Good News, Bad news . . .

Which one would you like first?

Okay, I'll start with the good.  Bailey does not have lymphoma cancer.  Her swelling has been going down each day so that means the antibiotics are working!  I was relieved and then the doctor called and said how concerned he was about the rest of her problems.  Mostly the platelet count and the hemoglobin count.  These things are not from any infection.  He thought she could have another cancer somewhere in her body or it could be an immune problem.  Either way something else seems to be wrong.  And yes, this is the good news portion of this post.

Bad news.  Mark's work is trying to put him onto the weekend shift.  All weekend All the time,long hours, no weekdays.  I really don't think this would be good for us.  Weekends are our family time, our Church, our friends.  It makes me feel stressed just to think about it. 

Sophia is sick and yesterday started getting spots.  They are all over her tummy and back.  I'm hoping for some kind of rash, and not chicken pox or measles.  She's been crying a lot and seems uncomfortable.  We will see what the doctor has to say this afternoon.  I was going to go out with some friends tonight for their birthday  and hope that can still happen.

Please pray for us.  I am not sure how much more I can handle.  I don't do well with stress and there has been so much of it lately.  Hope it gets better soon!

Love Andrea

We are not out of the woods yet . . .

Unfortunately,  things have not started to get better yet.  About five days ago, Mark noticed that our dog Bailey had some swelling or lumps, under her chin close to her neck.  The next day I took a look and was surprised how big they were.  When I talked to Mark he said that they weren't that big when he felt them.  By the third day it was all one lump and getting harder.  At bedtime I took her collar off to make her more comfortable.  In the morning it had  travelled into one side off her face.  I had called around to the vets in our area the day before, and now quickly made an appointment where I could get in the quickest.

At the vet, He said that she had a slight fever, all her lymph nodes were swollen (for an infection usually just one would be swollen).  I had to leave her there for a blood test and the were going to take a sample of the inside of the infected area with a fine needle.  I was told it would take a couple hours.

A couple hours later they called and said it would be a couple more hours.  Apparently they needed to sedate her for the  sample in her neck area.  I picked her up at 4:30pm, when the doctor told me that he suspected it to be lymphoma, a type of cancer, that in dogs spreads rapidly to other organs.  Her blood work showed that her platelets were down to 13 when normal is between 175 and 500.  And she is somewhat anemic.  He also thinks that it could be starting to go into her bone marrow already.  But having said all that he did keep on saying that we should wait for the results to come back from the lab regarding the sample.  But it does not look good.  There is a chemo treatment, but since her blood work was not good she might not make it through even if it did work.  She also has an ulcer in one of her eyes.  Basically, the whole picture that was painted for me was not good at all.  If it is the cancer she should be getting worse everyday, which seems to be happening.

So if you could pray for us, we would really appreciate it.  The kids are very attached to her, and she is so amazingly gentle, and calm with them.  She lets them climb all over her.   Pray for our family, pray for Bailey and pray that we would be able to handle all the stresses we've had and continue to have.  Thanks.

Love Andrea

PS - Yesterday my sister's car also got stolen!!