Murphy officially turned 10 on the 31st and it was a bittersweet birthday. May just wasn’t a good month – twice I came damn close to euthanizing him but in both cases he rebounded. That lasted for a few days, a week if we were lucky and then it was something else.It’s been such an up and down, side to side month every time I’ve tried to post an update here for everyone that’s not on our Facebook page, things changed so drastically.
First it was pemphigus which sounded to me like a disease caught on Sesame Street but can actually be quite problematic especially in a cancer patient. The scorched furless skin on his snout that radiation permanently branded him with started sloughing off until all that remained was like a bloody pulpy mess.
He stopped eating and consequently stopped taking his meds which is a frikkin nightmare since the only way you can administer pills when that happens is through an oral syringe. Dogs don’t like fluids squirted into their mouths so you have to hold on to their snout but that just tore away more flesh… for now I’ll spare you the graphic details of those fun nights…
Fortunately the pemphigus turned out to be a drug reaction to SMZ TMP and once we discontinued the sulfa drug the mucosal membranes affected began to heal. And the prednisone not only aided that process but it stimulated Murphy’s appetite as well.
We enjoyed almost a week of healing and healthy eating and then his left eye which had wept blood and pus on and off for two months shut for good. Initially, I chalked it up to the pemphigus and hoped steroids + antibiotics would resolve it.
Memorial Day, Murphy wasn’t mostly Murphy so I took him to Dr. Blackburn. The pain was so severe that we couldn’t open his eye so we had to sedate him to get a better look. His eye had ruptured. Probably from a cascade of events but we’ll never know for sure.
The following day the vet removed his left eye…
Bruised, bloodied, and embattled Murphy made it through May and his spirit remains undaunted. His fight is the same as every person and pet diagnosed with this dreadful disease.
puppy up! to all on National Cancer Survivors Day…
continued…
10 comments:
It is a journey that not many people understand, not me anyway. I learn with every stroke of the keyboard that you take to tell the unbelievable and sometimes unforgiving story of the most incredible journey. The beauty that radiates from Murphy (and all I have are pictures) brightens my day. What a truly powerful and majestic creature. You are so blessed to have every day with your son and I personally applaude you for the courage you have to not euthanize. Murphy is teaching so many so much and through your words we listen. God Bless your son for the fight within him. Ten years of stories, pictures and love. May every day that follows bring just as much.
And to all the other cancer survivors...God Bless you all! You are the strong ones!
You & Murphy have been through so much lately!
But you have both prevailed!
Love his fighting spirit!
And he's still as beautiful as ever!
Love this tender picture of the two of you together.
Give him a big hug from me!
Margie.
You're all in my prayers. HUGS to all.
Georgia
Luke, I am so impressed with your strength, loyalty and love for your boys! It's been nice "meeting" another extreme dog lover, and I hope the support you're getting from people like me helps get you and Murphy through this battle. I wouldn't have guessed he's 10 as he looks like a much younger boy. He is a big beautiful baby, as is the love you and he share. Keeping all three of you in my thoughts and prayers -- stay the course and thank you for your important work.
--Karin Z. (Kalamazoo, MI)
God bless Murphy! You and Murphy are in my prayers.
I enjoy talking about your cause when people ask me about my t-shirt.
Puppy Up!
Thinking about you guys and sending prayers and love for Murphy....
Sending daily prayers and love for Murphy and good wishes for all of you...
His Fight or your fight? How much more are you going to put him through? Give him peace. The best birthday present you could give him would to let him spend it with Malcolm.
sending our love!!!
Amy & Ava
To the author of the Anonymous post on June 12... Shame on you! Luke knows Murphy better than anyone and he alone knows what is best for his beloved baby. Remember the movie Bambi when Thumper said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all?" You could learn from that!
--Karin Z., Kalamazoo, MI
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