Recovery

It will be 4 weeks tomorrow since Shadow's last chemotherapy. It has been quite an anxious time. I had the thought in my head that the next stage we would see with Shadow's health would be us finding a new lump. It made me quite fearful of stroking him, I kept expecting to come across it, under his fur, under his skin. Often a stroke becomes an examination. Every touch of his dull coarse fur reminded me that he was ill.

Two things have happened though. His coat has begun to soften and to begin to glimmer and gleam again, and we have had the results of the blood tests taken 4 weeks ago tomorrow to measure the lymphocytes in his blood. The normal amount is anything up to 7. When we last had the test done, at the start of all this, his level was 37. The vet, who is very controlled, had an edge of excitement in his voice when he told me that the level is now 1.4. I didn't ask if this means he is cured, and the vet added that if Shadow got ill, we could have his blood measured (quicker) and if the level had risen, we would know why. Did you hear what he said though? He said "if". I know he was probably being diplomatic, but I am doing better with a little hope, playing more with Shadz, and noticing him playing more with the puppy. We danced our way around the kitchen the other day, Shadz and me, and though he dropped after a couple of minutes, it was great to see him enjoying the dancing. He has more energy in his walks as well.

My daughter had a school project, to write her autobiography. Shadow's arrival in our family featured, as did the news of his cancer, and his chemo. She wrote that now he had finished chemo we could hope that all would be okay. I said nothing to her. She has heard me tell endless amounts of people that there is no cure for lymphoma, she knows the score. She just wants to hope, so hope she shall. I have heard of dogs who have a couple of years in remission - why should Shadow not too?