Excellent news from Sirius's surgery this morning.

[DemoTex]

The CT scan had indicated that the suspected primary tumor (previously thought to be prostate) might be adhering to part of the bladder wall. The surgeon was confident that he could still get it and leave Sirius with adequate bladder function.

At 9:30 am the oncologist called to tell me that the tumor was basically in free-space .. NOT attached to the bladder or other organ tissue. She was ecstatic. She had just come from watching the surgeon start the procedure.

At 11:00 am the surgeon called and said that the tumor excision was very clean and easy. He did scrape the abdominal wall and take tissue for biopsy from the adjacent lymph nodes and the prostate.

The oncologist called at 5:00 pm and said that Sirius was doing great. Alert, sitting up, sipping water, but still on IV and pain meds.

Back to the CT scan. Sirius still has three small nodules in the lungs from his previously extensive metastatic lung cancer. They will try a different chemotherapeutic agent for a while, after his recovery from this surgery.

If chemo doesn't get the nodules, he is a prime candidate for a new procedure called "plucking." The basic criteria are: 1. no more than three nodules; 2. Specific growth rate of the nodules (he is way under that), and; 3. reduction in the size of the primary tumor by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or surgery (it has been removed surgically). Plucking involves a small thoracic incision and the insertion of a small cutting tool to harvest the nodules.

Sirius has already beaten the odds for a dog with lung cancer by almost 400%. He is a remarkable old boy with a tenacious will. I can feel that will-to-live every night, when he snuggles against my legs (as dogs have been doing for thousands and thousands of years).


Sweet Sirius


Nick-Nick

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Continued Good Fortune For You & The Doggie, Tex

The Professor

[GOPisEvil]

2. Good news!

I hope Sirius makes a full recovery. He just looks like a great dog.

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. Excellent news, Mac.

So happy to hear that Sirius is doing well. I thought about him today.

[kedrys]

4. Excellent news indeed!

I'll ask the hordes to continue sending good vibes Sirius' way. :)

[Lithos]

5. I wish you and your Sirius more good luck!

Sounds like you are winning!

L-

[bicentennial_baby]

6. Yay!

Good thoughts to you and Sirius, and I sincerely hope for his continued progrss and eventual recovery from all of this...what a dog!

[nuxvomica]

7. That's great news. I'm so happy for you and your majestic buddy

:woohoo:

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

8. I also have good news, two-fold:

1. My little girl(see avatar) is coming along nicely from her bout with a fungal infection(aspergillosis or candida, cultures not taken). She was profoundly ill, but the oral Lamisil solution I am giving her, by turburcullin needle, oral, 1 cc, twice a day is working very well. Eyes brighter, eating now, showing affection.

2. As soon as my brother wins his lawsuit(damn near a fait accompli) for a terrible on-the-job injury to his foot(tampenade, from a theatrical set flat falling on it), I could well be moving to Ashe County. Stoke the fire in the smoker, bubba. I'll make the hot slaw.

On edit: He's an Extra. He want to get down there and get some altitude. He's really into long-haul VHF.

[DemoTex]

10. Great news TS.

I'm an Extra too. I'm HF, but I need to learn VHF DX. Me got a big pile of very-dry split hickory. Pulled-pork and slaw, with Sirius lapping our hand! Sounds good 2 me!

Mac

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

11. You can recognize me.

I'll be the guy with the ponytail and the red parrot on my shoulder.

And a mighty big BBQ jones. ;-)

[goclark]

9. I can just imagine your happiness!

My little 11 yr. old is my heart.

He has had 3 bladder surgeries, in 5 years, and he is doing fine.

Prayers for your Sirius.

[DELUSIONAL]

12. Good news indeed!

Nice to know that he will be with you for some time to come.

After all he is a real American hero dog -- he pooped on Cheney's lawn!

[Lisa]

13. that's great news!

Very glad to hear about the tumor removal -- and about the tumor being unattached like that, not prostate and not bladder. I once dog-sat a friend's aging Florida cattle dog -- she would try her best to get outside when she felt "the urge" but more often than not she wouldn't make it because of her bladder problems, arthritis, and blindness, and she would start crying and whimpering. (So I learned for a fact that dogs do feel guilt! And that they feel the same way about loss of bladder control as we do.)

Here's wishing the big boy a speedy recovery.

[havocmom]

14. Thanks for the update, Mac. Great news indeed.

Give the rascal a scritch for me when he gets home. Such as sweet pup.