Heidi

All well on the western front.

Yesterday morning & this morning was greeted with cold legs & feet so I spent about 1/2 hour doing Ttouch over her ears to support her heart & all over her body for the circulation. She adores Abalone on her torso – her eyes just seem to melt away as she slips into a dream-like state. She’s back as quick as a flash when I go to her front feet though!

Whoever returned the medium t-shirt, thank you. Heidi is now wearing it & it fits beautifully. Meg had got herself into such a state without her jumper that I put her old t-shirt on; it’s about 3 years old now & looks as though the moths have been at it (they haven’t, she’s just run through too many bushes), but within 1/2 an hour you could see her beginning to return to our planet & she actually spent most of the evening cuddled up on the sofa with us which is unusual at the moment. This morning I was greeted with a cheery grin & a very waggy, wet kiss the second I opened my eyes. This is the same Meg who was struggling to get up in the morning & would return to bed at the drop of a hat. It’s  almost as though she has lost her protective skin & feels vulnerable when she’s not wearing either her Hotterdog or her T-shirt, but she is so relaxed when she is. I’m very grateful we have them in the house. Perhaps I’ll get her a new one for the summer… Since Heidi has been wearing her t-shirt today she has stopped being a velcro dog; it must have been exhausting for her as every time I moved somewhere she would have to follow. At lunchtime I had to call her over for food for the first time ever! She is so much more chilled in it.

I feel that although Heidi’s extremities have been generally better, there are times when they are so cold that she evidently needs the medication so I have given her a half dose (as suggested by Barbara) so that any potential light-headedness can be coped with more easily. Fingers crossed.

We’re back at the vets this afternoon for a progress report. I wish the surgery was closer – 50 minutes each way can get wearing, but they are SO worth the journey. I shall post something later if there is anything to report.

How’s this for progress:

Heidi has put on weight & is now up to 12.9kg (this is the heaviest she’s been with us); her heart has stopped making the “pinging” noise & is a steady 100bpm which indicates that her heart is definitely under less pressure, although the murmur remains; her wound is healing well & beginning to shed bits of scab (sorry if you’re eating); her mammary growth is much less tight & is more mobile within her skin - Barbara expressed concern that there was a danger of it bursting before (I’m glad she had kept that one to herself). The expression used was “Heidi is doing very well.” Everyone was amazed at how bright & lively she is, & they hadn’t seen her on the grass before we went in where she was having a delightful bounce.

Whatever you are sending Heidi’s way, do please continue if you are in a position to – it really is making an extraordinary difference & she still has a way to go. We are all hugely grateful to everyone. My hope is that others may be inspired by Heidi’s story & establish their own teams of people who can create the same magical healing & supportive environment where the animal or person can get the most out of the treatment they are receiving. It would also be good for others to appreciate what can be achieved naturally, working with the animal & creating a healthy body instead of attacking its natural defences.

My smile is wide. Heidi’s tail is wagging furiously. Meg is grinning & doing helicopter-tails. Moley is giving everyone special Moley kisses. Kugel watches from her spot on the stairs. Tig calls for more food please. Do share our joy.

R x

Heidi is amazing. The extra dose of herbs each day is doing the trick & her legs are warm & her tongue has lost its blue tinge. Thank you Barbara.

HRH has been really bright & managed a trip out yesterday with my parents to a garden centre. She looked a little flat at one point so I opened the side door of the van & did some TTouch with her. While I wasn’t looking, Meg popped out & went off sniffing around the car park which would have been fine if I’d had a pocket full of treats to get her attention back on me. She’s pretty emotionally wrung out at the moment & was therefore unable to hear me. I realised too late that wasn’t coming back as I saw her tail disappear into the farm shop. I grabbed her lead & trotted in behind. It was one of those moments when you just wanted the ground to open up & swallow you. The shop was heaving. Meg isn’t a people person but hadn’t realised that there were quite so many in there until she’d done one complete circuit, looked up & saw what, or rather, who was around her. You could see the panic wash over her as she dived under one of the display stands. I prayed there was nothing edible under there or there may have been rather more explaining to do when I grabbed the debris from her mouth. It was a good news, bad news situation. Beer bottles all neatly lined up in tidy rows. That was before Meg arrived. She had turned into a snarling wreck who had no idea which way to turn or what to do. I was endeavouring to remain calm as any sign of any kind of emotion tips her right over the edge & you stand NO chance of doing anything with her; this was against the odds as I was getting truly filthy looks from some of the shoppers, & sympathetic ones from others. They perhaps didn’t realise that I knew she wasn’t meant to be in there, even though I was grovelling around on my hands & knees replacing the falling bottles as I went, calling out abject apologies the shop-keeper whilst endeavouring to clip a lead onto a snarling, snapping dervish. I was keeping the image of her flying out from under the stand & snapping at one of the children right out of my mind (that took some doing as she’s more than capable). She was SO scared poor girl. I was relieved to see a quarry tile floor which meant she could skid elegantly across it when I eventually got a hold of her collar. I truly hate dragging a dog over a floor but there really was no option. Once the lead was on her, she suddenly came back to our planet, looked around in wonderment at the devastation then trotted out alongside me as though someone else had done it. Darling Meg, I do love you, but I’m glad I understand you & your ways. I rue the day I vaccinated you & made your brain misfire the way it does.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Heidi had launched a successful takeover bid on Meg’s front seat position & was very happily sprawled in the sunshine. I returned to the shop minus Meg & continued grovelling to the shop-keeper (without explaining that my dog truly is a nutter or using the excuse that she’s a rescue (she isn’t) which some people happily fall back on) while I collected up the still rolling bottles to line them up in neat lines once more. Will I ever be able to show my face in there again?

Who's getting the therapy?

Heidi not only managed this trip out but then spent a happy hour wandering around us while we had afternoon tea – terribly civilised, if only you knew. She was very happy to sit with my dad & get some special strokes while she leaned gently in. By late afternoon she was very deeply asleep with her legs in the air back on the sofa & she remained so through the rugby. Her supper was dutifully wolfed then she returned for a snooze. Yesterday was her first walk away from home & it was a total joy to see her trotting happily along the lane. Meg was overjoyed & did her special “happy gallop”, missing out the buzzing part where she invites the other to play by pushing her bum out toward them as she passes. Heidi, as usual, paid her no attention!

My family are completely amazed at how bright she is, & Chris commented on how well she is so soon after her operation. My response was this:-

1. I don’t know of any other dogs who have so many people sending them healing, love & prayers to help them with their recovery.

2. Having a vet whom we trust completely means that we aren’t spending our time worrying about whether there is anything else we could be doing, because we’re already doing it. Also, with our feeling confident, Heidi is going to pick up on this & spend her time getting well instead of worrying about what we might be worrying about.

3. We have the space on our Welsh hilltop for her to get fresh air & no worries about being bothered by people or dogs.

4. She’s an incredibly determined creature who looks as though she’s made a decision to stay & will do all she can to achieve that.

Today she is happy, bright & warm, barking when something interesting happens (like the new lamb by the pond – they say that sheep spend their lives finding new ways to die, but I think this lamb was starting on day one, it was very precarious until it was moved). Her new bark is so strong & deeper than it was. It still fills you with a deep smile as it is an expression of her happiness to be alive.

Blessed be.

Heidi is much brighter this morning but still icy cold in the leg department. I have put her body suit on her after a load of TTouch. Her ears are at least warm now & her legs & feet are less sensitive to being touched; it must be horrible being so cold in the extremities, but very comforting having warm hands make little circles all over you. She was back in her bean bed last night, which she’s not been in since the operation. It is an over-large affair which Meg alwaysstruggled to coordinate her way into & used to try to beat it into submission by stamping her feet all over it!. Heidi just leaps into the middle & she’s set for the night. It was lovely to see her snuggled in.

When Heidi & I returned from the vet yesterday we were greeted by a very anxious Meg who gave us both a very thorough once over. I then realised that normally when I go somewhere either on my own or with HRH that I always explain to Meg where we are going & roughly how long we’ll be. We left in such a hurry yesterday that I said nothing to her. Her demeanour on our return was very much one of the concerned parent, “Where were you? I didn’t know when you were coming back, or, indeed, if you were coming back.”

Meg used to suffer from terrible separation anxiety as a youngster & someone suggested we tell her what we’re doing before we do it & the change was incredible. I could tell her what time we’d be back & she’d disappear to one of the sofas & settle down. If we were ever going to be late back from the time given I’d send her a thought message that we’d been delayed & she’d be fine, but if I didn’t she’d be very anxious on our return. Yesterday’s anxiety was about a lack of information & a mental note has been made; no matter how rushed our exit from the house, we must take a few moments to explain the situation, what might happen, what the consequence could be & any timings. How awful to imagine not seeing your new best friend again. Sorry Meg. It was an oversight.

Heidi is seeing one of her favourite people today; her Grumps (so named by my nephews!). There appears to be a little bit of magic when the 2 are together & I think it will do her good to have some people therapy now she’s ready for it. He will understand what she’s going through as he has had heart problems & an encounter with cancer.

R

We had an unscheduled trip to the vet this morning. Heidi’s gums were very pale & her legs were icy cold again from first thing this morning & the Carb Veg was making little difference so Barbara suggested I brought her in. Heidi met a beautiful blue merle collie (sporting a TTouch body wrap for her anxiety) in the waiting room but really wasn’t herself today, preferring to stay glued to my side rather than cruising the waiting room for fuss like she normally does. Her temperature was up slightly but nothing else appeared untoward. We are increasing her twice daily dose of Hawthorn & Motherwort to 3x a day for 3 days & if there is no change we have the Fortekor to try. Fingers crossed the herbs do the trick.

I have nothing against conventional medication, but if something can be addressed in a way that it works synchronously with the beings system & helps it to heal itself it has to be preferable. From what I have seen, much conventional medication can upset a natural balance which exists within every body, sometimes requiring further medication to redress the balance, & so on. The joy of working with a holistic vet is you know when conventional medication is suggested, all other avenues have been exhausted & this is the only one to take.

Beverley Cuddy  mentioned that John Carter insisted on CV247 animals drinking only bottled water from glass bottles to ensure that they are as chemical free as possible. The herbs which Heidi takes for her heart are in alcohol & I pondered over this with Barbara. On a level playing field (i.e. no heart problem) we would work towards a chemical free existence, but ours is somewhat bumpy so a small amount of alcohol is going to ensure that she’s alive to get the benefit of the CV247! On the water front, we are going hunting for springs this weekend as our well water supports a healthy population of frogs & newts but I’m unsure how good it would be for our little dog (apart from being highly entertaining!). One thing we are not short of in Wales is water… 

Plenty of TTouch for Heidi this afternoon & I shouldn’t have mentioned alcohol.

Is it really a whole week since her thyroid operation? It seems like a very, very long time ago.

Something we have noticed is that at 11am each day she appears to have a dip when her tongue has a slight bluish tinge, her gums are very pale, either her legs or ears go very cold & she seems a little lack-lustre. Barbara gave us a homeopathic remedy (Carbo Veg) which she had today & within minutes she’d perked up again. Has anyone else experienced this following a thyroidectomy? The only connection we can make (a somewhat tenuous one) is that her operation was around this time of day. I understand the body has its own rhythm & cycle, but could the removal of the thyroid create such a seemingly hormonal response at approximately the same time each day? I would be very interested to hear from anyone with suggestions.

I cooked up a batch of her food last night & I have no idea whether I’m doing it “right” – is there such a thing as getting the diet “wrong”? I have the proportions for each food type, I see that the oats are to be baked – but baked how? I had made up some little biscuits from oats soaked in fresh carrot & apple juice. They taste lovely (I know, it just looked too good!) but are a little too abrasive for Heidi’s still tender throat so Meg & I are eating them. Are there any existing CV247-ers who can advise? I have been cooking up the veg by boiling the root, steaming the greens & putting the chicken, fish & liver into the root saucepan for a few moments before removing them & then whizzing the veg through the hand blender. The meat gets mixed in afterwards. What does anyone else do? Heidi wolfs it down with her added dandelion leaves for her anaemia – never thought I’d be happy to see “weed” coming up early…

Heidi must think I’ve gone completely soft in the head as I just keep beaming when I see her doing simple things like trotting through the dining room (she always used to amble), wagging her tail furiously (it used to wave), or just sleeping peacefully stuffed down behind the cushions on the sofa (a trick learned by watching Meg – our sofa is usually trashed before we get a chance to sit on it).

I took Meg for a walk in the woods today. It felt very strange only taking one dog & she looked a bit lost (took not a jot of notice of me either which is unusual since Heidi joined us). We both kept looking around to see if she’d gone to talk to a tree or commune with an interesting leaf somewhere – the mundane are quite glorious in Heidi’s eyes. I do hope she’s well enough to join us again soon; walking really isn’t the same without her.

Just for today, look at your companion & appreciate them just for being there.

Another landmark – last of the post-op medication given this morning (anti-inflammatory) & she had the last antibiotic last night. Why do veterinary pharmaceutical companies make horse tablets for dogs? They claim to be “palatable” but if you have an animal who is off their food, fillet steak ain’t palatable because it doesn’t get to the bit of the mouth which tells the brain “Mmmmm! This is yummy!”. Come on Vet Pharma’s – smaller or liquid please.

We’re still waiting for the thyroid results, but still grinning that her lump has reduced (the bloods have been sent to Jean Dodds in America so will be about 2 weeks). I hope to put a photo on later, but here is one of Heidi where you can see the lump on her tummy. It has little effect on her day to day life beyond me being paranoid when we walk somewhere new in case she decides to go into the undergrowth & catches it on something. Heidi is such an attentive dog that she’s more than happy to mooch alongside you or trot after Meg if she’s sticking to the path.

Blessed be!

After a not so good day yesterday, Team Heidi were called upon once more. I have no idea what anyone did but by the evening she was bright once more & this morning the was at her position by the front door barking to go for a walk! Joy, oh joy, oh joy! She did her little dance then came back to me for a cuddle while Chris took Meg out for her walk. The light is shining in her eyes, even though she looks tired, she’s here for another day. Breakfast was eaten with near-gusto & she has gone for a nap.

Thank you!

Heidi’s 5 day check is this afternoon. Although the wound on her neck is slightly swollen & bruised (only to be expected), the temperature feels fine & it’s dry. She has been trying to scratch at it & I have visions of horrible things happening when she does but, dear heart that she is, you just call her name & she puts her foot down, comes over & allows you to give her a gentle scratch followed by Tiger TTouch all around the shaved area.  Her coughing was quite bad yesterday & the day before, but again, whenever she starts coughing, she gets up (if out of reach), comes to your side for you to pat her around the ribs to help free whatever it is caught in her throat! Which angel lent her to us? We are grateful to you.

Yesterday was tough & I suddenly felt very alone. I think all the tiredness & emotions all had to come out & they flowed freely. My darling Meg came over & licked away my tears & cuddled in close. Whatever made me feel I was alone? She gently reminded me as she leaned in that we are all surrounded by love & are therefore never alone. Special girl.

I shall let you know what happens this afternoon.

I CAN’T STOP GRINNING!

The lump on Heidi’s mammary gland has SHRUNK BY 1/2 CM if I could make the words dance & jump & sing I would, but that’s Chris’ department! I’d thought it was softer & wanted Barbara’s opinion. I need to reiterate that Heidi has been on the CV247 regime since last Friday – 4 days & the tumour is smaller.

On the wound front, that is healing nicely, her heart rate is down to 100 (following the taking of a blood sample, so I can happily knock off a little to allow for that!) & she’s put on weight. On Saturday she was 11.9 kg & today she weighs 12.7 kg. I can see we’re going to have to watch she doesn’t start piling on the pounds, but we can begin to do a little more exercise from today so that will help her too.

The blood results are due in a bit so will follow up with them when they come.

I know it’s early days,but I feel a small celebration is in order this evening. We shall be toasting not only Heidi’s health, Barbara & her team’s wonderfulness, but also John Carter’s brilliance.

Happy Birthday Chris!

May I just say how much everyone’s kindness has meant. All the comments, emails, messages & cards keep us surrounded in the love that you all obviously feel for your own animals, & evidently everyone elses too. It may feel like a small thing to you, but trust me, it’s much, much bigger than you know especially if you begin to multiply your feelings by all the people who love their companions as much as you do. That kind of energy can create miracles & you are part of it.

Now to HRH. She appeared to be doing well for most of the day but I don’t know whether it was the big dream woof she did or something else but she was coughing more than usual later in the afternoon & went off her food again. We were told to expect some coughing from having been tubed for the operation & there is rice in her tinned food grains of which have been propelled across the room at a rate of knots as she coughs them free. I managed to get one in my face yesterday & I tried to work of if it’s possible to clicker train a dog to put their paw up when coughing? Ideas?

I think I may have let her move around the house too much yesterday which wouldn’t have helped. Our ground floor is open plan so is quite tricky to restrict movement; if she is mobile again today it will be crate time(which she loves anyway). It’s so hard to see her looking sad. She’s such a happy, smiley dog usually. Even Moley (black fluffy cat) came over to her this morning, tapped her lightly on the head as if to say, “Buck up dear, it’ll work out right in the end!” She was unimpressed.

I have no way of telling whether it’s reduced activity, the operation, the CV247 or some other factor, but Heidi’s mammary lump is definitely softer today. Can changes be seen that quickly? It does vary in size from day to day, generally being about a handful, but is usually quite tight / firm. I will pass no further comment on this until a few days have passed & we can see a general trend.

CV247 can be used on animals & people. I understand that trials are continuing for both but it must be giving hope to so many people. I really cannot imagine having to contend with chemo – it must take phenomenal strength of character to see it through. Fingers, toes & eyes crossed that the trials continue to be a success.

I thought you’d like an excerpt from the article listed yesterday:-

“Dear Sir
I would like to inform my colleagues of a new approach to cancer therapy which has been developed by a member of our profession, John Carter. It is designated CV247. It is an oral treatment and a salt free and artificial chemical additive-free diet is part of it. Three controlled trials have been conducted on this treatment at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, Departemnt of Oncology, by Prof. Peter Beverley, then the head of the Tumour Immunology Unit of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. CV247 was administered to mice with malignant tumours. He concluded that the treatment caused a statistically significant reduction in the rate of tumour growth in the treated, compared to the untreated subjects. He added in his report that there were no side effects attributable to the treatment.

Twenty six cases were selected for the study, four of which had been diagnosed prior to it’s commencement. Animals which would not eat, or where the owners lived at such distances that they were not prepared to travel regularly for treatment, could not be included, although some owners did come on a regular basis to Harrow from as far away as Wiltshire or Yorkshire.
In this study I found no evidence of toxicity or side effects. In fact, an improvement in the general health and behaviour was not only obvious to the owner but also to the independent observer. Of the 26 cases treated, all were advanced and 16 were considered to be terminal. There was an observable regression of tumours in 15 cases and a considerable or an apparent regression in nine cases,

Yours faithfully
ANDOR SEBESTENY, BVSc, DipBact, MRCVS. Veterinary Supervisor
Head of the Animal Health and Welfare Unit, Imperial Cancer Research Fund,
Clare Hall Laboratories,
Blanche Lane, South Mimms. Potters Bar, Herts. EN6 3LD.

Sounds promising, doesn’t it ? True, it was a very limited trial. But the only side effect to be found was enhanced well-being ! Surely this is a huge improvement to existing cancer treatment, especially in cancers such as histio which, to date, do not appear to respond favorably to conventional ( chemo and/ or radiation)therapy.”

It sounds as though you need to go to the vet for administration. You don’t. You get a bottle of CV247 & a supply of the ascorbic acid (powder) which is mixed together & then consumed before the meal twice a day. It’s so easy, I can do it.

I wonder whether the ascorbic acid could making Heidi’s throat sting? It will be quite sore after the op & may explain why she went off her food last night having been quite hungry up to that point. To be checked.

EVENING

Heidi had a bad morning & her legs went icy cold, her colour drained away (gums not coat) & she didn’t look herself. An appointment was made to take her back to the vet while I did more TTouch & warmed some food for her. I couldn’t tell you what worked but within 2 hours her legs & feet were toasty, her colour had returned & she got excited when I got up to take Meg for a walk (first time since Thursday) so the appointment was cancelled. We have both been snoozing on the sofa (the joys of self-emplyment) & are feeling the benefits.

It’s such a roller-coaster ride isn’t it. Your dog is looking better & you think, “Whoopee, she’s on the mend, I can stop worrying!” Before you know it something happens to change all that & your elation is quickly replaced by vigilance & concern. When the general trend is up & they polish of a bowl full of food as HRH has just done, then you can only marvel at their resilience & celebrate the gradual or rapid return to health.

Heidi barked yesterday! Has a sound ever been so welcomed? Prior to this she had been growling in her sleep & last night she yipped her way through a dream. It was only then that I realised how quiet she was during dream-time (she certainly wasn’t before at walk time but it was such a happy bark & we have no neighbours so she just carried on!).

Is it really only 4 months since she tiptoed so daintily into our lives? It feels like she has always walked by my side & maybe she always has.

This little collie goes around opening people’s hearts. There is no effort to it, it just happens when she’s around & you are immediately disarmed. I have no idea what she did to my father the first time she met him, but a man who would normally tease or rough-house was instantly on his knees by her side giving her love. It is a sight I will treasure forever.

Heidi manages to touch people she has yet to meet too. She continues to receive wonderful messages & offers of prayer, love & healing (my apologies to those I have yet to reply to). We are so incredibly blessed that she is here with us & able to be a part of her amazing life. Her body may be weakened by illness but she has an incredibly strong spirit. My friend Mark pointed out that she had proven her will to stay &, boy, has she! She has a job to do & we will work together for it to happen. Mark also asked for a specific picture (if you are at all squeamish you’ll need to look past it but it’s a demonstration of how neat stitching can be). It was taken whilst snoozing last night:

Just for Mark...

I think it’s coffee time & it’s certainly time for remedies, so more later.

Rach x

The benefits of the op are showing already. The hyperthyroidism was making her heart race. It was often up to 160 -180, sometimes so fast it was impossible to count,& the lowest recorded rate was 120 bpm. After a blood test yesterday it was 110! Her previous breathing rate was 45 – 60 & is now mid 30′s – & it’s only day 3.

We have always taken the view that nothing will be forced on Heidi. Any new remedies or supplements have been positioned in her bowl where she has the option to leave them. On a consistent basis (except for the flax-oil & cottage cheese) she has steadfastly rejected anything that was specifically anti-cancer; Essiac, apricot kernels, etc. After consideration I wondered if she had picked up on a conversation with Barbara about the potential danger of doing anything with cancerous growths as it can cause them to spread. We were actually discussing lump removal & nothing more. I wondered whether Heidi had only caught part of this so I explained what had been meant. The following day she was offered Apricot Kernels & has eaten them ever since.

Barbara had mentioned CV247 to me some weeks back & we decided to try Heidi on the regime. Developed by vet John Carter who was devoted to saving the lives of pets with cancer, CV247 contains 3 ingredients in distilled water: sodium salicylate, manganese gluconate & copper gluconate, which is added to ascorbic acid (Vit C) powder. The 4 ingredients are known to have some anti-tumour effect, acting as antioxidants, immune-stimulants & anti-prostoglandin roborants. In combination with a recommended diet trials seemed to give a “rapid & noticeable improvement” in well-being of even the most severely affected cancer patients in up to 90% of cases. Apparently as yet, the statistics do not justify its registration as an anti-tumour therapy, so it is currently registered as an adjuvant, immunostimulant, roborant therapy for dogs affected by malignant tumours, with some possible anti-tumour effect.

Guess what? My lovely vet is one of the few vets currently registered to prescribe it! Heidi started the regime on Friday 13th (something had to happen on the day…).  It’s very early days but any progress will be noted here. She gets the mixture (about half a teaspoonful when mixed) just before her meal twice a day; we are currently mixing it in with a little food, but it smells deliciously orangey & I’m sure when her full appetite returns she will lick it off the saucer. The diet isn’t dramatically different to what she has now, except it’s organic. We worked out last night that (hopefully) she won’t need quite so much food each day (see yesterday’s post) which will mean we can afford the organic until our garden starts to bear fruit.

Heidi has just gone under the stairs (with those floor tiles again – any suggestions?). She looks so sad today. I’m going to make a batch of liver treats & see if we can do some low-level cheering up. It must be so boring just going out to do a wee & not having FUN. Half an hours TTouch this morning left her deeply asleep, but I know that the wound & surrounding area are beginning to itch. I’m rubbing in Neem Cream which is helping, have trimmed away some of the more tickly fur around the perimeter & she loves Tiger TTouch which calms the nerve endings to alleviate tickles & itches. I’m on constant scratch alert though.

If you are interested in CV247 there is an article in this months (April) Dogs Today, there is a blog http://petswithcancertryingcv247.blogspot.com& if you Google John Carter CV247 you will get further information. When I read about it I realised it really was a no-brainer.

Here are the girls 2 weeks ago – Heidi has worked her magic on Meg too.

Heidi & Meg (pre-op) - "Can we run yet?"

Meet Heidi. The sweetest, kindest, gentlest dog I have ever had the pleasure of sharing my life with. After years of persuasion the OH agreed that Meg, our collie x spaniel, could have a buddy. In November 2008, Heidi came into our home & tiptoed into everyone’s heart. We knew that she had cancer & it was made clear to us by the rescue http://www.greenacresanimalrescue.co.uk/index.htm that the prognosis was not good; she had a large, hard mass on her throat & a growth on one of her mammary glands the size of an egg. Greenacres were wonderful, having Heidi’s best interests at heart & wanted somewhere for her to see her last days out. Blood tests indicated that the liver was involved (i.e. secondaries).

We were referred to a wonderful holistic vet, Barbara Jones of Oakwood Vets, Oswestry http://www.vetholistic.co.uk/ for homeopathic & herbal treatment as operating had been ruled out & chemo was out of the question (why add toxic drugs to an already weakened animal?). You will pardon me for being a little evangelical, but Barbara is a marvel. Quiet & unassuming, very knowledgeable & SO caring; our various crises have been handled calmly & appropriately. I will continue to be effusive later!

We had already put Heidi onto as natural a diet as she could handle & Barbara selected a variety of herbs & supplements to support her battered immune system. At 12 years old, we have no idea how long she’s been “lumpy”. The principle being worked on is that the immune system is designed to heal the body; boost this system & let it tackle the cancer in the best way it can, without the side-effects, without the attendant worry & is it true that your dog is radioactive whilst being treated with chemo? Someone once said, “You’ve got to be healthy to get well.”

Over Christmas she lost most of her fur. Her heart rate was generally around 160 & breathing was about 60 per minute. Her preferred place to sleep – on the cold floor tiles (they really aren’t our choice!) or on her cool bed, her eyes were bulgy, she was restless & easily disturbed, but although she was eating over 1.5 lbs of veg (cooked & raw) & 1lb of cooked chicken A DAY she struggled to maintain her weight at 12.5 kg.

Blood tests revealed her TSH was off the scale – she was hyperthyroid. This condition is generally diagnosed in cats, but I wonder how many dogs have this condition but it remains undiagnosed as its rarity means it’s not being looked for? Further homeopathic remedies were added to her regime & it took a couple of months to find the appropriate dosage for Heidi but we saw a significant reduction in her heart “episodes”. We began to query whether the growth on her neck was a goitre rather than cancer.

After discussion with Barbara, she agreed that an operation could be beneficial & it was booked for Thursday 12th March (we were offered Friday 13th, but although I’m not massively superstitious, I decided to go for the Thursday).

Earlier this year I contacted a group of my friends to form “Team Heidi” who could be called on at times of need to send her their love, healing, prayers or would light a candle & offer up a blessing  or communicate with her -whatever they felt comfortable with. The groups strength has made such a difference to Heidi & I have known that on the days I have little to offer that they were there. Only two of the team has met Heidi but everyone has given freely. We have also received many, many e-mails from wonderful “customers” (it seems inappropriate to call you this now, hence the comas) who have added love, healing & prayers to help this little collie get through a big operation. I have replied to as many as I could, but please accept my apology if you haven’t heard back from me yet.

With all this wonderful energy surrounding Heidi, Chris, Meg, the veterinary team  & me, she had her op on Thursday. It turned out to be more complicated than first thought as the tumour had wrapped itself around the larynx & had calcified in the centre. It was about the size of a satsuma. Barbara took as much as she dared, removing some of the invaded muscle, some small bones either side of the larynx & scraped what she could away from the larynx itself. I believe if she’d known what was involved she may not have tackled it, but because the hardened part was pressing on the larynx, with hindsight we can say that it was absolutely the right thing to do.

Evangelising alert – not only is Barbara wonderful, but she has the best team of vet nurses you could ever wish to assemble. The dream team maybe? Some of them have been on TTouch workshops & heard me waxing lyrical about the effectiveness of earwork, especially post-operatively & I believe it was Heather who left Heidi’s ears out from the bandaging so I could work on them while she was recovering. When I took the dressing off later there wasn’t a single strand of fur in the tape – how’s that for attention to detail?

Maria von Trapp at Christmas?