Good News!

Now, first, PLEASE don't get too excited cuz the overall news is still furry furry bad. But for now, right this minute, I am improving! My appetite is great, and the wobbling/limp tail is just slightly improved. My energy level also has improved by leaps and bounds. I am about at 100% of the energy level that has become normal for me as I go through these treatments (about 90-95% of my pre-cancer normal energy level). When you go through cancer, you have to savor every good moment, and we are definitely having one for right now!

I also need to briefly mention that Mom heard from some friends on the lymphoma boards, and they weren't so convinced it was in my nervous system. Mom relayed those thoughts to the vet, but the vet remains very certain that it is indeed the lymphoma.

Please remember, the treatments I've had this week aren't really designed for nervous system cancer. I got the vincristine Monday before we knew it was in my nervous system, and while it's better than nothing, it doesn't penetrate the nervous system the way the Cytosar should. Also, my parents upped the steroid dose per the vet's direction, but again, it's more of a "band-aid". For proper treatment of this, I need to get the cytosar, starting Tuesday. I think it will be weekly. It will probably buy me 1-3 months, and that is it. Once that it is done, I don't think there are any other real options. Mom has yet another call in to the beyond patient vet about this. She has called the vet so many times this week trying to figure out these tough decisions! But so far, Daddy is very much against continuing any more chemo with me, and Mom isn't so sure either. Although my quality of life has been good, it isn't what a normal cat's quality of life is, and frankly, my days are getting very numbered no matter what the Beans decide. I may not even respond to the Cytosar, if the Beans do elect to give it to me. If this current form of the cancer gets me, it will be quick, and painless. The Beans are aware that if they treat this, I may get a tumor somewhere else, and the end be not as peaceful.

So, the bottom line is for right this minute I am OK. But if I do not get treated Tuesday, I will probably not be here more than another week, two at the most. If I do get treated, anything more than 3 months would be like winning the lottery. We haven't decided for sure, but we probably are not going to do the Cytosar, and instead let me live out my last few weeks here in peace without more vets and drugs.

I want to take this time, while I am still here, to celebrate life. It seems a bit more likely now that I will be here this Friday, and although Mom or the fevvers or any new cats the beans get will continue the tradition, there is a decent chance this might be MY last funny picture friday. If it isn't, great. But we don't know that, so please, for me, everybody enter. My Beans will be greatly needing laughs over the next few weeks. And this is a way for everybody to show their love for me without having to pay or really do much of anything. And if for some reason I get worse again and don't make it to Friday, still enter- Mom will run it for me in my memory. Please, let's make this Friday one to remember!