Boo Cancer Update

Boo Snow (aka Princess Suki's Peek-A-Boo) will begin undergoing an 18-day stretch of radiation therapy to be certain that the cancerous growth on her left hind leg is "kaput."  This comes after an all-day consultation with the canine oncology vets at Colorado State University.  Boo is her usual irrepressible, incorrigible self - squealing with delight when she sees someone she knows, jumping up onto people's chests, and licking any human skin that is exposed, plus barking for attention...  I'm happy that she is feeling normal!  The vets say that this low-level radiation therapy has had an 85% success rate over the past 20 years, and that they feel certain that Boo will respond to it.  Boo will have weekends off from the treatment, to allow her body to recover.  She starts therapy on Wednesday, 20 July, and will have finished the entire course on Friday, 12 August.  That also means that Jim and Boo will be spending a lot of time on the roads, driving back and forth from Fort Collins every weekday.   -   And now Suki, Boo's Mom, has developed a nodule/lump on the same leg as Boo originally had.  The local vets will remove that on Monday, and send it away to the pathologist.  Cross your fingers for Suki, please!

I traveled out to north Boulder early (at 6 a.m.) this morning - took the bus, had a nice walk, and then spent 90 minutes with Rascal.  (This evening is my last visit to him, as his family returns around 9 p.m.)  Then I snuck into the Rs' house and took them out for a walk.  Since last night was "Opening Night" for the three plays that the three family members are in, I left them a note saying I'd slip in as quietly as possible to take the Irish kids out.  I was totally amazed, but it worked!  I unlocked the front door, and I could hear Remy snoring upstairs, so on my way into the den (to grab harnesses and leashes), I whispered over my shoulder, "Rosie! Remy! Come on down!  Walk time!"  Before I was half-way to the den, both dogs were dancing and prancing around me.  I am still astounded that they didn't bark.  Anyway, we took a leisurely one hour walk - the temperature was 67, and the humidity was 85% - I was totally drenched in sweat by the time we got back home.  The dogs were panting like mad, even though we'd stopped twice for water.  Joel was up when we slipped back in - he said he never heard us depart.  He had drifted awake, and suddenly realized that the dogs weren't in the master bedroom, so he set off in search of them.

Lovey, Nedi and Mocha are doing well. Lovey had a "wet" eye yesterday, but I couldn't see anything wrong with it.  I put in some opthalmalic ointment and today she is her normal self.  Nedi has found himself a "hidey-hole" in the closet somewhere - I haven't been able to see him, but he appears from that door, casually waving his plumed tail.  Mocha.  Poor little Mocha.  I give her as much love as I am able, but I always know that (a) I'm not her person, and (b) my cats and she are not friendly.  I'm sure it's very stressful for her to live like this.  But her owner really wants her back, as soon as he can afford a place of his own.  -  Tomorrow, all I have to do is clean my kits' litter boxes, do some laundry, and cook for myself.  What an easy, relaxing day!  (And I'll probably finish the 12th Foreigner book tonight... Then I'll start on The Blending books again!)