Postby Sheenar » Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:46 pm
Update:
(Copied from an email)
"Drummer was doing well after surgery until Tuesday, 2nd. That day he was weak, staggering, lethargic. We took him to his local vet for a blood test for his surgeon in Houston. I got a call from our dear vet who told me there was nothing good in the report. He said with the counts he registered, Drummer could only last days. Karl stayed with Jim and I drove to pick up our boy and cried all the way. However, at the vet's office, Drummer comes prancing out of the back, having taken the leash away from the vet tech and leading her to me. His whole body was wagging. I was amazed. When we got home, however, there was pinkish fluid dripping from his incision. We grabbed our boy and made an emergency dash to Houston to our Vet hospital. Not only did they stay open till we got there (not wanting us to have to go through emergency and thus pay more money) but a doctor stayed also. Drummer was admitted and we went home.
Wednesday we were told they could not explain the fluid but it had stopped. It was not blood nor infection. They were concerned about his breathing and did x-rays and other tests. He was not eating well and they were worried. I told the Dr. I had been cooking him chicken gizzards and he liked those. He was to remain at the hospital while they consulted more.
Thursday we went back to pick him up. His primary care doctor was to do some procedures but arranged to be available when we got there. He talked with us for an hour. Drummer's blood work was showing improvement. White cell count still too high but coming down, hepatitis showing signs of coming under control. He said Drummer had been unusual in every way from showing great promise against the cancer to being terribly involved with two different types of cancer. The cancers had not behaved in the usual manner and they could not explain the drainage (without surgery which Jimmy forbade) nor the shallow breathing pattern. He was not panting and seemed to not be in breathing distress. The drainage had stopped and he was eating because his surgeon was bringing him chicken and feeding him by hand!
After all was discussed, Jim agreed to one cancer drug to slow the lymphoma because it usually had no strong side affects. Drummer's prednisone(sp) was reduced (it had been doubled) because it might be causing some of the other difficulties and we came home.
Bottom line, the doctors at the hospital think Drummer has a shot at 6 months or more. It could also be less. Our surgeon told us "Drummer has not given up on us and we will not give up on him". Please do not stop your prayers. We know that is what is supporting our boy and us. Sorry for the long e-mail but you deserve to know what is going on."
Thank you so much for your prayers, everyone! We are facing a huge loss to the CPL family here in Texas. Please continue to pray for Jim, Drummer, and all of us.
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
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