MSU

So Buzz and I went to Michigan State yesterday.

Basically the news was good. No sign of cancer. His blood chemistry wasn't all one would hope -- he's losing protein into his urine (which, I was told, can be a sign of all sorts of things, including kidney function, auto-immune disease, and I can't remember the rest. Infection, I think). They took a urine sample and have sent parts of it out for further testing.

The numbers weren't off by too much, and are basically off by the same amount as the first time he was seen at MSU in June. So we are not panicking, but will follow up with the other tests.

He has a bump on the front of his neck that has been there since about last year at this time, when it was diagnosed as a hemagioma. NOT cancer, but some sort of messed up blood vessel. I told our regular vet about it last fall when I found it, and then had her look at it again last spring, and she was not concerned. It's a bit bigger now (it was the size of a kidney bean, and now is the size of a couple of kidney beans), and our local vet who is managing his chemo found it on her own last week and was concerned.

The onc didn't like it, either, so he'll have it off tomorrow, along with another smaller bump on one shoulder that has been there since last fall, too, and then there's the teeny brand-new bump on his nose.................

Aieee.

So the basic word was -- yes, muscle-wasting from the pred, but better that than a return of the leukemia. Keep going on the leukeran and the pred, and if I think he can tolerate it, getting vincristine every 3-4 weeks is a good idea. I am not opposed to that, but I need him to be normal first..........

I guess at this point I need to get past this surgery (which I think is pretty minor and which I think won't have bad results -- at least I surely hope not, given I've been told multiple times the thing on the front of his neck is nothing to worry about!!!!). And then I can consider the possibility of more iv chemo.......

I'll leave you with a couple of shots from the MSU onc center waiting room.

They have a good-sized bird cage (or small aviary) with a lot (11?) of finches and a canary. Naturally there are reflection issues. And finches move around a lot. (A LOT!) This is the best shot I got.





They also have bromeliads and palms. Plants are so much easier to take pictures of. They stand still, and usually aren't behind plastic...... This bromeliad clearly totally loves it there.