One of our younger neighbors, Gina, was drawing pet portraits for free. Well, of course we’re going to participate. While she was working on her artwork, Jake stole a piece of banana bread from her table. I suppose that was his “sitting fee”. The finished piece is fantastic. Don’t you love how she even captured his leg brace?
Jake saw Dr. Laura again for his monthly labwork. Everything is good. Even the ALT is coming back to normal.
Here’s a fun one taken by Jaime Rowe at the start of the walk. Check out her blog. She takes amazing photos of pets. I think we’re going to book her for a shoot with Jake. I’ve got a few wild ideas that I haven’t been able to do on my own.
Dan and I took Jake to the K-9’s Against Cancer walk today. It’s run by the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation. Proceeds go to Susan G Komen for the Cure and CSU Animal Cancer Center. How could you resist that combination when it comes to writing a check? 9News did the weather forecast live from the event. Jake and I went on air with Ashton Altieri. We forgot to tell him that we’d missed him when we were in the 9News Backyard. We brought a check for $320 to the event. Why that amount? Ten bucks for each of the 32 days that Jake has been free of cancer. 
The actual site of the K-9’s Against Cancer walk. Denver had a record low of 17 degrees today. I took this photo of Jake around 7:30am. And yes, we were all tired. But what a great reason to be up so early on a cold Colorado morning.
Jake’s story ran on 9News tonight. It was surreal to watch it. Hey, what happened to my hair?? The back of my head looks like Jake’s belly. Thanks to Dave Delozier for an amazing story. He’s the guy that got us in to Invesco Field and the 9News Backyard. Jake and I are looking forward to meeting our YAPS pen pal at Children’s Hospital, Will, one of these days!
Jake came home from the breeders 8 years ago today, the night before 9/11. He was the last one in his litter to be picked up and didn’t want to leave his mom, Sentara. On the drive home, he was so scared that he barfed up his dinner on me. Good thing he was sitting on a towel. Here’s another old puppy pic I found.
My nephew, Blake, came out to visit. His favorite band, Blink 182, is playing here this weekend. I bought VIP tickets so we had access to the private entrance and we took a picture in front of the Blink 182 truck. Jake was so happy to see us when we returned. As a puppy, he would always sleep with Blake when he came to Denver. Now that his leg is injured, it’s hard for him to jump on and off the bed. He really prefers to stay on the floor and sleep on his own bed these days. But since this was a special weekend, we boosted him up on the bed to sleep with Blake one more time.
More blood tests. Unfortunately, his ALT count (liver enzymes) is still high due to the chemo, and probably the Rimadyl. Dr. Hedlin was out on Monday when we came in for his leg but when she saw him yesterday, she agreed that it’s probably a CCL injury. The oncologists at CSU want to delay his second dose of Lomustine (CCNU) until the numbers improve. He’s not a good candidate for surgery to repair the CCL while his blood work is off. Dr. Hedlin suggested a leg brace in the interim to help provide stability.
Yesterday, I took Jake on his morning walk. He was doing his typical route, stopping to check messages and marking everything. At one point, he fell behind and I called his name to hurry him along. He trotted over to me. In the middle of a yard, he yelped like he stepped on something and started limping. I figured there was just something stuck in his pad but when we got home, I couldn’t find it. He wouldn’t put any weight on it the rest of the day and stuck to his bed. I took him to Aspenwood Animal Hospital when they opened this morning for an exam. They’re pretty sure he tore his ACL. Technically it’s called a CCL (Cranial Cruciate Ligament) in a dog but you get the idea. (And did you know a dog’s knee is called a stifle?) It’s apparently a common injury in Labs his age. They sent us home with more Tramadol for pain and started him on another medication called Rimadyl. Surgery is usually recommended to repair the tear. They also said that when one leg goes, the other follows within a few months. What a drag it is getting old, huh? Hey, but the tumor is completely gone. If I have to choose between an aggressive cancer and a bum leg, I’ll pick #2 any day.
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Eight years ago, Dad suddenly called us all home. Mom had reached the final days of her long illness. My plane landed in Florida and I went straight to the house. It was filled with family and friends and boiled shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico. I talked to her for awhile the night I arrived and loved her sharp sense of humor, even through the morphine haze. She soon went to sleep that night and I thought we would continue the conversation in the morning. For the next three days, she slept but we never talked again. I just sat on the bed with my dad, sister and brother, playing games, watching TV, and waiting. On the morning of August 16th, I watched her take her last breath, much like she watched me take my first. Jake came home from the breeders a few weeks later and everything hurt just a tiny bit less.On vacations now, when I step onto a beach for that first moment, I feel the sand against my feet and I swear I if I turned around just then, I might see her behind me on a lounge chair, auburn hair and olive skin, peering over a book and smiling. If our Mother’s Day post wasn’t enough to make you stop and call YOUR mom, do you think you might go do it now?
Jake started a different chemo drug called Lomustine (CCNU) on July 24th. Although it appears to be working, there are also many possible side effects and regular blood tests are required. We took him to Aspenwood Animal Hospital on July 31st for a follow-up blood test with Dr. Hedlin. Unfortunately, his neutrophils (white blood cells) were low and his ALT count (liver enzymes) was high. We waited a week and retested on August 12th. As you can see in this report, almost everything is back in the normal range with the exception of the ALT. Lomustine can cause chronic irreversible liver failure in dogs so we really want to be careful. He was scheduled to take his second dose tomorrow but the oncologists up at the CSU Animal Cancer Center want to delay it until his numbers get back to normal. We’ll retest again on August 20th.
Late lunch today so we could try something different. We went downtown to the Pooch Power Hour at Panzano’s. It’s an upscale Italian restaurant located in the Hotel Monaco (another pet-friendly hotel). The promotion runs every Sunday from 2:30 pm – 6:00 pm until further notice. The patio is right on 17th Avenue and I think every table had a least one dog sitting by it. We talked to everyone sitting around us. People are so chatty with complete strangers when there's a dog at their side. We ordered sausage sliders from the outdoor grill and a couple Stella’s on draft. Jake enjoyed his house-made Peanut Butter Pupcakes.
I closed on my house two years ago today. It was a long, complicated search, like most of them are I suppose. The first day I saw it, I thought the landscaping was perfect. No work needed there. But the interior? Oh, my. You don’t even want to know. It took a lot of time, money and labor to get it turned around but I love it now. I was fortunate to have help from several good friends. When I walk around the house, I see their input in every detail…large and small. It occurred to me today that Jake is the main reason I bought this place instead of a loft or a condo. He spent the day outside with Danny and me, lounging on the grass while we worked in the yard. Later, we cooked brats on the grill in the backyard. Oh, and by the way, I start my new job on Monday. How much better can things be? As Spalding Gray said, a perfect moment.
OK, something is working. Jake’s leg has improved dramatically. The bump has virtually disappeared and the wound has healed. Look at this posting or this one if you want to see the difference. Is it the Liposomal Clodronate or Lomustine? Antibiotics or anti-inflammatories? Positive thinking or prayer? Ah, does it really matter? It’s all about living in the moment, don’t you think? No more bandages for now. But you might see them pop up again when we need to accessorize. Everything looks good on a white background.
Here’s Jake at the Gates Tennis Center. It’s actually open to the public, something I did not know. It was renovated last year and now features 20 courts. They’re also hosting the Colorado State Open from September 11th – 20th. I’ve driven by this one hundreds of times but never stood here until today. That’s one of the things I enjoy about this process. Stopping the car, getting out and just absorbing the environment for a moment instead of rushing by at 40 mph.
Welcome to our 100th post. Last week, someone asked me to name some of my favorite entries. It dawned on me that I rarely look back at them. There will be plenty of moments for reminiscing someday. Right now, it’s all about real time. Back when we started this, I wasn’t sure how long it would last. Now we’ve hit the 3-month anniversary and we’ve packed some really memorable experiences into a short timeframe. So how do I pick one? I always liked the simplicity of our first post. And the origin of the name, That Soft Dog. The recent shoots at the Denver Broncos home field and the 9News Backyard were definitely unique. But I like them all in different ways. If you want a couple more ideas, try this Top 10 list:
Back in May, Jake and I were taking photos around the Children’s Museum and I spotted the sign nearby for Gates Crescent Park. Of course we needed to snag a shot for our collection of Denver Parks. I noted that Invesco Field was in the background across the highway and that it would be fun to try to get Jake on the turf somehow. So here you go. Jake down on the Bronco’s home field. This one was an awesome experience. I’ve been to plenty of games both here and at the old Mile High Stadium but I’ve never had an opportunity to stand on the actual turf. Sometimes Jake helps me do something new, too. Training camp starts today…Go Broncos!
We’ve been so busy with vet appointments and the more complicated photo shoots lately. I just realized it’s been awhile since I’ve taken Jake to a new park. Here’s another one on the sister city world tour, right on the bike path next to Cherry Creek Shopping Center.
Two things stick in my mind about these bronze sculptures:
The UPS truck dropped off Jake’s chemotherapy drugs this week. We were going to the CSU Animal Cancer Center today for his final biopsy of the clinical trial so I just took the medication up there. I figured that they are experts at giving pills to reluctant dogs. I’m so happy that we were able to participate in the liposomal clodronate study. I really do believe it slowed (or stopped?) the growth of his tumor. The ulceration is almost gone, too. And I’m also proud that we were part of a research study that may help other dogs, and possibly even humans, in the future. His next drug is called Lomustine (CCNU). They gave him 4 pills today and he’ll do this every 3 weeks indefinitely. He’ll also need to have his blood checked within 10 days after each dose to monitor side effects. But that will give us a good excuse to go visit his regular vet, Dr. Hedlin.
After a flurry of doctors’ appointments, Jake and I were ready for a proper lunch break. It’s great to see his usual routines restored. He seems mostly unconcerned about the bump on his leg. Sometimes he tries to get the bandage off but it’s not having an impact on his quality of life yet. And amazingly the ulceration is healing up quite a bit, probably due to the clinical trial treatment. I was pleasantly surprised to see its condition yesterday when I changed his dressing. Maybe the bandages will be able to come off occasionally? We headed downtown, with no particular destination in mind. On 17th Avenue, I noticed the patio at Steuben’s was almost empty. We snagged Doris Day parking right in front. It’s a fun throwback 50’s style diner with comfort food. I love the location in a converted auto-body repair shop. Like many table-service spots, you officially can’t have a dog on the patio but Jake’s good about sitting on the other side of the fence when you ask him. They brought him a bowl of water, too. Always appreciated. I ordered the cheesesteak and Jake helped me with the fries. Soon we were home, where Jake headed immediately for the oasis of the bathroom floor.
Although it’s been blisteringly hot lately, it was so mild this morning. Jake and I haven’t been on many trips lately due to his treatments & appointments, and my work commitments. Right now, his attitude is upbeat and his energy level has returned. You would never know anything was wrong except for his brightly-colored bandage. We were overdue for some fun so I thought I’d take him to the VERY dog-friendly Farmers Market in Cherry Creek and support some Colorado-based growers. I was buying fresh tomatoes and basil from a stand when I bumped into our friends, Jeff & Ryan. They missed Jake’s birthday party since they were out of town. We bought some steaks from a natural beef vendor there and quickly made plans for a last minute cookout at our house tonight. I’ve said it before but this dog is a canine version of Facebook when it comes to reconnecting old friends. So many unexpected connections happen when we go out.
Even though his leg has improved so much, I’m wary about leaving Jake alone too long until it’s fully healed. He’s pretty sneaky. He pretends not to notice the brightly-colored bandage when you’re in the same room. Give him an hour alone and it will be shredded like confetti. Susan and Larry live a few doors down so I asked if they’d watch him while I went to a job interview. Whenever Jake goes on a walk by their house, he makes a beeline to their front door. It’s made of glass so he can see their two Golden Retrievers, Marni and Montana. You’d think he was just greeting the dogs but he knows if he stands there long enough, Susan magically appears with a couple treats. She’s done that since he was a puppy.
Jake’s bandage gets changed daily now. The ulceration on his leg is looking much better. It’s not nearly as “wet” as it was a couple weeks ago. I doubt it will ever be completely back to normal but I think it is healing somewhat. My day was booked with meetings and I was worried about leaving him alone. He's not in pain but he wants that bandage off. If he’s unsupervised for too long, he shreds it. I definitely don’t want it to get infected. I called Aspenwood Animal Hospital to see if they could watch him. Jake stayed in Dr. Laura’s office the whole day, hanging out with her dogs on the cool floor. He’s always liked going to see her and I’m really glad that we have reasons to go back. It was also nice to drop him off at a vet and NOT have any procedures done on him for a change. When I picked him up, he had this cool bandana around his neck.
Today was the last of the 6 treatments in the CSU clinical trial. Mondays are always the same but now we know what to expect. Around 3pm, he throws up everything and has diarrhea. He always run a fever but tonight it’s actually not too bad. Only 103.7 degrees. He sleeps most of the day but by Tuesday morning he’s up early and ready to fetch the newspaper. We’ll see the oncologist soon for restaging. We are still considering chemo and surgery but we’ll know more soon.
Jake is taking a few medications right now. He’s on an antibiotic (Cephalexin) three times a day to prevent infection on his leg. He also gets an occasional pain medication (Tramadol) on Mondays. He’s taken heartworm pills for years and has always eaten them like they were treats. But there must be something about the antibiotic that he doesn’t like. Maybe the smell. Or maybe it bugs his stomach. I try to hide it in different foods. It only works a couple times before we have to move onto something else. At first I could wrap it in a piece of salami. Now’s he onto that trick and won’t touch it. Then I switched to a peanut butter on a cracker. That worked a few times. After that, a tortilla chip with spinach dip. I’m running out of pill delivery system ideas. He is so darn smart.
Jake went up to the CSU Animal Cancer Center for his weekly treatment. He has one more on July 13th and then we’re done with the clinical trial. After that, we do a new round of x-rays and an ultrasound so we can discuss the future options for him. He had the usual side effects tonight. Upset stomach and fever but they’re always gone by Tuesday.
As expected, the Westin Riverfront was phenomenal. The hotel was ready for Jake once again and treated him like a star. He met a lot of the staff who missed seeing him the first time but have been following his story ever since. One of them even brought her Golden Retriever, Stella, to hang out with Jake in the lobby for awhile. (Thanks, Courtney!) All in all, a very memorable weekend in a scenic location. I’m so glad we repeated this particular outing. And who knows…maybe we’ll be able to do it one more time?
We went to the Farmers Market in Vail and walked by the fire station on the way back. I know Dalmatians are usually known as the firehouse mascot but I think Jake would be a great substitute if they ever needed one. He even did a few of his tricks for the firemen.
There was a sweet little restaurant, Marketplace on Meadow Drive, right on a busy corner. We stopped to buy a couple drinks on their patio and noticed one table was empty, but had a sign that said, “Reserved for Julie & Larry”. Not surprising considering the prime viewing location. However, the parade hadn’t started so we asked the hostess if we could sit there until they arrived. Normally I wouldn’t even try something like that but having Jake around always alters the process a bit, and now I’m finding it always improves the outcome. Like a lucky charm. Eventually the manager came over to us and told us he seated the group in another location and that we were welcome to have the table for the day. SCORE! We ended up with this incredible view of the passing parade as it rounded the corner right in front of us. We had a couple extra chairs and when we noticed a family standing nearby, we asked them to join us. A grandmother, her daughter and their brand new grandchild…”Nana”, Lisa and Cadence. Great parade. Perfect setting. New faces and conversation. Such a fun outing and so wonderful to share the unexpected good fortune with someone else, too.
Jake, Dan and I headed back to the Westin for an afternoon nap. 
