Written by Luke, Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Murphy finished his course of antibiotics but he continues to bleed from his left nostril periodically. I’ve consulted with DVMs & MDs but at the end of the day my instinct tells me something is wrong.
While fish oil is an anticoagulant I began administering 2 grams daily in Louisville back in September but it wasn’t until San Francisco two months later that his nosebleeds began. It may be a contributing factor but it isn’t the cause.
So what does the nosebleed mean? It could be a positive indication that the tumor cells are lysing or a symptom of tumor growth or even the side effects of radiation.
I talked at length with an ICU doc last night and after running through a scenario analysis, we agreed that it was, in her words, structural. She also pointed out that my insticts have always been spot on with Murphy. True enough, as it was nineteen stones ago I awoke Saturday morning and knew something was wrong with Murphy. The following Monday my fears were confirmed that he had nasal cancer.
According to Dr. LaRue, his radiation oncologist, after four months it’s more likely than not that some tumor tissue will remain so we’re already anticipating surgery or hopefully not more radiation.
We’re a week and a half away from his CT scan and while I have many meetings and appearances between now and then I can cancel those and move up our appointment at CSU. The question is, if the tumor is growing again, does a week and a half make a difference?
Back before Malcolm was diagnosed with bone cancer I swore I detected a slight limp and I observed him every day on our walks on the Charles River. But I let his vet convince me I was seeing things. A few weeks later after I finally took him in for an X-ray and got the diagnosis I was racked with guilt for not going with my gut but his oncologist assured me it wouldn’t have mattered.
I feel like I have six-shooter pointed at my head with three bullets in it. I’m just so busted up inside.
