Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Decision
Well, we have reached a verdict. We have decided to have surgery for Sol to remove the cancerous tumor from her mouth. We came to a decision last Wednesday and scheduled her surgery appointment for tomorrow at 9am. At that time, we will meet with the surgeons and they will do a CT Scan. The CT Scan is the final step to make sure Sol is a candidate for surgery. There is a possibility that the cancer has spread too far and that surgery is no longer a viable option. Sol will go under a light sedation for the CT Scan and the results will be read immediately. If the surgeons feel they can remove the cancer, she will be fully sedated for her surgery. If not, they will let her wake up and then she will come home with us. In case surgery is not an option, we will be staying in the Maitland area until we know the results of the CT Scan.
Making this decision was a long and winding road, that seemed to circle back several times. We tried to consider everything and in the end we went with our gut feeling. In the two months that we have had Sol we have seen her zest for life be rejuvenated. The pug that could barely hobble along the first day she arrived here now will not settle for anything less than a half mile walk. And unless you plan on taking her for a ride in the car, don’t let her get anywhere near the garage. Dog park, dog beach - she’s game! And if she catches a wiff of a cookout within a mile radius you better believe she is going to be showing up at your grill.
Since we adopted Sol, I can’t count the number of times I have remarked on her optimism. At this point no one can say for sure, but I am going to take a cue from Sol and be optimistic in this situation. I am not going to let this be the beginning of the end. Instead, I am hoping that this is going to be the beginning of a new chapter in Sol’s life. Am I being selfish? Maybe. But, through her actions, I feel like Sol is showing me that she is up for the fight and that she is looking forward to living out her golden years cancer free.
The Saturday after we made our decision, I received the latest issue of Bark magazine in the mail. The issue is devoted to senior dogs and the first thing I read on the cover is a byline that says “14 is the new 8”. That issue could not have come at a more perfect time. I have practically read it cover to cover. I feel good about our decision. Yes, I’m a bundle of nerves, but there is this strange calm under all those nerves that keeps telling me everything is going to be OK. For now, that is what I am going to believe.
