Another Gracie Doodle Update

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Hey, the discussions are falling off the front page too quickly.  Mine is already gone and therefore you wouldn't have seen the next chapter on Gracie Doodle!!  

We went and got our second opinion today and there is nothing new, different or much to report.  He said he would treat Gracie exactly the same way and it is the way this disease is treated.  What Gracie is experiencing is not that uncommon.   Though to those of us who live with her and love her, we think everything is extreme...the hair loss, loss of personality, bacterial skin infections.  To us that is horrible but to the vet it is something to be expected.  It turns out this auto immune disease is being seen more and more.  We also were told that the goal was to stabilize Gracie so that she could be without or on minimal prednisone the rest of her life and the muscle loss could be suppressed.  There is already muscle loss on the top of her head.  The Golden Retriever bump is very pronounced and he told me that it would never fill back out.  She is slowly loosing her poofer which normally would cover it but her hair is becoming pretty thin up there. He said that if we could successfully get Gracie to a very low dose of prednisone then her hair would grow back and her coat would be shinny and soft again.  Right now it is sort of dried out and rough feeling instead of the silky hair I am used to. He knows our vet because they used to work together and he was Gracie's puppy vet.  He said our vet was a very smart and great vet and to stick with him.  He said that we could try all the holistic stuff, neurologists and such but in reality it is what it is and there is nothing else medically that can be done or changed.

The final sad thing is that this may be the disease that finally takes her life but not any time soon.  Still she might have a shorter life than we have planned for her which has me in such a numbed state that I can't imagine it.  There, I have finally said it and now I am going to go hold her and cry .................

[Gail and Bailey]

Nancie, our prayers and thoughts continue for your sweet Gracie's recovery.  She is fortunate to have such wonderful doodle parents who are doing everything possible for her!  Doodle hugs to you and Gracie!

[Colleen, Jake & Baxter]

Nancie

I am sorry and I so wish that this was not happening to you and Gracie.  She is blessed to have you as her owner and that you love her so much and are giving her the best care possible.  All I know as one who once had a beloved dog diagnosed with a fatal illness is to take each day as they come and don't look too far ahead.  I hope and pray that you and Gracie have many, many, many good years ahead.

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

I'm so sorry and hope that the Prednisone dosage can decrease soon. Hugs to you both.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I'm very sorry, I'm thinking of you guys and hoping that you can find a good low point of medicine so she can feel a bit better. 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

OH Nancy, you just never know.  I know how you feel....Taquito was diagnosed with kidney disease at only 6 years old.  Chihuahuas can live to be 18 for goodness sake!  But I feel certain, our little squirt won't live that full life.  But you just never know.  Take good care of her and she could end up living a very full life.  Try not to dwell on this. I know, easier said than done. But in the end, these guys are never with us long enough. Whether it's 8 years or 14 years, it's never long enough.

[Amy & Albee]

Nancie, I'm sorry to hear about Gracie's diagnosis. I'll be thinking of you two and hope that the best possible outcome. Life is about the moments we live, and I'm sure Gracie is living each one to it's fullest! She is so fortunate to have such a loving human. 

[BG and Gavin]

This breaks my heart Nancie, knowing that you and Gracie are going through this terrible disease.  Hugs to you both.

[Jennifer]

I'm so very sorry to hear you didn't get better news. I would be devastated as well. I hope you are able to get her on the low dose predsnisone and some of the awful side effects will go away. (((HUG)))

[Adina P]

I'm SO sorry your beautiful sweet Gracie has to go through this.  What a difficult time.  We will think of you!

[Michele, Biscuit & Mo]

Nancie, you did exactly the right thing in getting a second opinion - bravo!

We never want to think of the day our doods leave us, and it's heart-wrenching when we have to face that fact, no matter how far in the future it might be. 

I'll pass on some advice that Penny's oncologist gave us when she was diagnosed with her mast cell cancer:  Now you know.

Now you know that her life is probably going to be shorter than other dogs.  How much longer?  We don't know.

The gift of this is that every day you wake up, you'll see Gracie and think, "Yay!  We have one more day with her!" 

Every single day will be a blessing.

Every moment becomes more precious and memorable.  You are now living with an angel.

And in the end, it makes your time with Gracie exponentially more special. 

In some ways, I wish we all thought this way just a little more about each other as humans. 

Sending big hugs to you and Gracie!!!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

This is such a nice way to think of it - thanks for posting Michele.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Thank you for sharing that with me Michelle.  I have printed it out and have the words taped on my monitor.  It will be a constant reminder of how wonderful  a Doodle Penny was and how every day with Gracie Doodle is a special and new day...hoping for years and years!  The hug just arrived! :)