My life my story. Springer Spaniel Battling Cancer.

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HUNTERS STORY. MY LIFE, MY BATTLE. FIGHTING CANINE CANCER.

MY JOURNEY TO RAINBOW BRIDGE.

HELLO AND THANKS FOR READING ABOUT ME. I AM A 8 YEAR OLD SPRINGER SPANIEL. WITH THE HELP OF MY OWNER (DAD). WE HAVE DECIDED TO TELL MY STORY. I HOPE THAT THIS MAY HELP ANYONE ELSE WHO MAY ENCOUNTER THIS AND GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT MAY LIE IN FRONT OF YOU. IN MY JOURNEY AHEAD TO RAINBOW BRIDGE. HERE IS PICTURE OF ME TODAY 3/06/2010. 5 WEEKS FORM DIAGNOSIS.

WELL, MY NAME IS HUNTER. I AM NOT REALLY SURE WHERE TO START WITH THIS STORY, BUT I GUESS A LITTLE ABOUT MY SELF IS A GOOD POINT. AS YOU CAN SEE I AM PRETTY BIG FOR A PURE BREAD SPRINGER. I AM FIELD BRED AND I WEIGH ABOUT 82 POUNDS. MY AKC KENNEL NAME IS HUNTERS WOODS RUNNING WILD. KIND OF FUNNY BUT UNIQUE. I AM NOT OVER WEIGHT BY ANY MEANS AND LOVE TO PLAY OUTSIDE AND CHASE MY BALL AROUND.

I LIVE IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA WITH MY MOM AND DAD AND WE HAVE A CREEK BEHIND OUR HOUSE CALLED RUSH CREEK. I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT LIVE IN AND AROUND MY MY HOUSE. LETS SEE. I HAVE A CHIPMUNK FRIEND THAT WE CALL CHIPPY. AND MANY RABBIT FRIENDS. I HAD TO QUIT NAMING THEM FOR I THINK WE HAVE A FAIMLY OF ABOUT 50. THEN THERE ARE A FEW GEESE BUDDIES IN THE SPRING. THEY ARE REALLY FUN BECAUSE THEY HAVE BABIES AND THEY HAVE SEEMED TO ADAPT WELL AND I DO NOT SEEM TO SCARE THEM. THEY NORMALLY LEAVE BY LATE SPRING AND I AM NOT SURE WHERE THEY REALLY GO, BUT ACCORDING TO MY DAD THEY GO TO A BIGGER BODY OF WATER. LAST SUMMER WE HAD 5 BABY RACCOONS. MY DAD WOULD NOT LET ME PLAY WITH THEM FOR THEY HAD LOST THEIR MOTHER AND HE HAD TO HAND FEED THEM ALL SUMMER WITH CAT FOOD. IT WAS FUN WATCHING THEM OUT OF OUR BIG WINDOWS ON THE BACK OF OUR HOUSE. I ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER GUYS THAT SHOW UP LIKE PHEASANTS, DEER, AND SKUNKS. THEY KIND OF SMELL THOUGH. MY OTHER GOOD FRIENDS ARE THE WOODCHUCK FAMILY AND THE WOOD DUCKS. WE PUT UP A WOODDUCK HOUSE FOR THEM IN OUR BACK YARD SO WE CAN GET A BETTER LOOK AT THEM. THE MALES ARE SO PRETTY. MY WINDOWS ARE ONLY ABOUT 3 FEET FROM THE FLOOR SO I CAN WALK UP TO THE WINDOW AND WATCH MY FRIENDS ALL DAY LONG WHEN MY MOM AND DAD ARE AT WORK. IN THE BEDROOM MY MOM AND DAD PUT THE BED RIGHT UP TO THE WINDOW THAT IS ABOUT 4 FEET FROM THE GROUND. THIS WAY WHEN I GET A LITTLE TIRED I CAN LAY ON THE BED AND WATCH IN COMFORT. AH WHAT A LIFE. THEN THERE IS MY BEST FRIEND OF ALL. THAT WOULD BE KASEY, MY LITTLE SISTER. I’LL TELL YOU ABOUT HER LATER.

WELL. HERE IS WHERE MY BIG CHALLENGE HAS REALLY BEGUN. ABOUT 5 WEEKS AGO MY MOM AND DAD ORDERED MY HEART GUARD FROM THE ONLINE STORE. UNFORTUNATLEY A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER THEY CALLED AND SAID THEY COULD NOT SEND THE YEARS SUPPLY BECAUSE MY PRESCRIPTION FROM MY VET GENIE WAS DUE. WELL, MY MOM MADE THE APPOINTMENT TO GO FOR MY YEARLY CHECK UP SO WE COULD GET MY HEART GUARD. THE CHECK UP WAS GOING NORMAL AS ALWAYS. I GOT MY RABIES, DISTEMPERMANT SHOTS. SHE WAS DOING THE NORMAL STUFF LIKE LOOKING IN MY EYES AND FEELING MY TUMMY AND LOOKING AT MY EARS. THEN MY LIFE WAS TO CHANGE. AS SHE WAS FEELING MY NECK SHE SAID THAT MY LYMPH NODES SEEMED TO BE SWOLLEN. SHE THEN FELT BEHIND MY LEGS AND SAID THAT THE ONES BEHIND MY KNEES WERE ALSO A LITTLE SWOLLEN. SHE THEN LOOKED AT MY MOM AND DAD AND SAID THAT SHE DID NOT LIKE THE LOOKS THIS AND WANTED TO TAKE SOME OF THE FLUID OUT AND HAVE IT TESTED. THE REASON FOR THIS WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS NOTHING SERIOUS AND WAS HOPING THAT MAYBE I HAD A SMALL INFECTION. THEN I HEARD A WORD I NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE. CANCER. LYMPHOMA. YIKES WHAT IS THAT I THOUGHT. AS I LOOKED UP I COULD SEE THE FEAR IN MY MOM AND DADS EYES. I KNEW SOMETHING MIGHT NOT BE SO RIGHT. GENIE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO SEND THE BLOOD SAMPLES TO A PATHOLOGIST TO RULE OUT THIS WORD CANCER JUST TO BE SAFE. NOTHING COULD BE WRONG RIGHT. I FEEL GREAT AND LOVE TO PLAY AND CAN NOT WAIT FOR SUMMER, SO I CAN GO SEE ALL MY FRIENDS IN THE BACK YARD. RUN, PLAY, SLEEP AND EAT. AND BEST OF ALL WAIT FOR MY BEST FRIEND KASEY TO COME HOME.

UNFORTUNATELY 4 DAYS LATER THE NEWS WAS SENT. I HAD MALIGNANT LYMPHOMA. PROGNOSIS. 4 WEEKS IF NO TREATMENT. I STILL AM NOT SURE WHAT ALL THIS MEANS TO BE HONEST AND MY MOM AND DAD REALLY HAVE NOT EXPLAINED IT TO ME YET. MY DAD KEEPS TELLING ME ABOUT A PLACE CALLED RAINBOW BRIDGE AND THAT HE WOULD LET ME KNOW WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT. I ASK WHEN ARE WE GOING. AND HE ALWAYS TELLS ME IN TIME YOU WILL KNOW.

WELL, THE SADDEST DAY OF MY LIFE SO FAR. MY MOM HAD TO TELL MY BEST FRIEND KASEY WHAT I HAD. I COULD HERE HER CRYING OVER THE PHONE AND I AM NOT SURE YET WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON WITH ME OTHER THEN I HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH CANCER. I ASK MYSELF? WHY IS KASEY CRYING? WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH HER! CAN SHE COME HOME NOW. UNFORTUNALTEY KASEY HAD TO GO TO COLLEGE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO AND SHE HAS TO LEAVE IN THE FALL AND DOES NOT COME BACK TO STAY TILL SPRING. I REALLY HATE THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF FUN TOGHETER. SHE TAKES ME FOR RIDES TO THE DARIY QUEEN AND I GET TO HANG MY HEAD OUT OF HER WINDOW IN THE CAR. IT’S GREAT. WE SUN TAN TOGETHER IN THE BACK YARD AND SHE EVEN LETS ME PLAY ON HER TRAMPOLINE. KASEY BY THE WAY IS MY LITTLE SISTER AND SHE PICKED ME OUT FROM ALL OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. ACTUALLY I PICKED HER OUT. SHE WAS HOLDING ANOTHER BABY SPRINGER, MY BROTHER AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF. NO WAY. I WANT TO GO WITH THESE PEOPLE. THEY LOOK LIKE THEY WILL REALLY TAKE CARE OF ME AND I CAN HAVE FUN ALL DAY LONG. SO I WALKED UP TO HER AND LAID RIGHT ON HER SHOES AND LOOKED UP AND WOULD NOT MOVE. I WAS PRAYING SHE WOULD PUT MY BROTHER DOWN AND TAKE ME. I JUST LAID ON HER FEET AND WOULD NOT MOVE. THE ANTICIPATION WAS NERVE RACKING. AND THEN. SHE PUT MY BROTHER DOWN AND PICKED ME UP. AND, AND, AND, WELL, AHH, YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. SHE TOOK ME. OFF TO THIER TRUCK WE WENT.

About two days later, my mom and dad found out about the results, I was taken to another vet for a second opinion. But, the outcome was to be no different. Confirmed. I had this disease called Lymphoma. From what I understand it can not be fixed or cured. I was given an option though. I could start a treatment plan using steroids. This will not cure me, but it will give me some time and keep me comfortable. My mom and dad immediately put me on the treatment and I am happy to say that all of my lymph nodes in a time frame of 36 hours they totally went down to normal size. I have to take a double dose for the first week because the new vet said it would stun the cancer and put in a state of stunning. What is stunning I ask, and what does all this mean. My mom and dad have not really told me anything other then I have a medical issue and that the medicine will help. Well, the only thing with this medicine is it really makes me thirsty and I have to go outside alot. The first week with the double dose I had to wake my mom and dad up every 20 to 40 minutes to go outside and potty. Number one if you know what I mean. Yikes, what is up with this. About a week later I had to back and see the vet again. She was very happy to see the progress that the steroids made and was happy. I overheard her say something about 6 months to a year and that she would tell my mom and day when the time was near. I asked my mom and dad! What in six months? Again my dad says, a place called Rainbow Bridge. Nothing to worry about.

It has been about four weeks now since I have been put on a reduced steroid dose and I am happy because I only have to wake my mom and dad up once a night at about 1:30 in the morning. Much better. I still get a little thirsty, but not as much as I was. I feel great, I still play everyday, and my mom takes me for a walk on the river in the back yard almost every day. But that will be coming to a end pretty soon. We are actually falling through in some spots so we are back to walking around the cull de sac. But I still have fun and enjoy it. I get to see all the neighbors again that I have not seen since last summer. Kasey was home for the first time the other week and it go pretty emotional. When she came into the house, she was crying again and I do not know why. I hope she is okay.

Well. Today is 3/7/2010. I still feel great and I am outside playing everyday. Here I am in the back yard down by the river looking for some of my friends. I can smell them I just can not find or see them yet. But summer is coming again and boy am I going to have fun again with all of them. I thought I saw chippy the chipmunk, but I was not quite sure it was him.

WELL THAT’S IT FOR NOW AND MY TAIL’S STILL WAGGING. HUNTER

Today is 3/14/2010. I still feel great and I am still outside playing everyday. I have had a small victory to celebrate. With the reduced steroid medicine, we thought that it would curtail my need to go outside potty at night. My vet said it would not make a difference. Well, I must be special. For about the last week I have been able to sleep all night long without having to go outside. Amy, my brothers wife still comes over at noon during the day to let me out just in case during the week but I really do not have to go that much at that time and I think I could make it all day while my mom and dad are at work. But it is nice to know she Is coming to check on me..

WELL THAT’S IT FOR NOW AND MY TAIL’S STILL WAGGING. HUNTER

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