Today Frida had an appointment for a more extensive check up, as we are just hitting the 6th month after her surgery. It didn’t start good when the scale revealed that she had lost around 2 pounds, that’s almost 850 grams. However, weight can be tricky, and I wanted to stayoptimistic. I say I wanted, but I had known for some weeks that something had changed. Frida is sleeping a little bit more, she’s getting tired more easily and she prefers short walks and to go back home. There’s blood work pending, but the X-rays confirmed my fears. The vet told us there’s a “lesion” in her lungs, that corresponds to metastasis. Fortunately, the location of this lesion is not creating any breathing problems now, and it can stay like that for some time, we don’t know how long. That’s as far as X-rays can tell. The other option would be an ultrasound, but at this point it doesn’t matter if there’s more or less. The fact is that the metastasis has started. Our vet will discuss with the oncologist the situation, and see if any changes in her current chemo protocol could help to give her some more time. Our situation has changed. Sadly I realized that we are hitting the timelines, the statistics. Sadly, our beloved dog will be another victim of histiocytic sarcoma, a victim of canine cancer. Frida is not anymore on remission, the cancer is back.
We knew this day would come. Today our journey takes a new direction, and sooner or later we will find ourselves at the end of our trip. The emotions are hitting, the roller coaster! My promise to Frida is that I will do everything to protect her and to save her from any suffering. I have taken care of her since she was 7 weeks old, and I will continue
to do that until the last minute of her life. Today Mark and I have talked so much about the chunk of heart that will go with her when she dies. But as hard as it is, we are also determined to enjoy her energy, her happiness and all the joy that she brings to our life. In September we have already another trip planned, and we are so looking forward to it.
The memory of the shine, warmth, and happiness that sunshine brings to life stays forever with us. Frida is a sunshine, my little sunshine. We will make the most of our time together, and when the time comes I know that it will be OK to let her cross the rainbow bridge, and she will go just as she has lived: surrounded by our love.
“Dogs are angels sent from heaven in order to help us to be better people.”~ Robert Genn
A journey with Frida, our Schnauzer 