Treatment
Diary: December 20 - 31
December
20 - Good and not so good news. The good news is that at our
vet visit yesterday, she says the tumor has continued to shrink.
Its only about 8-10mm across, totally flat, not requiring another
application of Cansema (the last one we did was 11/27 if I have
it noted correctly). To me it looks the same size as in the photos
from December 2nd above, but not as inflamed. More like its healing.
He has been eating normally, including all his supplements mixed
into the baby food, running around, looking great and healthy.
The
bad news is that the vet is not the greatest at bandaging, and
Hector got it off within a few hours of coming home, and even
though I was in the other room I did not hear him. By the time
I went in to check on him, he had bled a LOT. I rushed him back
to the vet, but he was ok, and the tech bandaged him up to his
elbow with lots of tape. I need to remember to ask Dr. Scanlan
to do that every time! Each time Hector bleeds like that, it really
depletes him. This morning he didn't want to eat, so I tempted
him with Fancy Feast, which he ate and then threw up - all over
the bedspread and rug, which I had just spent the entire last
night scrubbing to remove the bloodstains!
This
treatment is exhausting me as well. Hector now dreads going to
the vet so much, he goes to the bathroom all over himself on the
way over there, and then sometimes on the way home too. He hates
being restrained to have the bandage removed. I worry about him
all day while I'm at work, even with someone there most of the
day with him (its not me) and even if I am there, I'm checking
on him all the time which he hates (he likes to be hidden and
have his own time to himself, not be bothered all the time). I
need to regather my strength somehow to help him fight this off
though!
December
25 - Holidays are spent alone with the fur family at home,
everything goes smoothly. My supervisor at work is very understanding
that I am dealing with Hector's illness by myself, as my boyfriend
went to visit his parents in Florida for the holidays, and allows
me to work half-days all this week. Despite the extra attention,
Hector is not bouncing back from the December 19th blood loss.
His nose is pale and his energy low. I leave the heating pad turned
on all day and night, under a flannel sheet on my bed, and Hector
spends most of his time sleeping on the warmth. I also sit with
him outside for a few hours every day. Have the supplements down
to a routine which makes remembering all of them (and getting
them into him) a lot easier, but I have a sinking feeling the
cancer may be spreading because of how Hector is acting. I complete
the results table for other cats with Cansema and add it to the
site, and that is depressing as well. Only one real success story.
The
support of the people in the FelineCancer-Holistic
and feline_cancer
email groups at Yahoo is invaluable. Many caring folks also dealing
with cats and cancer. Plus I'm learning a lot.
December
29 - Though Dr. Scanlan felt it would be ok to wait until
she returned on January 7th, I'm very worried since Hector not
recovering. He's eating a lot, which is good, including all his
supplements and a good portion of raw liver and raw fish as recommended.
But he's just not right, and maybe getting worse. Sunday something
tells me to get him in to the vet asap. Luckily the nice regular
vet, Dr. Audra Sykes, works regular hours on Sundays, and has
an appointment this afternoon for a 'rebandage' and consultation.
Unlike Dr. Scanlan who has me hold Hector in the exam room while
she cuts off the bandage herself, Dr. Sykes does the tradional
thing of taking him into the back while I wait. I ask several
times to make sure I can see his leg in between bandages. They
do finally call me into the back (they've had him back there for
20 minutes) and have a cat muzzle on him, which covers his entire
face and eyes. Poor Hector! I'm sure he was growling a lot at
them, and try not to be upset by that... but the condition of
his tumor makes me almost have a breakdown. The tumor was swollen
up, red, bloody, and looked to me nearly twice the size of the
original.
I
go back to the exam room to wait, and Dr Sykes comes in to talk
about the options. She is concerned that no bloodwork or tests
have been done since October - in face, there are none at all
in his file since they were done at my original vet in October,
and Dr. Scanlan had never asked for them. Dr. Sykes recommended
a complete bloodwork panel, urinalysis, cysto, and Clavamox to
treat the inflamation of the tumor. I authorized the tests, hoping
maybe they would turn up something that would be a reason for
Hector's low energy, other than the cancer.
I
questioned Dr. Sykes reasoning for prescribing the Clavamox. It
seemed to me like when Hector first had his growth (before I even
knew it was cancer) and the vet had prescribed antibiotics, it
had really increased the tumors growth rate. Dr. Sykes said it
should help with the inflamation and any infection that might
be present. She also suggested adding an alternative treatment
- Graviola. I'm able to find it at a local health food store from
the list on the manufacturer's website (www.rain-tree.com). They
also have Cod Liver Oil in capsules and vitamin E liquid. Hector
eats it all mixed in to his Fancy Feast herbal meal without a
problem.
Later
that night Hector urinates a lot of blood, a circle about six
inches in diameter in the litter box. I cannot stop crying. I
don't want to even think it, but I'm terrified that the cancer
has spread to his kidneys. I dose him with half the prescribed
dose of the Clavamox.
December
30 - Hector wakes me up by sitting on my head and purring,
a very good sign. He eats a whole can of Felidae and asks for
more. I don't know if its the Clavamox or the Graviola, but something
seems to be helping him! Since herbs usually take a little longer
to have an effect, I figure it must be the Clavamox, and give
him a full dose. About a half hour later he vomits repeatedly,
all of his breakfast all over the kitchen floor. But he demands
food again immediately afterwards. I feed him a little bit plain
Felidae canned mixed with water, thinking the vomiting probably
dehydrated him. He wants for more, but I don't want to stress
his stomach. He gives up eventually, uses the litter box and there
is no blood, thengoes to sleep on the heating pad. I slip out
to go to work for a few hours.
Test
results are in: all his levels are all normal! The only thing
is he is showing a slight urinary infection, which Dr. Sykes says
the Clavamox will cure. I tell her its making him violently sick,
and she says to come get some Baytril instead. I do a little research
and find out that, a) Clavamox often causes cats to be sick; and
b) the urinalysis or cysto could cause him to urinate blood.
This
evening Hector seems to be a little bit better. He likes his new
blanket folded up next to my computer screen on my desk and hangs
out there 'supervising' while I type.
December
31 - Unfortunately, though I plan on going to the vet's after
work since we close early, I don't make it to vet's in time to
get the Baytril before they close for New Year's Eve. They are
open January 2nd. I decide instead to discontinue the antibiotics
at least until Dr. Scanlan comes back. Hector this morning looked
quite good: pink nose, very talkative, demanding cat nip. Hopefully
the New Year will bring continued improvement! My resolution is
to keep a positive outlook and give as much positive energy as
I can to Hector and the rest of our household.
Next
> January 2003 and beyond
