Michelle, I am very sorry to hear of Simon results. Keep up the hope sometime it takes awhile for a miracle to happen.
My thoughts and prayers with you both. Carla Date sent: Fri, 7 Jan 2005 12:53:11 -0800 (PST) From: Joan Doljan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: Simon stopping chemo and does not have long To: [email protected] Send reply to: [email protected] > Michelle, > > I am been reading Simon's posts and had so hoped that something would > kick in. I am so sad that it looks like you will lose Simon. I know > that for whatever time Simon has left that it will be full of gentle > caring and love. > > Joan > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I brought Simon in for the Adriamycin this morning, his 5th chemo > treatment which he had to skip 3 days ago because his WBC was too low > to get it. His WBC was back up towards normal, but his PCV had dropped > to 15 and, more importantly, his bilirubin (liver values) were back up > to 9. Normal is under .8 (that's .8, not 8-- less than one). On > Tuesday he was at 2.5 and had been 1.3 the week before, so it has > skyrocketed. He feels very sick and will not eat but I am syringing. > The oncologist said he could not give a full dose of Adriamycin or > even a half dose without probably killing Simon, because it needs to > be processed through the liver and his liver is so extremely > compromised. He said he could try a 1/4 dose of it, but that even this > would likely make him sicker than he is and necessitate a weekend of > IV fluids for any hope of him processing it, and there would only be a > miniscule chance that such a low dose would curb such aggressive and > advanced cancer. It seems like ! Simon > went into remission, or close to it, after 3 weeks of chemo, and then > came out of remission within a week. Apparently FeLV+ cats respond to > chemo like other cats, but come out of it with resistant cancers much > more quickly. The oncologist was willing to do the 1/4 dose of > Adriamycin or another drug I can not remember starting with a C and > consisting of 3 letters, but said that he thought there was almost no > chance of such low doses helping and that Simon would spend his last > days in the hospital hooked up to IV, with strangers, and sicker. He > said if Simon were his cat he would take him home and see if he can > have a few days of semi-comfort. He gave him a shot of dex and a shot > of depo to see if that would shrink the tumors a little and keep him > more comfortable. The dex should have set in by now, but is not > having any effect. He does not want to be touched much, fought me > when I syringed him, and is mostly hiding by himself. I am thinking > of separating him from the other! cats and keeping him in my bedroom > so that he can be by himself without having to hide. He is turning > bright yellow. I do not think he has very long at all. I am > devastated. We fought this so hard-- 3 transfusions, 5 days of > hospitalization, 5 chemo treatments all in the last month. Syringe > feedings and sub q fluids. He has been through so much, and all it > gave him was a week or two in the middle when he was eating some and > playing some and cuddling with Ginger. At that point I thought it was > worth it, and maybe it was. He is only 4 years old. I am not sure > how long to let him go on like this. My partner is against > euthanasia, and I usually am not willing to do it until it is clear > they are in the process of dying. But it seems unlikely he will ever > feel even remotely ok again. > > If you pray, please pray for him to get some relief from the steroids > and have at least a few more happy days, and then to go peacefully > when he does go. Thanks, Michelle > >
