Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Chemo Week #22

Whew! Have I been negligent! I just changed jobs, and in all that hubbub, I ignored Jenna's blog. First thing's first: Jenna the Tank is still bashing through chemo without slowing down. Since I last blogged, she's had 2 treatments and continues to have no adverse effects. We have 2 more treatments left, and then as long as she stays in remission, we only have to go to the vet for monthly checkups. Going to the vet once a month feels like an outlandish fantasy right now, but with things going the way they are, it just might come true.

I guess we must be starting to look tattered and gaunt, because the vet charged us $12 for chemo this week. Thus, hubby took our car to a mechanic today, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it doesn't need as much work as we thought it did. (Well, he thought it did. I don't fix cars. I just drive them until the wheels fall off. But still, yay!)

February 4th was the 1-year anniversary of Harlem's death. I can't believe a year has gone by already. I don't think I miss him any less; I guess it's just that the edges aren't as jagged and raw anymore. Mostly I can think of him without crying, as long as I don't think too hard. But I miss him all the time. I think about him every day, and I still talk about him a lot. I can't remember the smell on the side of his nose exactly, but I remember the exact feeling of his silky ears and the weight of him leaning on my legs, and the way he would hop on the spot with his toes spread out when you asked him if he wanted to go for a walk.

I think I will always miss him, but I'm glad to know that my memories of him won't fade with time. And as silly as it probably is, I do feel like he's out there, at the dog park where I spread his ashes - in the grass that will come up in spring, and the trees that will bud, and the wildflowers that will grow by the riverbank. We're all made of the same recycled, billion year old carbon, right?

6 comments:

Emily and the Labradors said...

Oh Harlem... You had me all teary reading about him. I know you have alluded to him before, but I hadn't really fully connected his story. I still think about Maggie every day too and cry at least a few tears every week about her. Just recently I started thinking about and wondering what the one year anniversary of her death is going to be like... still have 3 months to go though. It might finally be time to spread her ashes on her mountain.

But in better news, it is so wonderful how well Jenna is doing! We never got to finish any chemo protocols, so I can't imagine only having to go to the vet once a month! How great that will be! I know she is going to have a nice long remission too :)

Anonymous said...

Great to hear that Jenna is still doing so well!

I'm 18 months down the line since I lost Prince, and I still miss him more than anything. It doesn't take much for me to start sniffling when I think about him and I suspect I still will be in eighteen years...

Life With Dogs said...

Great to hear that Jenna is holding up so well! Chemo can wreak havoc, but it seems she's a trooper...

HandH said...

Glad she's still doing so well (and same for your car!). Harlem must be watching over you.

Jack the Schnauzer's Canine Cancer Journey said...

I hope Jenna is still doing so well! Jack has 3 more treatments to go - on a fortnightly basis and I am holding my breath, literally, until they have passed.

Anonymous said...

Hello again, Dog.

It is my understanding that your last chemo treatment is today.

I just wanted to offer my congratulations and well-wishes. You are truly a remarkable puppy.