Wednesday, March 19, 2014

News

Well, it's been a while since I've had the time, energy, willpower, what-have-you to sit down and update y'all about the kids.  We got some potentially amazing news about this guy, Guy, today:


This brave little soldier may be coming to the end of his chemo road.  We are scheduled for on last treatment in two weeks.  We will follow his chemo with some chest x-rays to make sure that there is no visible mass.  Depending on the results of the chest x-rays, and really the most likely outcome, we will then follow with a thymidine kinase-1 test, which, as I understand it, is a DNA blood test to check on lymphoma levels.  This test almost never gives a false negative, but it can give a false positive.  Depending on the results of this test and the chest x-rays, we may need to also do a full CT scan, which is nerve wracking not only because of the cost (ALL of this is killing us financially, but kids, man.  We love our kids more than all the money in the world), but more importantly because Guy would have to go under anesthesia and, obviously, we want to avoid doing this whenever possible.  Please keep us in your prayers, thoughts, wish on a shooting star, what-have-you.  Now, no matter where we end up in 2 weeks, it is 98% likely that our little hero will not be in full molecular remission, especially since his lymphoma is T-cell, but it will give him enough remission to get back to life as usual until he relapses, at which point we will be looking at a whole new slew of possible treatments.  Thank God this little bug is a fighter and a champion because he is enjoying a normal and wonderful quality of life.  We want to keep it that way.  For as long as possible.  Forever if I had my way.  So there's that.

And then there's this little shit (I write with love):


Poor Coopsies is still a mess, but, true to form, he is also a brave little soldier.  We have not yet been able to get him off of all his pain medication (he takes 50mg of tramadol/ultram every 8 hours and 300mg of gabapentin every night).  He is doing fantastic with his acupuncture though and we have gotten him well enough to have started physical therapy.  His physical therapy consists of half an hour of obstacle courses that focus on strengthening his rear legs and forcing him to lift up his paws when he walks... like REALLY lift them up.  And he LOVES it.  I mean, this dog is so naughty (sometimes it's a blessing he's not too mobile) that I can barely get him to walk half a block and I usually end up carrying him part way home.  60lbs of bulldog is at LEAST 180lbs of regular weight!  I will set up an obstacle course in the backyard of our new house to keep him active.

"New house?!", you say.  Yes.  Unfortunately in the middle of all of this we are being forced to move.  We will have been in this house 2 weeks shy of a year.  Our landlords want to sell the place and we do not want to buy it.  Our new house, which I found in 3 days of learning of the move, is truly a thorn in my side at the moment due to a few issues with the landlord (we are going from overly, inappropriately attentive to "tough shit" landlords) and just quirks with the house in general.  I am confident we will be very happy there after much elbow grease, cussing, and champagne.  We were also lucky to find a house fairly close to where we are now, which keeps us close to our oncologist and critical care vets as well as our regular vet.  It also keeps us close to my parents (read: free babysitters).  Speaking of the move, I need to get back to it.

xoxox and puppy kisses in spades

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Gong Hei Fat Choy?

"Well, guess whose soft lil' arse didn't make it to yoga last week?", she proclaimed rhetorically.  I really cannot remember why Tuesday night didn't happen, but I think it may have had something to do with the Intro to Stats class that my husband teaches at the local liberal arts college.  But, really, we may never know.  So, we decided to be resolved, dammit!  Come hell or high water, we were going to yoga on Thursday!  But we didn't because it's been a brutal week.  On said Thursday I took my poor, broken-ankled dad and my handicapped brother to lunch.  Afterwards we decided to pick up the kids and go see my mother at the bookstore where she shops works.  Our driveway is incredibly icy because my husband somebody never shoveled it this winter.  I knew I had to be careful getting Cooper into the car (I always lift him in and out).  I found a dry patch and waited for him to get to me, but he took his little leap too soon and I had to step my left foot onto the ice to catch him and we both went down.  Hard.  I tried to brace all of the fall myself, but my poor, sweet, darling took some of it.  So, yoga was out and tempers were high.  Then things started to fall into place.  We had Coopsies' first acupuncture and rehab appointment all set up for Monday.  Magically, my property manager FINALLY came through with a renter.  I am not a litigious person, but we were out a few thousand due to her negligence, so she was JUST in time.

But, alas!  I forgot to wash my sheets on Thursday BEFORE the Chinese New Year and did them on Friday.  "Oh, hello good luck, I'd like to wash you away first thing because I'm doing so well on my own."  But I thought I was safe because it's the year of the horse and I'm a horse.  I assumed automatic luck.


Not so.  My girlfriend was home in Hong Kong for the New Year and she warned me that this is a bad year for me.  I need to haul ass and get some sheep figurines to keep me safe.  I don't take chances with this stuff.  Are all horses highly superstitious?

So, Monday rolls around and the lease has just been signed and we are headed to borrow my dad's car for our trip to Park City for acupuncture.  My car is having issues that we can't afford to fix right now with the oxygen sensor, so I felt this was safest.  Maybe not.  Since I had recently taken up a habit of falling hard while carrying my 60lb child, why not keep it up?  I did.  And how.  I missed the last step of my parents' back porch and went down.  REALLY hard.  I took it all in my right knee this time, but at least I managed to hold Coops up and he remained unscathed.  It's not like I need good knees considering all the lifting and carrying of the babe that I do.  Next thing to go will be the back.  Don't need that either.  So, two major falls in less than a week.  Go me!


But we made it to acupuncture, which turned into a circus because the vet, unfamiliar with my children, gave them treats at the START of the appointment.  This turned into an hour and a half of food hysteria.  But we got 'er did and hopefully we'll be seeing results soon.  We have another appointment tomorrow and yet another on Monday.  And this gentleman of leisure...


... championed his way through one of his more difficult chemo treatments today.  So, it's been the most expensive week ever.  And, don't you fret your pretty little head, I'm just as soft as ever and my thighs are expanding by the minute.

If you want to help with our expenses, please consider buying some of my clothes.  I have posted 6 pieces on Poshmark.com under the moniker lilarkin and I have hoards more to come.  The posts were somehow directed to my Twitter (which I have never figured out because... long-winded, anyone?).  You can find them there under the moniker @pariswithoutyou.  Buy some clothes, save a life.  It's NBD to you because you're a hero like that.  And that's why I love you.  Now get shopping.

xoxox

Monday, January 27, 2014

It was a comedy of errors...

... until it stopped being funny.  Man, oh man, life is kind of a shit storm right now, but we are trying to weather it the best we can.  But most importantly:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COOPSIES!!!


My little, snot-faced bundle of joy is 7 today!    He picked out a pretty fantastic snake toy at PetSmart today.  He's a picky little bug too.  We walked the aisle and I showed him everything until he found the one he wanted to chomp.  Then he promptly decided he was finished walking, so I got to carry him, treats and said snake, and (be) drag(ged by) Guy on his leash out to the car.  Thanks for being my greatest form of exercise these last few months, you stubborn little pill.

In Coopsies' defense, he is in a lot of pain right now.  We had x-rays done on Thursday and his arthritis is pretty bad on his hind legs, coupled with sciatica.  We've got him on a pretty heavy drug regimen right now and we'll be adding acupuncture and physical therapy to our routine.   *headdesk* I am still selling a ton of beautiful clothes and I even added 12 new pieces.  I'm going to be trying out a site called Poshmark to do it, so I'll get you more info once I figure it all out.

Speaking of exercise, I haven't.  Not since the beginning of October when Guy got sick.  If you know me, you know I am addicted to staying fit and as active as possible, but sometimes life throws you a serious monkey wrench and you know the rest.  So, my husband and I are taking a yoga class tomorrow.  I am totally nervous, y'all.  I mean, I have good muscle memory and I've put on a little bulk, but mostly I've become SOFT.  Ewwww.  And I am totally embarrassed to be putting on yoga clothes.  OBVIOUSLY, I'll go totally baggy, but people are bound to see the softness.  And, oh God forbid!, if my shirt rides up in downward dog or something.  The horror!  The poor, witless fools who will be walking into that class unprepared for such softness.  It is their yuppy cross to bear and mine as well I suppose.  But I REALLY need this.  When I am not at all active, my pain sensors become excessively active and with the state of my CFIDD, that's a lot of pain and it's all the time.  I'll take sore muscles over deep, full-body pain any day.

I've also applied for a project manager position with my husband's work, which is part-time and very work-from-home friendly to help out with this storm we can't navigate out of (stupid cars, stupid, cancer, stupid sciatica).  Please send us all things positive.

xoxox

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Bless this Mess

They couldn't keep us away.  They tried to make Guy's chemo an every other week deal.  Well, Coopsies was not having it.  Any of it.  He promptly got a terrible infection from the pollution and when we figured that out, he messed up his poor back leg.  So, now the little bug is taking 50mg of tramadol every 8 hours for the next 5 days.  That's the dose I take for my CFIDD when I get agonizing pain in my bones and tendons.  And it kicks my ass.  And, surprisingly, I do weigh more than my little fatty.  He's totally on a diet too. We're praying that by taking it easy and subduing the pain, he will heal on his own, but I definitely foresee physical therapy in his future, which is why you should buy my husband's ridiculously fancy BMW 5 series sports class in midnight blue.  It's your colour.  Seriously.  You look so damn good in midnight blue.  It totally goes with your eyes or whatever.





You should also rent my condo.

I love that little condo.  What it lacks in floor plan, it magically makes up for in closet space.  If you know me, you know that lack of closet space is a major deal breaker.  And that kitchen!  Oh, how I love that beautiful kitchen.  Bonus: SUPER dog friendly... like there is an onsite dog park and it's nice.  I could go on and list the amenities for days, or you could just go see it yourself and sign a lease.  Because, seriously, my condo goes with your eyes or whatever.   In all honesty, I lived there for 3 years and it is legit, as my 13-year-old niece would assure you.

And while you're at it, buy my clothes, why don't ya?

There are some pretty sweet Betsey Johnson stilettos in there as well.  Certainly ONE of my dapper duds really does go with your eyes.  Chemo ain't cheap, y'all, but the prices on my clothes are!


How can you say no to that face?  You can't.  You just can't.

xoxox