I am Gloria, a retired RN and Single Pawrent of Thurston Howell IV, a 6 year old St. Bernard who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma 4/22/18 and amputated 5/11/18. He has finished 4 rounds of Carboplatin and is enrolled on a Study at University of Wisconsin at Madison. We want to share our story with others.
Thurston's journal of osteosarcoma treatment
Having flashbacks of 2 years ago when Hoomama and I celebrated the end of chemo with steaks. I threw up then and I threw up again! I just eat sooo fast. I can’t control myself.
I helped Hoomama bake carob oatmeal cookies and carob walnut cookies. She has these recipes special for doggos but she eats them too. They’re really good!
Hoomom gave me my favorite the other day. Took her way too long between Blue Bunnies so I tried to eat the container!!!
Me and Raffie with our masks all set to go out. This social distancing is getting on my last nerve. We are way too cute to keep our faces covered.
Been doing pretty good. I am 27 months post diagnosis – that vet that said 3 weeks to 3 months is sooo happy for me (except when I go poop on his grass). Going to University of Wisconsin for X ray/exam August 11 and my 8th Birthday is August 31! Lots to look forward to! Love and sloppy kisses to all!
Hi Everyone!!! Its MEEEEE Finally after a long time without any updates. I am soooo embarrassed because I know everyone is freaking out that I haven’t posted in soooo long. IT’S NOT MY FAULT!!!! It’s my Hoomama. Â I am not sure about WHY she’s not posting but I have 2 theories about this. First and most obvious is that she is a lazy slug. I don’t really like thinking that about her so i have another idea…
I think it might be the virus everyone has been talking about. Hoomama might think the Corona virus is a COMPUTER virus and she is not going to use her computer unless she HAS to (I insisted today she HAD to). I told her computer viruses don’t do anything to Hoomans and made her look on Google!
I can’t type myself because my paw is too big and I only have one so I depend on her to post things for me. She said nothing is changing and that all my pictures are the SAME so she wanted to wait for some news. I think she is just LAZY.
Anyhow… enuff about her and now it’s all about MEEEE!
Nothing is new… well… almost nothing….Biggest news is AMPUVERSARY #2 Â Had my exam at University of Wisconsin a month late because of the Corona virus. I did GREAT. No humans are allowed in there now, so Dr. Magee came out to the car to pick me up. Hoomom was a little worried I wouldn’t go with her but I decided I would cooperate just to make things easier. Dr. Magee was wearing a MASK! I had to use my nose to be sure it was really her! All these humans with masks on is just weird! Had my Chest X-Ray and labs and exam and I was a very good boy! I jumped onto the X-Ray table! Just showing off how strong I am! Everything is good. No evidence of cancer in this doggo! I bark all the time and my voice is strong and loud as ever!!!
I did have 2 other “adventures” in the past couple months… first one was that I fell outta bed. This time I really hurt myself and I scared Hoomama so bad she was up at 8AM calling people for help and advice! At first I couldn’t move. I let out a  BIG “Yelp”… That means OUCH in dog speech. I tried to get up but my legs wouldn’t work! Legs were just shaking and Mom was crying and hugging me. She was soooo scared. I gotta say I was really worried about myself. Hoomom left my harness in the car and she CANNOT lift me, anyhow so I had to lay there while she was crying and praying! Its was awful. She said for me to just lay here while she gets my harness and figures things out. NO WAY, I thought … so when she got back from getting my harness I was standing at the door waiting for her!!! She still took me to the vet, but I was OK after a few days of Vetprofen and some extra treats. Mom got rid of her bed frame after that and now if I fall it won’t be far. That bed was too high anyhow! Woof! Woof!
My other adventure was stealing 4 pounds of doggie dental treats and eating them all at once out on the deck so I wouldn’t get caught! I puked for 2 days and it looked like white paint! Terrified Mom until she saw the empty bag outside. After that,I had 2 more days of white paint diarrhea! I will never learn. I will steal and sneak around forever cause its who I am and what I do! More soon!! Love to all! Woof! Woof!
Listen to THIS!!!! December 23 is Hoomama’s Wedding Anniversary. Since she is a widow she decided to celebrate this by going to the local ANIMAL SHELTER and donating TREATS!! In addition, she delivered them in MY CAR! and did NOT take me along! These are treats that SHOULD HAVE been for MEEEE!!! and to a lesser extent for big brother Raffie. I cannot BELIEVE she did this and I am sooooo MAD!
When she got back, I heard her talking on the phone to some lady who has ANOTHER 3 LEGGED DOG who may be up for adoption in January. Mom said she is thinking about it. I said ENUFF IS ENUFF and I will NOT stand for it!
I have been complaining all day! Told Hoomama she HAS TO make this right… sooooo…
Hoppy Blue Bunny!!! Look at THIS!!! Hoomama got me Blue Bunny SAMMICHES!!! All is forgiven and Hoppy Christmas to MEEEE and Raffie! Mom’s not worried about the chocolate in the wafer. (Processed cocoa powder is the 16th ingredient and she only gives me 1/2 of the wafer). She said this amount of chocolate is the LEAST of my problems and I soooo agree… Its the least of HER PROBLEMS! I can’t BELIEVE this!!! She told me before she found Blue Bunny Sammiches but she wouldn’t get them. BUT SHE DID!!!! SHE DID!!! I LUFF THIS!! and she bought me a quart of the Blue Bunny Ice Cream too! WOW! I really mush have SHAMED her!!! And I covered her in Slime and drool!
Look at the pulled pork and sweet potatoes for Christmas Eve Dinner!!! Raffie and me had all that wonderful food, Blue Bunny Sammich and then we passed out asleep!! Merry Christmas to MEEEE!!! and Hoomama is totally FORGIVEN as long as she gets me some more treats. Love and Hoppy Holidays to all! BE MORE DOG! Like Meeee!!
Hello everyone. It’s meeee again. Had a wonderful visit with Sandy Paws and was promised more treats and Blue Bunny Ice Cream. We shall see. Hoomama took me and Raffie to see Santa at the same time but she got SEPARATE pics this time so she didn’t have to take me back there alone like last year. No stupid looking costumes this year, either! I am a much more reasonable dog since I helped Hoomama read Rene’s and Jim’s book, “Be More Dog”. I am trying to not be soooo demanding, but its not easy for me because I know NOTHING is more important to Hoomama than I AM!!
I have been giving Mom a break lately and sleeping with my head at to TOP of the bed. I find its much easier to kick Mom and wake her up this way. Added bonus is that I can slobber more easily on her face in this position and loose hairs find their way more easily into her MOUTH! I love Hoomama and want to make sure she is happy with all these things I do.
Looking forward to another turkey dinner but Mom said she may do something different. Bah Humbug! All I really want for Christmas is Blue Bunny Ice Cream and maybe Peace on Earth! Love to all and to all a good night!
Hello everybody its Meeeee wishing everyone a Hoppy Thanksgiving. Hoomama made us turkey and sweet potatoes but NOOOO Blue Bunny ice cream. She said she’s not getting it for me because she doesn’t think I need it. Right. Sure, Mom … but I WANT IT and I will kick you all night long while you are trying to sleep.
I am sooo hoppy that now Thanksgiving is over I can start bothering Hoomama to take me to see Sandy Claws. I’m sure she learned last year that she must take me ALONE and NOT with Raffie. I told her to forget the elf costume, because if there is no Blue Bunny I will not dress up and look cute. Its all about my dignity and about BEING MORE DOG! “More Dogs” are always respectful of our dignity!
Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and that all you PAWRENTS are thankful for your Tripawds! Thanks to Rene, Jim and Wyatt for putting my picture on the November 28 issue of Tripawd News! I think I look pretty good in that picture!