Chocolate Kisses

This post has taken me all day to write (and I apologize to everyone for having to wait so long for the news)….

I have started typing and then deleted everything and I’ve repeated this process multiple times.  I’ve given up on writing something enlightening and eloquent because I’m pissed off.  I hate freaking cancer!

Today is Charley’s 3 Year Ampuversary!  I am so proud of Charley for being the OS Warrior that he is and has been for over 3 years!  I’m so proud of his courage, strength, and resiliency!  I’m blessed to have been given an additional 1,095 precious days with Charley since his amputation!  I’m in awe of the lessons that Charley has taught me along this journey!  BUT…I am pissed that this freaking cancer has tried to ruin a day of celebration for Charley, for me, for Joe, for my family, for this community (Tripawds) and the other communities (Bone Cancer Dogs, Arte and Cancer group) that Charley is a big part of!

This afternoon, I received the dreaded phone call from Dr. Buss with the results of Charley’s FNA of his “lump”.  His 3cm hard lump near his amputation site is officially a sarcoma and as the pathologist worded it, “….strongly suspect an osteosarcoma.  The exhibited phenomorphism and noted mitotic figures are very suggestive of an aggressive behavior”.  After talking to Dr. Buss, surgery is still scheduled for Thursday morning with Dr. Jill Luther who amputated his leg.  Charley will spend the night Thursday at MVRC for pain management and we’ll bring him home on Friday afternoon.  Pending the histopathology from the tumor after it’s removed, Dr. Buss wants to try an oral chemo that has shown some good results.  Of course I can’t remember the name of the oral chemo for certain because I was still processing the OS return, but I think he said Lomustine (I’ll confirm in a later post).

This evening we celebrated Charley’s 3 Year Ampuversary (he doesn’t know that his cancer returned).  I made him his famous “meat cake” aka “3-Year Warrior Cake” with 2 pounds of ground sirloin ( mixed with 2 eggs & small container of cottage cheese), Philly cream cheese for the icing, and natural peanut butter for the writing.  Charley would have been delighted to eat the entire cake, but I only let him eat a piece (in addition to his dinner).  The cake is a bit crooked (I need a new spring-form pan), but Charley didn’t seem to mind!

Here’s some pictures of Charley from this weekend and this afternoon!  He’s his typical happy Labby self and he doesn’t know his cancer is back!  All he knows is that he has a great life and his mommy and daddy love him very much!

So far now, we’ll continue to pray for a miracle and hope for the best.

We’ll pray that Charley has a successful surgery this Thursday and a speedy recovery.

We’ll pray that Charley’s journey here is far from being finished and that he has plenty of lessons left to teach us.

We’re not finished fighting and either is Charley.  We will continue this battle with Charley as long as he wants to fight!

Thank you for all of your prayers, positive thoughts, hugs, and kisses.  It is greatly appreciated and we can’t thank you enough for all of your support!

♥  Hugs from me and chocolate Labby kisses from Charley! xoxo  ♥

♥ ♥ ♥  Here’s more pictures of our beautiful boy!  ♥ ♥ ♥

Charley’s Halloween costume is “Superman Cancer Warrior”.  It’s amazing how white electrical tape and a lot of cutting can transform an off the shelf costume into something wonderful!

We took Charley to a local pet boutique, Treats Unleashed, and he won 1st place in their costume contest.  Here’s some pictures of Charley sporting his costume!

We felt that a family portrait was in order since it was a special day for all of us!

Charley was so proud of his 1st place prize!

We had planned to have Charley’s 3 Year Ampuvesary Party and my mom’s Birthday Party together yesterday, but instead we had a change of plans and we only celebrated my mom’s birthday yesterday.  Monday, October 28th, which is Charley’s actual 3 Year ampuversary is when we decided to celebrate his special day.  Monday is also the day we should get the pathology report back on the aspirate from his new cancer “lump”, so we thought we’d celebrate his 3 Year Ampuversary and “Cancer Warrior” status that day regardless of the results!

This Thursday, October 31st, Charley’s has surgery scheduled to remove his new cancer lump (pending the path results).  We thought since Thursday is Halloween, he’d wear his “Superman Cancer Warrior” costume into the surgery center that morning as a “pawsitive” omen…and to show that he is going to battle!!!

We’re still praying that Charley has an operable soft tissue sarcoma so he can continue on his journey of hope inspiring others and proving that OS doesn’t have to be a death sentence and that you can live happily with cancer!!!

Thank you for all of your prayers, positive thoughts, hugs, and kisses.  It is greatly appreciated and we can’t thank you enough for all of your support!

♥  Hugs from me and chocolate Labby kisses from Charley!  xoxo  ♥

It looks like the pathology report won’t be back until Monday 10/28, how ironic……that’s Charley’s 3 Year Ampuversary.

We tentatively scheduled Charley’s surgery for Thursday 10/31 with the same surgeon that did his amputation 3 years ago, pending the pathology results.  Depending on the path report and the surgeon’s physical exam of how operable the tumor is, Charley may need an MRI on Friday and then surgery the following week.  Worst worst case scenario is that the tumor is inoperable.

We are still praying and hoping that this is an operable soft tissue sarcoma and not a return of the osteosarcoma.

Hugs and chocolate Labby kisses,

Ellen and Charley xoxo

I wish the news was better to share, but unfortunately it’s not.   I was waiting until Monday, 10/28, to post happy news about Charley’s big 3 Year Ampuversary, but I guess that wasn’t in the cards.

We just left the oncologist after Charley’s 3 year follow up for osteosarcoma…. and I just got done crying, for now.

Dr. Buss found a 3 cm hard lump that’s moveable close to Charley’s amptation site.  He aspirated it and he doesn’t like the look of the cells and it’s definitely a cancer.  He thinks it’s either a soft tissue sarcoma or an OS met.  We’ll find out tomorrow when he gets the pathology report back.

Best case scenario, it’s a soft tissue sarcoma and we can have it removed with clear margins and that’s the end of the story. Worst case scenario, it’s an OS met…and we have much bigger issues.

We go back Wednesday morning to meet with the surgeon as long as it’s a soft tissue sarcoma.  It would be an aggressive surgery to remove it since it’s close to his amp site and a lot of the tissue has already been removed, but we are willing if it’s a possibility.  We are not giving up on Charley now, just like we didn’t give up on him over 3 years ago.

The positive news if there is any is that Charley’s chest rads appeared clear, but we’re waiting on confirmation from the radiologist.

Please keep Charley in your thoughts and prayers.   I’m devastated…

Just wanted to share some great news!  Today is Charley’s 34 Month Ampuversary!!!  YIPPEE!  YAY!  WOO HOO! 

Charley was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his left proximal humerus at 2-1/2 years old and he has lived over 1/2 his life as a Tripawd Cancer Warrior.  Charley had his left front leg amputated followed by 5 rounds of Carboplatin chemotherapy.  After Charley finished chemo, we started him on supplements that boost his immune system as well as kill any roaming cancer cells and he remains on them today.  For those of you just starting this journey, my one piece of advice to you is….NEVER GIVE UP HOPE!!!

Here’s the letter I read to Charley every month:

Happy 34 Month Ampuversary Charley!!!  You are our Tripawd Hero and everyday you make us so proud that you picked us as your mommy and daddy! ♥ ♥ ♥

Our wish to you is that you continue your fight against osteosarcoma with the same strength, resilience, and determination that you have since your journey started.

Our promise to you is that you will never suffer and when you tell us that it’s time, we will bravely and lovingly give you your well-deserved angel wings.

Your mommy & daddy love you more than you will ever know! ♥ ♥ ♥

Love,

Mommy & Daddy  xoxo

♥  We are so thankful and grateful for every bonus day that we have been given with Charley, but saddened that so many dogs lose their cancer battle way too soon into their journey.  ♥

Hugs from me and chocolate Labby kisses from Charley!  xoxo

My mommy took some pictures of me the last few weeks playing with my tennis ball and running around the yard that she wanted to share.  🙂

Just wanted to share some great news!  Today is Charley’s 33 Month Ampuversary!!!  YIPPEE!  YAY!  WOO HOO! 

I just realized that I never posted about his 32 month ampuversary, so I feel like a horrible mommy.  I never forget the 28th of every month, I just forgot to write about it.

Charley was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at 2-1/2 years old!  He has lived over 1/2 of his life as a Tripawd Warrior with cancer!!!

Here’s the letter I read to Charley every month:

Happy 33 Month Ampuversary Charley!!!  You are our Tripawd Hero and everyday you make us so proud that you picked us as your mommy and daddy! ♥ ♥ ♥

Our wish to you is that you continue your fight against osteosarcoma with the same strength, resilience, and determination that you have since your journey started.

Our promise to you is that you will never suffer and when you tell us that it’s time, we will bravely and lovingly give you your well-deserved angel wings.

Your mommy & daddy love you more than you will ever know! ♥ ♥ ♥

Love,

Mommy & Daddy  xoxo

♥  We are so thankful and grateful for every bonus day that we have been given with Charley, but saddened that so many dogs lose their cancer battle way too soon into their journey.  ♥

Hugs from me and chocolate Labby kisses from Charley!  xoxo

——–

Charley has the most beautiful and soulful eyes and those eyes are one of the things I love about him, and I tried to capture his eyes in some of these pictures.  Here are some pictures of him from after his bath a few weeks ago (his coat is really wavy after a bath) and some pictures of him enjoying the gorgeous weather outside today!

Just wanted to share some great news!  Today is Charley’s 31 Month Ampuversary!!!  YIPPEE!  YAY!  WOO HOO!

Charley was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at 2-1/2 years old and today is his 31 Month Ampuversary!  Charley has lived over 1/2 of his life as a Tripawd Warrior with cancer!!!

Here’s the letter I read to Charley every month:

Happy 31 Month Ampuversary Charley!!!  You are our Tripawd Hero and everyday you make us so proud that you picked us as your mommy and daddy! ♥ ♥ ♥

Our wish to you is that you continue your fight against osteosarcoma with the same strength, resilience, and determination that you have since your journey started.

Our promise to you is that you will never suffer and when you tell us that it’s time, we will bravely and lovingly give you your well-deserved angel wings.

Your mommy & daddy love you more than you will ever know! ♥ ♥ ♥

Love,

Mommy & Daddy  xoxo

♥  We are so thankful and grateful for every bonus day that we have been given with Charley, but saddened that so many dogs lose their cancer battle way too soon into their journey.  ♥

Hugs from me and chocolate Labby kisses from Charley!  xoxo

Just wanted to share some great news!  Today is Charley’s 2-1/2 Year Ampuversary!!!  YIPPEE!  YAY!  WOO HOO!

Charley was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at 2-1/2 years old and today is his 2-1/2 Year Ampuversary!  Charley has lived 1/2 of his life as a Tripawd and with cancer!!!

We are thankful for every day that we have with Charley and we take none of them for granted, because we know that unfortunately the cancer beast can rear it’s ugly head at any moment….so we continue to LIVE happily and fully with cancer!

Here’s the letter I read to Charley every month:

Happy 30 Month Ampuversary Charley!!!  You are our Tripawd Hero and everyday you make us so proud that you picked us as your mommy and daddy! ♥ ♥ ♥

Our wish to you is that you continue your fight against osteosarcoma with the same strength, resilience, and determination that you have since your journey started.

Our promise to you is that you will never suffer and when you tell us that it’s time, we will bravely and lovingly give you your well-deserved angel wings.

Your mommy & daddy love you more than you will ever know! ♥ ♥ ♥

Love,

Mommy & Daddy  xoxo

♥  We are so thankful and grateful for every bonus day that we have been given with Charley, but saddened that so many dogs lose their cancer battle way too soon into their journey.  ♥

Hugs from me and chocolate Labby kisses from Charley!  xoxo

Here’s Charley enjoying the spring weather!

Hugs and chocolate Labby kisses from Charley xoxo

Just wanted to share some great news!  Today is Charley’s 29 Month Ampuversary!!!  YIPPEE!  YAY!  WOO HOO!

We have been truly blessed and we can’t believe that Charley is going to be 5 years old tomorrow!!!  Happy Early 5th Birthday Charley!!!  After his OS diagnosis, we didn’t think that he would live to see his 3rd Birthday.  Keep on proving all those statistics wrong Charley!  We are having a birthday party for Charley and his grandpa (my dad) this weekend, so I’ll be sure to take a lot of pictures to share!

We are thankful for every day that we have with Charley and we take none of them for granted, because we know that unfortunately the cancer beast can rear it’s ugly head at any moment….so we continue to LIVE happily and fully with cancer!  Here’s the letter I read to Charley every month:

Happy 29 Month Ampuversary Charley!!!  You are our Tripawd Hero and everyday you make us so proud that you picked us as your mommy and daddy! ♥ ♥ ♥

Our wish to you is that you continue your fight against osteosarcoma with the same strength, resilience, and determination that you have since your journey started.

Our promise to you is that you will never suffer and when you tell us that it’s time, we will bravely and lovingly give you your well-deserved angel wings.

Your mommy & daddy love you more than you will ever know! ♥ ♥ ♥

Love,

Mommy & Daddy  xoxo

Here are some pictures of Charley playing in the springtime snow this past Sunday.  You can see that he’s one super happy Labby guy who hasn’t slowed down at all as a Tripawd!  🙂

In case you missed it, here’s the video of Charley playing in the snow.