Tiny is home from Cornell

[toobad]

Well, more confusing every day. I went back up this morning figuring they would have ALL of the results and be ready for his first treatment. I was hoping to bring him home in a couple of days. Try to bear with me here I'm confused.

The doctors said the biopsy done with what they got from the needle was not good enough. It just didn't tell them what they need to know. Something about the cells in a node and in his liver are not the same ( this is the confusing part ). They had a very long talk with me and told me just about everything I wanted to know. SO, he is going to have stomach surgery to get a real good look at EVERYTHING including his intestines. They need bigger samples to be sure of what is really going on. They said something about needing to know for sure what they are going to try and help with the chemo because I guess all treatments are not the same and there are different types of lymphoma. After a day and a half of care up there he is eating some and he is not as lazy as he was two days ago. He is home for the weekend with special food and antibiotics. Doctors say they felt fine with him coming home as long as I don't let him go backwards. If he stops eating again they will have to build his strength before they can do the surgery ( supposedly Monday ). They also said the surgery would have to heal for about a week before any treatments. They also said it might help with my desision on what to do because IF it is in his intestines , it isn't very good even with treatment.

So, he is home and I'm trying to enjoy every minute of it ( even the smelly farts ) untill I bring him back Sunday night. I want to thank everyone again for all of there concern and I appreciate all of the kind words. Thank you

[mmilard]

I am glad that he is doing a little better and eating some. Just don't over do it. You'll want him to be as healthy as possible before the surgery. Just keep him happy!! Good luck with Monday. Please keep us informed of the outcome!! We are all pulling for you and Tiny!!

[Brooke&Ryan]

I'm so glad that Tiny is home.

Just go snuggle with your boy & cherish the memories!

[mmgy]

Hope y'all have a nice weekend!

[flyballmom]

Glad he's home with you...give him lots of snuggles and Rottie butt scratches. Keep us posted, please.

[moondog]

I bet he's as happy to be home as you are! I don't know about you, but when I'm worried about my dog and feeling confused, the only thing that will fix it for me is to understand it better. Otherwise my worry just makes me more worried.....

So... ... Here's another good link. Take a look at this inbetween all those Tiny loving sessions that you'll be having this weekend. This may help clear up some of the confusion for you:

http://www.labbies.com/cancer2.htm

Read the first section down through "Cancer Staging", then scroll down and you'll see the section on Lymphoma. This is very informative, but on the technical side (it's hard to avoid getting technical with things like this).

Good luck on Monday, and give that handsome fella some loving from all of us, too!

[Anne]

So glad he is home with you for the weekend. Time to get in a lot of loving.

Thinking of you and wishing you the very best.

Please keep us posted.

[KatMc]

Oh, enjoy your weekend with Tiny! Take lots of pictures, not just of Tiny but of Tiny with you and everyone in the family. Seems like I that is the one thing I have ever had cause to regret, not enough pictures!

Have a great weekend and know you and Tiny are in my prayers,

Kathy

[pbach]

Have a wonderful, loving weekend with your Tiny. I agree with KatMac take lots of pictures with all. Give your Tiny a butt scratch from me. I'll keep you guys in my thoughts.

Patty

[toobad]

UPDATE - Sunday May 2nd.
What a great weekend. We came home friday night and he ate and got sick BUT, I think it was just from the car ride home. We gave him his pills they sent him home with ( one antibotic and something like pepcid ac ) and he ate some of the food they sent home. ALL WAS GOOD. No getting sick at all. Friday night went pretty good.

Saturday - We got up and gave him his pills and some food and he kept it down just fine. He was looking pretty stout. He ran through the backyard after the mailman ( at full speed ) and had all the energy in the world. All day long he was like his old self except a few rest breaks. He went over and stole some food from my other dogs bowl and he hasn't done that in two weeks. He RAN to my daughters car and hopped right in when she opened the door. His belly doesn't look as swollen. IT IS VERY STRANGE for a dog so sick. He actually went through the motions like he was doing the deed when my female came by. Have not seen him wag that little tail like this in a month. HE was almost as good as new. Still has the runs but it isn't so slimy or full of mucus. He is eating and drinking just fine.

In the mean time the doctor called from Cornell and we talked for a while about just doing the scope/biopsy. He said he is sure he can get big enough samples and he can tell FOR SURE what type of problems he has. He also said this would get him treatment the fastest because he wouldn't have to wait the ( up to two weeks ) to heal. I told him at the time that Tiny was feeling a little better ( early morning at the time ). I told him I had thought about bringing him back Saturday night just to be sure he wasn't worn down or dehydrated on Monday. SO, by the time I brought him back he was like a new dog and I left a long letter telling him exactly what was going on. You should have seen him up at Cornell. He was jogging through the waiting room, pulling the assistant down the hall, and he even stole a half a cookie a lady had sitting on a table. He got his check up and the emergency room tech said he was ok as far as heart beat, temp, etc. and he had plenty of color in his mouth again. He was a little tired but he has lost 15 pounds in the past two weeks and he had a busy day so I figure that was normal.

This morning SUNDAY - Cornell called and I talked to a girl who told me Tiny was feeling pretty good and that Dr. Aguirre said to call and tell me that he was going to double check everything before he does this scope thing. Maybe he is thinking like me that maybe ,just maybe ,they missed something. I have to keep this little hope going that maybe they are wrong. Maybe all the prayers from the people on this site are helping. I don't know what is going on at this point but Tiny seems like he is in a lot better shape now than he was two days ago and that just seems strange to me ,figuring a dog who is dying more and more every day should be going the other way. For those of you saying those little prayers, keep it up. Maybe my hopes are just getting carried away but I sur hope they are wrong.

Sorry this was so long but a few asked for a update and I'm trying to let them know how we stand.

[jakesfostermom]

You hold onto every inch of hope you can find! Aside from miracles happening, there have been cases of misdiagnosis, and you are doing everything you can by taking him to Cornell to get the right treatment approach for whatever is going on with Tiny. I'll keep my good thoughts and prayers going - you keep up the faith and hope! Tiny needs to know you are strong and pulling for him to beat this! Keep us posted and I so hope that it is continued good news as this was!

[SABELLESMOM]

Toobad, are you and Tiny in Binghamton? If you are, then could Tiny be a dog I met (Otsiningo or Rec Park) or is his pic up at Kathy's Dog Grooming? There's something about the name Tiny that's ringing a bell with me. And I see your location as "Upstate NY." Do we know each other? Or maybe not.

I happy Tiny had a pretty nice wekend at home. Sounds encouraging. Let's hope they figure things out quickly and you can have him home again and well.

(We just came back from Ithaca a few minutes ago. Our daughter is at Ithaca College, so Cornell University is just on the other hillside.)

[moondog]

Originally Posted by toobad

UPDATE - Sunday May 2nd.
What a great weekend. ...Friday night went pretty good. ...We got up and gave him his pills and some food and he kept it down just fine....He ran through the backyard after the mailman ( at full speed ) and had all the energy in the world.... He went over and stole some food from my other dogs bowl and he hasn't done that in two weeks.... He RAN to my daughters car and hopped right in when she opened the door.... His belly doesn't look as swollen....Have not seen him wag that little tail like this in a month... He is eating and drinking just fine....He was jogging through the waiting room, pulling the assistant down the hall....he even stole a half a cookie a lady had sitting on a table. He got his check up and the emergency room tech said he was ok as far as heart beat, temp, etc. and he had plenty of color in his mouth again....

Maybe my hopes are just getting carried away but I sur hope they are wrong.

I'm seeing lots of reasons for hope. You keep on hoping and we'll keep on sending those healing vibes.

Originally Posted by toobad

....the doctor called from Cornell and we talked for a while about just doing the scope/biopsy. He said he is sure he can get big enough samples and he can tell FOR SURE what type of problems he has.

If he can do it this way, it is surely what I would go for. An endoscopy is so much less invasive than having to open him up for surgery and the recovery will be MUCH easier on him. As long as the vet can get a comprehensive enough sample to diagnose him, this will be much better!

I'm sending good thoughts to Tiny and to you. Please let us know how everything goes!

[toobad]

Originally Posted by SABELLESMOM

Toobad, are you and Tiny in Binghamton? If you are, then could Tiny be a dog I met (Otsiningo or Rec Park) or is his pic up at Kathy's Dog Grooming? There's something about the name Tiny that's ringing a bell with me. And I see your location as "Upstate NY." Do we know each other? Or maybe not.

I happy Tiny had a pretty nice wekend at home. Sounds encouraging. Let's hope they figure things out quickly and you can have him home again and well.

(We just came back from Ithaca a few minutes ago. Our daughter is at Ithaca College, so Cornell University is just on the other hillside.)

No, I'm from the Albany area. TINY came from Hudson Valley Rottweiler Rescue. I used to go to the meetings at the Adirondack Rottweiler Club but they don't meet anymore. The rescue gave him the "Tiny " name and I didn't want to change it. I didn't want him confused figuring he already had at least two names.

[MontanaRott]

Good luck. We went through something similar with a pug in "93. It was very frustrating, watching him be sick and no one being able to get a handle on it. I hope everything works out for you and Tiny, sounds like to me you have every reason to hope for the best!