Re: [PyrNet-L] Osteosarcoma

[Ann Wetherilt <wetheri@emmanuel.edu>]

Oh, Charlotte, my heart ached as I read of your Queenie, and I do
understand how you could not *not* go ahead with the surgery. It's hard to
believe that it's almost a year since we went through the same heartache
with Shelley....and made the same decision. We did have follow-up chemo,
which our oncologist said tripled the survival time. She had 4 treatments
three weeks apart. She coped remarkably well with the 3 legs, although
hers was right rear, and had 6 months of pretty good quality of life. She
was a little down immediately after the last couple of chemo treatments,
but loss of appetite for a few days was the only real symptom. Her
osteosarcoma was apparently a-typical--in an unusually low location on the
shin--and did not metasticize to lungs but to spine. When that did happen,
it was very clear that there was nothing to do but euthanize....she went
down very quickly. We still believe that we did the right thing in going
ahead with surgery and treatment--without initial metastases, we'd hoped
to beat the odds in terms of time, and unfortunately didn't! But we would
not trade those last months with her, memories of her with Peg's
grandchildren last Christmas, etc.
Anyway, know that our hearts are with you, and if there's anything else we
can help with in terms of our experience, please just ask.
Ann, Peg, Paddington and Ivy Rose