Chance the Wonder Dog

I am so proud of this dog we call Chance.  He is beating all the odds of an inoperable tumor and doing with gusto!  Every time we walk together he shows me more and more of what his body can do with care and love.  September 4th of this year, he was diagnosed with liver cancer and there is nothing that can be about it.  

I can not tell you what this dog means to Mark and I.  All the dogs are special, but there is just something extra special about Chance and we have known it for a  long time.  Chance is both of our heart dog.  Yes, he is our heart dog for us.  I actually just figured that out as I wrote it.  Oh my, it explains everything that we thought we were just feeling...it is real.  I'm so stunned right now.  Makes so much sense.  

God, we are so blessed.

Anyways, let's back up to this past Thanksgiving...and when we took each dog for a walk.  Here's Chance's walk with Daddy singing...our wonder dog! 

(Or watch on YouTube here)...

Does this look like a dog with liver cancer?

Happy Thanksgiving!

The walks are a little shorter

and our pace has slowed down.

Naps are longer and deeper

Their voices are a little more raspy

and their eyes are a little heavier

Arthritis is strong throughout their bodies

and pain management is a must

4 "puppies" whom we loved before conception 

are aging before our eyes

And we couldn't be more grateful for 

Every. Single. Day. we have with them.  

From our pack to yours,

Happy Thanksgiving

 

Chance's nervous tongue

Brut was not a licker with a couple of exceptions, if I was laying on the ground, he would lick my face all over.  This happened most of the time in the wintertime.  The second exception was when Mark would get home from work, Brut would lick his hands.  It became a ritual with them two.  

We didn't know it at the time, but before Brut was diagnosed with a tumor on the spleen, his licking ritual increased noticeably.  Especially with Mark.  Brut was licking Mark's hands, arms and face almost raw.  Non-stop.  We had no idea that anything was going on internally and guessed at the many reasons he was doing this.  

Chance is a licker.  He is one to lick your hands and face when given the chance.  He has always indulged in kisses.  Now since his liver cancer, we've noticed the same intense licking on hands, arms, legs and face.  Almost every time we put our hand out to pet him, Chance stops it in mid-air and starts licking it.  He is licking Mark's hands and arms almost raw every night.  And it is getting worse with each day.  

Chance knows something isn't right with his body even if he can't put words or definition to it.  Brut did the same thing.  I think it is comforting for Chance and is a way of releasing his anxiety.  I also think he is preparing us and comforting us over what is going to happen.  And I think as the cancer grows, the licking will too.  

Has anyone noticed this with their ailing dog?  

   

Chance's tumor sighting (11-8-2020)

The day started with Chance in pain after getting off the bed.  I was scared.  Never saw him like that first thing in the morning.  He went back in the house and got back on the bed.  I sat on the couch and fell asleep with him.  

Then Mark got up and Chance was fine.  So we went on with our day.  

We were outside more than a few times today because it was so nice.  72°

I debated if it was too hot to walk the dogs.  The clouds finally showed up taking care of the sun and I decided to give it a go at about 3:30pm.

Chance and I had a brisk walk, even steady pace and a feeling of freedom.  Between a rainy October and mild injuries we hadn't walked in what felt like forever.  Having to miss out on all of this gorgeous weather we have been having... which really sucked!

We took a little bit longer walk than I had planned, but it felt so good to be moving and I was following Chance's lead and how far he planned to go.  Around the football field and down the paved path we scurried.  Oh, the blessed freedom.  I didn't ever want it to end.  

So Mark is on the roof, finishing up and when I get back with Blaze, Chance is ready to come outside.  So I take my break with him.  After all the kisses, he lays down on his side, in front of me  and I notice he is wider at his abdomen.  It is bulky and very out of shape.  My first thought is that he is having fluid retention again.  I'm trying to figure out how it got so big again and how I missed it.  If anything he's been too thin in that area IMO.  Then Chance rolls up and is now laying on his belly.  The bulge is still there.  It's got to be fluids.  Then he gets up and the bulge goes away.  He just snapped back in shape, just like that.  It takes some more going back and forth in my mind, when I come to the conclusion it was his tumor I was seeing.  I'm stunned.  Scared.  Shocked.  In all the times I've seen him lay down, this was the first I was seeing it.  It's growing.  It's the inevitable.  Wish there was something I could do.  Anything to make him all better.

Chance is still acting very healthy and happy, well as happy as a moody dog like him can be.  lol  Just "seeing" the tumor was a harsh dose of reality.  It messed me up for a while.  We are making the most of our time together, however long we may have, with lots of pics and video.  It's all we can do for our heart dog.