This blog is re-posted from Luke’s original post of January 4th, 2011.
"Kthnxbye"
Don’t know where I left off last with Murphy’s condition but Christmas week we reached critical mass. He was struggling and I wasn’t sure if he’d make it.
I didn’t think the massive radiation doses administered over three days would alleviate his airways quickly enough for him to breath sufficiently which is why I explored radical ideas like inserting a shunt or stent.
But the radiation did work and it didn’t take the two weeks that was speculated. By Christmas day Murphy was playing with Hudson for the first time in weeks and it was a very special day. That’s a photo of Murphy taking off with his X-Mas booty that I entitled, “Kthnxbye”.
We were blessed with a mostly uneventful week following Christmas during which I turned 40 and then the Earth added another year to the 4.54 billion and change it has under its belt.
I say mostly because Murphy has had nosebleeds and down days but he’s still markedly better than two weeks ago. However, that radiation was so effective so quickly suggests serious side effects are in store. Already Murphy’s losing fur on his head and around his eyes that never fully re-grew from the first round but we knew that hitting the tumor hard would be risky.
We are due to return to CSU this morning for a clinical evaluation to assess whether he’s a candidate for adjunct chemotherapy though my mind’s pretty much already made up since the ‘wait and see’ approach after radiation last August was a complete failure. Had I run parallel courses then we may have been in a different place now.
Which is perhaps the lesson for the week. When it involves cancer always assume the worst and choose the most aggressive form of therapy. I’m listening to The Emperor of All Maladies on CD now (which I highly recommend) and while it’s chocked full of interesting metaphors I’m a movie kinda guy.
While writing this blog The Terminator came to mind when Reese is trying to convey the seriousness of the situation to Sarah Connor. “It can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity or remorse. And it absolutely will not stop. Ever. Until you are dead.”
