I had my 4th chemo visit on Wed. 10/13. By Friday I felt pretty terrible. My stomach was all upset and nothing smelled good to eat. Mom tried everything; I wouldn’t even eat the rotisserie chicken she gets just for me. I didn’t want to move much. I just lay in bed feeling yucky.
Mom was worried about me. I could tell because she offered me so many different types of food and I didn’t want any of them. So I whispered in Mom’s ear: “I am strong. I am stubborn. I have a big heart.” I think Mom heard me because she stopped fretting.
On SAT night we had Movie Night. I LOVE movie night. Mom sits on the sofa and we all try to get as close to Mom as possible. Nephew Eddie sits to Mom’s left and puts his head on her knee. I snuggle up to Mom’s right, with Polly as close as possible. TJ is next to Polly and Fatso Katie curls up at Mom’s feet. Mom can usually touch 4 (and sometimes all 5) of us at once. And we make sure that she can’t move. When I am feeling yucky from the chemo, there is nothing better than Movie Night. Sometimes I even put my head on Polly’s back and listen to her breathing. That’s very comforting.
Polly was grumpy because Mom had been giving ME so much attention. But then Mom let Polly have the bowl of food I refused to eat. Polly the Piranha ate the entire bowl in about 2 seconds!
By Sunday night I was feeling a bit better. I went on a walk-about around the house and started barking for food! I think Mom was really relieved that I ate some dinner, but she kept saying something about it being “4am” “4am”! Maybe I should go visit Sammy! We can both get up at 4am.
JAMES the poodle
James, so glad you’re feeling better and eating a REALLy early breakfast! 🙂 Movie night sounds fun.
Oh, poor James. Those chemo treatments sure can get you down. It sounds like you are doing a whole lot better, though. Make sure you eat all you favorite foods while you can. When you are all done with chemo, your Momma may not let you have all the good stuff anymore. Hope you get to feeling better soon, buddy.
James stubborn?? Never!! Strong of heart and soul? Always!!
Chemo treatments can really knock a good looking man down. All of us were very sorry to hear that it did not go well and are very sorry to hear that you did not get back to that old self until the chemicals had totally left your system. I know that soda crackers helped to settle my stomach when mine was not exactly level. So now you will just have to make up for lost time with some real nurishment – quarter pounders!
Keep on trucking my man.
Spirit Cherry
PS: When I say all of us, that means me, Dad, Mom, and that newest upstart Chloe (a rescue from the LA area) who is attempting to follow in my pawprints. Actually, except for being a bright white, she’s not too bad.
Oh James, I’m so glad you decided to eat. Movie nights always make me hungry too!
Be careful though, I hear that Polly can be a real piggy. You better eat while you can so she doesn’t get it all!!
Keep on snuggling, and mix in a meal too.
Lincoln’s Mom
Sorry you felt icky after chemo, James, but glad you’re started to feel better — even if you insist on being fed at 4 in the morning!
Ooof. Bad grammar. That should be ‘starting’ to feel better.
James! You need to get your appetite back. Wait until you see what kind of treats mom has for me to share with you this weekend!! I like them a whole lot and I think you will too.
geesh james, don’t be scarin’ your mamma!!! i was pretty rugged after my fourth and fifth treatments too, as i remember, but it seems like so long ago, that i don’t even think about it anymore. soon you can close the book on chemo too, and get on with just being you!!! keep up the good work, and stop passing up that chicken!
gayle
Sorry were late posting James but it sounds like you are feeling better. That’s great to hear! You don’t have many treatments left little fellow so hang in there and stay strong.
I’m glad you have started to eat again but 4am is a bit early don’t you think? But when you live with a piranha I can understand. I’m the piranha in our house. This prednisolone has made me so darn hungry!!!! Well you hang in there and keep us updated. Say hey to Mom for us.
Fortis and Dad
Wow-whee!! I love clear x-rays. Mine were clear too so let’s pawtry! We are going for frozen yogurt tonight when we[my person and I] get off work. We had to drive to Houston[3 1/2 hours away] today for rehab so we got to work late here in Austin so we don’t get off work till 7pm. I go to work everyday with my person because I am in charge of morale where she works and some days it is really hard to get the humans to smile! They worry way too much, me, just give me a ball or squirrel and I can show them how to live in the moment. Thanks for all your encouragement to me, big guy, you are a real inspiration to me.