Quick Update on Abby

Don't worry, everyone, I've eaten the memo about Abby having cancer, so I don't think she knows!  After having (yet another) mast cell tumor removed last Wednesday, the vet okayed Abby today to go running around the yard again. She starts a different chemo protocol tomorrow, but as long as she's feeling good, she's good for tennis ball funballs times!

Yep, she's really happy to be back out running around the yard!

And I was able to get in some funballs times, too!

And for those of you who wanted to see Abby in her t-shirt, here she is.  Notice a big difference in facial expressions between the t-shirt photo and the non t-shirt photos?

Thanks for all your good wishes, and keep your paws crossed that this latest chemo protocol kicks cancer's butt!  (Because I have WAY more fun chasing tennis balls with my sister than without her!)

*kissey face*
-Fiona and Abby the Hippobottomus

In Honor of Mother's Day...

We thought we'd have Mom type a bloggie post for us.  (Because we are generous like that!)

What have we been up to?  Well, Abby still isn't glowing in the dark... (although she gets another dose of chemo tomorrow, so we can continue to hope that she will glow in the dark - which would be mighty helpful when Abby has to go out at 1am, and Mom can't normally distinguish between Abby and the moosies in the dark!  Just kidding! We have yet to encounter a moose at 1am, but Mom is knocking on wood to hope that our lack of moose encounters continues.)

But we are having a grand time chasing Frisbees and tennis balls (and bunnies and squirrels and stray air molecules).

After her first dose of chemo, you'll notice Abby hasn't lost any springiness in her leggies!

 

Before our haircuts, you can see where the vet shaved Abby's belly for her ultrasound, and then where her armpit was shaved to remove the lymph node.

We got a brief dusting a snow a little while back, and Abby took full opportunity to go flying!

Of course, she also goes flying when there isn't snow!

And with the snow finally melted, Mom broke out the tennis balls, which is always great fun!

We took some time to pose for Mom, just to humor her. (Hey, we have to keep the help happy!)

With all this playing, there has been much resting, too!

Mom says I snore. I don't hear any snoring. Do you?

In addition to playing with us, Mom has been continuing her volunteer work with the animal shelter, and when she was there the last time, she met an 8 year-old red-head named Fiona! Just like me! Almost the same age, same color, and the same name! AND, the same springy leggies!

Mom also went up to Ogden to deliver some photographs for one of her clients, and she saw our buddy Buddy and his mom Michelle while she was up there!

He looks so serious here, but trust me, Mom has lots of photo where he is far less serious!

We have seen photographic evidence that Buddy was giving our Mom smooches, but we aren't worried, because Buddy is a known kisser, and I respect that!

Have a great week, and if Abby starts glowing in the dark, I'll let you know!

*kissey face*
-Fiona and Abby the Hippobottomus

Abby Isn't Glowing in the Dark (yet)

Hiya!  Thanks for all the good wishes for Abby.  She has had her stitches removed, and started her first round of chemotherapy (she gets 5 doses, one every three weeks, assuming she doesn't have any side effects).  Now that her stitches are gone she has been given the okay to resume regular frisbee activities.

And I have a much better time chasing frisbees when my sister is out there with me.

Yep, happy days are here again!

BTW, Abby was still wearing her sweatshirt because it was nippy this morning - 28F (if you look closely in the above photo, you can see Abby's breath against her left should).  But the brisk weather didn't stop us from having fun!

A few days ago (before Abby had her stitches removed), we got some snow. I was able to do full-on high-speed zoomies in the snow (no photos of that, sorry!) - it was awesome!  But we both enjoyed the snow!

The funky weather also brought some really cool looking skies, and Mom had fun with her flash while we diligently posed and were promised snacks.

I fully expected to see Miss Gulch flying by on her bicycle....

I'll keep you posted on Abby (and if she starts glowing in the dark, I'll make sure Mom gets photos of that!  In the meantime, here are a few more photos where Mom was having fun.

Lady, it's nippy out here - could you get this frisbee and throw it for me?

*kissey face*
-Fiona and Abby the (non-glowing) Hippobottomus

Abby Update

Thank you all for not telling Abby that there is anything wrong with her!  She had her surgery last Saturday, and is spending lots of time lounging around and eating peanut butter (Mom says there are pills in there, but she gives me some peanut butter the same time Abby gets hers and there aren't any pills in my peanut butter!).  According to the vet, Abby's tumor was another grade 3 mast cell tumor, like last time, so they are going to start chemo in a week or so (which means Abby will have lots of opportunities to visit her fan club at the vet's office!).  However, other than this cancer thing, the vet says Abby is extremely healthy, so I expect she'll be back chasing frisbees with me in no time.

For now, however, Abby is the Queen of the Couch.

She is going on walkies with me, and she's allowed to wander around in the yard, albeit on a leash. (The sweatshirt is to keep the incision site clean - and she looks rather dashing!)

I do get a little stir crazy, so Mom takes me out for a little frisbee action on the sly.

I don't actually like frisbee zoomies as much without Abby around, so I keep my frisbee sessions short. Besides, Abby waits by the door and really works her "woe is me" look...

She's behind me, isn't she?

 

 

 

Yes, there is a lot of snart on the door, and that IS a canvas of Abby on the wall behind her.

Yep, she's totally mastered that 'poor me' look, hasn't she?  Don't worry - she perks right up as soon as we come back inside and Mom breaks out the treats!

Thank you all for the good wishes - I'll keep you posted, and thanks again for not telling Abby about being sick! (And don't worry, she doesn't read the bloggie posts, she just looks at the pictures!)

*kissey face*
-Fiona and Abby the Hippobottomus

Oh, Abby

Mom took Abby to the vet on Saturday because Dad had found a lump on her.  In the waiting room at vet's office, Mom found another lump.  The vet stuck a couple of needles in her, and the one lump Dad found is just a fatty deposit, but the other was lump was in Abby's armpit and while the vet couldn't tell what it is, he didn't like what he saw.  On Monday, he will confer with the vet who managed Abby's chemo, and they will decide what to do, although it sounds like Abby will have surgicals to remove the lump, and then they will send the lump off the figure out if Abby is growing benign lumps, or if she is growing mean, nasty lumps.  Needless to say, I, Fiona the Chronicler, will keep you posted when Mom hears anything.

I do know that if Abby has surgicals to remove the lump, she won't be allowed to run (or leap, or play bitey-face) for at least two weeks.  Good luck with that, btw!  Mom is going to have to get some heavy-duty sedatives to keep Abby from doing anything exciting for two weeks!

So, while I have told Abby that she really needs to stop growing the extra lumps and bumps, I haven't told her that she will be on Frisbee Restriction.  Instead, I just made sure Mom threw lots of frisbee for her today.
 

Mom even threw some frisbees for me!

I'll keep you posted on what Mom hears from the vets.  In the meantime, we're going to keep Mom busy throwing frisbees for us.

Throw the frisbees already, lady!

*kissey face*
-Fiona and Abby the Hippobottomus