Holding onto time

K and I especially relished our time together today. We started the day in the glow of the intense sunrise light.

Tomorrow is the second of K's six chemotherapy treatments. We are told that some dogs have tough side effects with these carboplatin treatments. So far, K's only bad side effect was a brief dip in her neutrophil count, requiring her to take antibiotics for a week. I'm so glad that she didn't get sick.

Our fervent hope is that we can extend her life with these treatments. Without treatment, most dogs with osteosarcoma die within a couple of months. With the treatment protocol that K is getting, there's a chance that we'll get a high quality year and there's a very long shot that we'll get even more good time. Today was most certainly a high quality day! It's been slightly more than a month since her diagnosis.

Sadly, we've had two dogs stricken with cancer in the past (Acadia and S). Both were elderly and had other serious health issues so we chose not to put them through cancer treatment, and cancer rapidly took their lives. K is much younger and stronger than they were... so we want to give her a chance at more high quality time on Earth. So far, we've been pleasantly surprised by how easily she's handled the treatment. Her current life is full of fun and love - so we're guessing that K agrees with our decision.

This morning, we wandered the woods with no particular goal in mind. K found scents that caught her fancy and sprinted through the snow with her nose to the ground. I smiled and sighed. I'm so happy to see her still thriving.

As we wandered the woods, it felt almost warm because of the strong sun. A flock of robins fluttered and chirped around us. A woodpecker drummed high in a tree. Despite the sub-freezing temperature, it felt almost like spring.

We finished our day with a sunset hike, watching the glow of the sun falling below a bank of clouds that enshrouded the Continental Divide.

The waxing moon, a tiny sliver, fell toward the western horizon as dusk fell on a peaceful day.

Our fingers and paws are crossed for K tomorrow, hoping that her treatment goes well, and that she continues to thrive.