Peace through this hard time - I know exactly how you feel.

Hi Margi
I just purchased 3 holistic pet books and received them from Amazon yesterday:

The Nature of Animal Healing by Martin Goldstein
The Holistic Dog Book by Denise Flaim
Natural Dog by Deva Khalsa

I am going to start my research to see if I can figure out a way to take better care of my next furbaby. Maybe by focusing on this I can feel productive and redeem myself in little Sammy's eyes. I want to do a better job than I obviously did with Sammy and hope my next dog lives longer than 11. I know there are no guarantees -- but I want to give this one the best shot at a possible long life. I hope Ladywolf is still doing well -- keep up the home cooking -- that's a real key to all of this - ending all of this cancer and other health problems that our pets have -- I'm totally convinced of it.
Have a restful evening.
Sharon

Sharon, I've been doing some reading along those lines myself. I just ordered a book about the problems with commercial dog food. It also has recipes for homemade diets and suggestions for supplements, which I think I'm going to try with Belle. I've always fed my dogs high quality dog food, but from what I've read even many of those use questionable ingredients. The vets have told me that Charlie's problem was probably genetic, but even so, I want to give Belle and any other dogs I might own, the best possible chance. Both of Belle's parents are alive and apparently still in excellent health. Genetically. at least, she seems to have a pretty good chance of living a long, healthy life and I want to make sure I don't do anything to jeopardize it.

Barbara

Hi, Margi and Ladywolf, I know it has only been a couple of days or so since you last posted, but am just checking in with you to see how things are going. Oh, how I do understand how you're feeling watching your precious girl "slowly decline." It's heartbreaking but still you have her with you - - you can hold her and comfort her, and she can hear your voice. Please know you and Ladywolf are in my thoughts and prayers, and please let us know how things are going when possible.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Thinking of you Margi and Ladywolf,

Hugs,
Brutus' Mom

Thanks, Brutus's mom. We're not doing too badly, but Lady is now limping on one of her FRONT legs, which are not (obviously) connected to the tumors in the rear legs. So I don't know what is up--has the cancer spread? Did she injure herself somehow? I can't find any visible or palpable injury, so I'm gravely concerned that all of her legs are going to be affected now. This situation has cut way down on our walks together, and I am really aware now of how old she is (14 or 15).

Lord, I do pray for a peaceful ending when the time comes. I've talked to her a bit about the idea of just dying calmly in her sleep, and she's pretty receptive, so...

Thanks again for checking in. I haven't had time this week to be on the Forum very much--have had too much else going on. But what a precious place this is! Hope you, and everyone, are doing okay.

Hugs to all--

Margi and Ladywolf

Hi Margi and dear Ladywolf

Sorry to hear that Ladywolf is having trouble with her front legs now. Maybe just wear and tear and of course the extra pressures with having to compensate for the bad hind leg. As long as she 's still enjoying her food and your company and life in general she should be ok. Do as you're doing and take each day as precious time together. She will sense your worry, all our fur babies do don't they, and they do so love us to be happy. I know that's hard with all that's going on sometimes but you are doing great things for Ladywolf and she knows that.
I meant to say about the scar from the surgery, have you tried Rosa Mosqueta oil ? It's brilliant for scar reduction, also great in reducing crows feet and wrinkles too, (not that I think you have those of course )
Well I had a weird day of very mixed feelings yesterday, obviously so happy that Pixie has come into our lives, but really missing the girls again. I feel more positive again today and I'm trying to focus on the many happy memories I have of all my Angel fur babies.
Keep on doing what ya doing and big hugs for the Lady.

Thinking of you.
Hugs Jan , my Angels and Pixie x

Hi, Margi and Ladywolf, thank you so much for keeping us updated as how things are going. I am so sorry that Ladywolf is now having challenges with her front legs. Like Jan I hope that this is just a "stress" symptom and nothing else. Hopefully rest will restore strength to her legs. I, too, talked to each of my furkids when it was close to their time to join the angels letting them know that it was okay to go home to heaven's perfect garden. I do so know how hard that is for you, Margi. Please know you and Ladywolf are always close in my thoughts and prayers, and look forward to knowing how things are going.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Margi, I'm sorry to read that Ladywolf is having trouble with her front leg. You're doing the right thing in talking to her about being ok to go when she's ready. I really believe that helps them. In college I took a class about death & dying and we learned that it is really important for a family member to let the dying person know it is ok to go. Sometimes they feel immense stress to stay for our sake. I know the class was pertaining to humans but I believe it's true for our fur babies too. I hope tomorrow will be a good day for you both. You deserve it so much. Ever since Frasier got sick I tell people an uneventful day is a good day. You know what I mean?
I so hope that Ladywolf will go peacefully when it's her time. But even if it's not exactly how you want, you know we're all here for you. Every step of the way.
-Donna

Hi Margi
I'm praying for you and Ladywolf. I hope too -that when that horrible time comes it's peaceful for you two as well. And you're right this is a precious place -- I don't know what I would have done all these weeks without the wonderful support of you and all the people ont his great forum. Haved a blessed evening.

Sharon

Thanks, all, for your good thoughts. Today was a hard day for me--the wind was howling and outdoors felt very unwelcoming, but I tried to take a short walk with Lady anyway and part-way through just this very short walk, she sat down and said, "I've gone far enough." And then she had trouble climbing back up the hill...

I can't stand this.

So I took a tranquilizer and went back to bed. (I really hate the high desert wind!) I'm up for a couple of hours, and then I think I'm going back to bed. I do this sometimes--just sleep the whole day and night away. I just don't feel like doing ANYthing...

I think I'll be okay tomorrow, maybe...

Hugs--Margi and the Wolf

Hi, Margi, just getting caught up on posts and I am so sorry that yesterday was a bad day for you and Ladywolf. I mentioned to you in my response to your post in my Abbygayle's thread about understanding what you're going through with the depression. I was clinically diagnosed with PTSD and Survivor's Guilt as a result of the physical and emotional trauma of the automobile collision in August 1985, and I do so understand about panic attacks.

With the type of cancer my Abbygayle had that the down turn happens so suddenly - - although in reality it has been slowly creeping up to that point. How is your precious Ladywolf doing otherwise - - is she still able to maneuver through the house comfortably? And does she still look forward to her scrumptuous meals?

Margi, please know both you and Ladywolf are in my thoughts and prayers, and please let us know how you're doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam