It has been a long and very tiring day for Moses and me, but he is finished
with chemotherapy for his bone cancer; the amputation and chemotherapy have
extended his happy life, hopefully significantly. When I learned to drive,
in Detroit, in the very early 1970s, my instructor said that if a person
could drive the highways and byways of the Motor City, he or she could drive
anywhere. This gentleman has never been on Route 128, I am certain, going
to or leaving Boston in heavy traffic, with a few of us poor souls,
including me, driving, as usual, safely and cautiously, but the majority
attempting to reach their destination as quickly as possible in whatever
manner is necessary to achieve this. When I dropped off Moses at Angell
Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, one of the Critical Care Nurses was
strolling through the waiting room and told me what a pleasant and
determined boy Moses is, wanting to stand right after his November 2002 rear
leg amputation. Today Dr. Vandis, one of the oncologists, was in charge of
his chemotherapy. She commented on what a pleasure it was to work with
Moses. Again, Moses' pre-chemo. blood work was fine BUT his urine was
mildly diluted. Since all else seems well, we are hoping this is just a
fluke and not a sign of kidney dysfunction, possibly caused by the chemo.
drug Cisplatin, given with Adriamycin during the last three chemo.
treatments, even though the system is flushed extensively (diuresis) when
Cisplatin is administered. Urine dilution can fluctuate during the day and
my Yoda's (1992-2002) urine's specific gravity was always slightly "off" and
we did every test "in the book" to ascertain his wellness and he seemed
fine, in spite of this. But, instead of Cisplatin today, Carboplatin, which
does not have the same adverse effects on the kidneys, was given along with
the Adriamycin. Moses was sent home with Reglan (generic metoclopramide) in
case of nausea and vomiting but he seems comfortable, thus far, and eagerly
ate and kept down a small dinner.
Dr. Vandis, in typical "Angell fashion," called me in the late morning to
give me a lengthy update regarding Moses, for which I was deeply
appreciative. Moses is scheduled for another urinalysis next week, and
bloodwork too, at my regular veterinarian's clinic; he works closely with
Moses' specialists at Angell. Too, we have scheduled Moses' first
post-cancer treatment follow-up appointment at Angell.
In the fashion of a young person, whenever my mother used to worry terribly
if I was ill, I always wondered why she reacted so deeply and personally, it
seemed. Having experienced synovial cell sarcoma with Yoda and now
osteosarcoma with Moses, and "suffered" along side with them, I now know.
One heart feels another.
Lisa Allen
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