Lucky gets invited to cancer camp!

Have I told you lately how great my dog is? She really is. I hope this chemo does its job and she stays in permanent remission. She was asked today (okay, I was asked on her behalf) to go to cancer camp on July 31st. There is a two week camp for children with cancer and on one day, they take dogs that are going through cancer as well to the camp to play with the kids. Her chemo vet asked me today if we would be interested in going. How cool is that? Kids are one of Lucky’s most favorite things. She would love going and if the kids at the camp react similar to almost all of the kids who come in contact with her, they will love her as well. I am just so honored. I almost started to cry when asked I was so touched. I’m going to ask one of my neighbors if she will be back up, just in case, to take Lucky if I either have the baby early or can’t go for some reason. I’m not sure if that is the weekend of my shower or not, but I will need to tell them I can’t do it that day. Something like this is WAY more important than a stupid shower.

Lucky’s treatment has been going well. She completed the 10 weeks of initial treatment. It seems like a lot longer than 10 weeks, but makes me feel less worried about getting things done before Audrey gets here (as I am now 10 weeks from my due date). We decided today to go with the more aggressive radiation treatment instead of standard maintenance. I could go into all of the details and risks and pro’s and con’s, but I will spare you. Basically, she has 3 more weeks (another cycle) of injectibles and in 4 weeks (July 14th) she will have radiation on half of her body. She has no treatment for a month. Then, she has a second radiation treatment (on August 11th) a month later. From there, we go to monthly monitoring and hope/pray she stays in remission. The alternative would be to move to bi-weekly chemo treatments with me giving her home treatment on the off week (pill by mouth) for a few months and then move to 3 weeks, etc. hoping she stayed in remission. She has tolerated the treatment so far very well. I hope she continues to do so.

On the baby front, things are going fine. I am starting to get things crossed of my list (of things that need to get done before the kid gets here), but I have a lot still on it. Last night, I had the coolest experience. I was taking a bath and she really started moving around. She is now strong enough that she can make my stomach move. It was all jiggly and shaky. I was just in awe. When I complain or comment that I don’t feel her move as much as I should, I keep getting told that soon I will be sick of it (basically, be glad in not so many words). I just don’t see it happening. Feeling the baby move and actually being able to see it has by far been the best part of being pregnant for me. I have tried to put my hand on my stomach to feel it that way, but that seems to be one of the quickest ways to get her to stop moving (darn that kid!). Other than the occasional panic attack that she is going to just die in uterus or during labor, I am doing just fine. I think I like this part of the pregnancy best of all so far. I am feeling good. And, now that I am 30 weeks, her chances of survival and being healthy even if I go into pre-term labor are really good. I’m also loving the cool June (June gloom) that everyone around here has been complaining about. We had 2 really warm days earlier this week or last week and it just zapped my energy. I had to make a concerted effort to stay hydrated. I could really tell the difference. All in all, things are going very well right now.