Week 2: Partial Remission
Chemo this week came in the form of a treat. Mason received Cytoxan, which is taken orally. Frustratingly enough, it still required commuting to/from Merrifield during rush hour for the drug to be administered. In all fairness, the hospital evaluates Mason’s condition prior to each treatment, which brings us to the good news: Mason is in partial remission. His lymph nodes reduced by 60% from the previous visit. Of course, the goal is full remission but he is showing great progress.
Mason’s discharge instructions state that regular exercise is perfectly fine, if not recommended. We’ve been sure to bring the tennis ball along for walks and swing by the park regularly. Many have asked me if chemo would change Mason’s personality or leave him in a constant state of misery- it’s quite the opposite really. The protocol for dogs is very similar to that of humans; however, whereas the goal for humans is curative, for dogs it is palliative. The focus is on quality of life and, thus, not as taxing on the body. Despite the chemo, Mason has never been so energized (roids 💪) and has people asking, “that’s a dog with cancer?”