Keystone State Thread

PCTaco · Mar 13, 2024

Devious6 said: ↑

So, did you all miss me?

What a horrible month this has been. About 5 weeks ago, our 8 year old Lab, Sunny, suddenly stopped running and jumping. We watched her for a few days and then took her to the Vet. With no other symptoms, she was treated for a possibly muscle strain or pinched nerve in her back. A week later, with no improvement, our Vet shot an x-ray of her back that showed a potential slipped disc. She referred us to a neurologist in Allentown (Dr Tracy at Eastern PA Veterinary Medical Center in Fogelsville). I drove Sunny down the next morning and went through their ER process to get to see the neurologist. He set Sunny up for a CT Scan the following Tuesday with follow-on back surgery, if needed.

Monday night our 13 year old Lab suddenly vomited and had trouble walking/maintaining her balance. The next morning, she refused to eat. I left the house at 6AM to get Sunny to her CT scan. I waited and finally, at about 4 that afternoon the neurologist came out to get me. He took me into a private room - I knew this would not be good news. The CT scan showed a mass surrounding her spinal cord. His diagnosis was the rarest form of a rare spinal tumor along with some form of lymphoma. He had done a spinal tap but needed to wait for the lab results which would take a few days. I took Sunny home, arrived about 9 PM that night and slept with her on the laundry room floor as she struggled to come out of the anesthesia.

We took our 13 year old to the Vet the next day where she was diagnosed with Old Dog Vestibular Syndrome. Fortunately, it generally fixes itself in a period of days to weeks. Duffy would rarely eat anything, sometimes a piece of lunch meat but always knew when I hid any medication in it and would spit it out. So, I had to shove the meds down her throat. She went for almost two weeks eating just a bit of lunchmeat each day, turning her nose up at any type of dog food.

In the meantime, Sunny ate anything I put in front of her - thanks to the steroids and gabapentin she was on. Then both dogs developed explosive diarrhea. I slept on the floor in the laundry room for a week, getting up hourly to take them out. We got new meds and finally stopping (literally) the stream.

The next week we got the test results confirming the tumor and cancer. It had spread to at least one lymph node. I scheduled a phone consult with a radiation oncologist in Malvern for Thursday (of last week). In the meantime, we noticed Sunny slowing down day by day, having more and more trouble with standing up and walking - the results of the tumor pressing on her spine. Still she was happy and eating/drinking - and seemed to be without any pain. The consult was promising but dependent on the size of the tumor, it's actual location and how far the cancer spread. We set up a new CT scan for today with 5 follow-on radiation treatments along with a chemo consult. Sunny got to the point where I could set an alarm for 3 to 4 hours during the night and then take her out for a walk. She got good sleep, I didn't.

The day after the consult, we noticed Sunny's eyes were different, one pupil opened completely. Again, she showed no signs of pain but would rub her muzzle as if that side of her head itched. Over the next two days she lost more and more control of her back legs and stopped walking except when she had to go out. She slept, ate and went to the bathroom. That is not a good life for any dog and so we knew we needed to let her go. On Sunday night before we let her go, my wife and I along with Sunny and Duffy slept on the laundry room floor. We spread out blankets and dog beds and had a potato chip[ and dip party. Both our dogs love(d) chips.

On Monday morning we took her to our Vet and helped her cross the Rainbow Bridge, stroking her ears and looking into her eyes as she went.

In one month Sunny went from a happy, running and jumping 8 year old lab to a plodding, unsteady terminally ill girl. Crushing. Two days later I'm still shedding some tears. Fortunately, Duffy is doing really well, putting on weight and running more than she has in years.

Hugs your fur babies. Life can change in an instant.

Click to expand...

My deepest and most sincere condolences. I've gone through this way too recently for it to not hit hard.

steelcity2 · Mar 13, 2024

Charlie Too said: ↑

70 degrees. Thank you Punxy Phil.
Click to expand...

Yea right , got the first cut in.

BlackWagon · Mar 13, 2024

@Devious6 so sorry for the loss

BkerChuck · Mar 13, 2024

@Devious6 my deepest condolences on your loss

TacoTwoDay · Mar 13, 2024

Devious6 said: ↑

So, did you all miss me?

What a horrible month this has been. About 5 weeks ago, our 8 year old Lab, Sunny, suddenly stopped running and jumping. We watched her for a few days and then took her to the Vet. With no other symptoms, she was treated for a possibly muscle strain or pinched nerve in her back. A week later, with no improvement, our Vet shot an x-ray of her back that showed a potential slipped disc. She referred us to a neurologist in Allentown (Dr Tracy at Eastern PA Veterinary Medical Center in Fogelsville). I drove Sunny down the next morning and went through their ER process to get to see the neurologist. He set Sunny up for a CT Scan the following Tuesday with follow-on back surgery, if needed.

Monday night our 13 year old Lab suddenly vomited and had trouble walking/maintaining her balance. The next morning, she refused to eat. I left the house at 6AM to get Sunny to her CT scan. I waited and finally, at about 4 that afternoon the neurologist came out to get me. He took me into a private room - I knew this would not be good news. The CT scan showed a mass surrounding her spinal cord. His diagnosis was the rarest form of a rare spinal tumor along with some form of lymphoma. He had done a spinal tap but needed to wait for the lab results which would take a few days. I took Sunny home, arrived about 9 PM that night and slept with her on the laundry room floor as she struggled to come out of the anesthesia.

We took our 13 year old to the Vet the next day where she was diagnosed with Old Dog Vestibular Syndrome. Fortunately, it generally fixes itself in a period of days to weeks. Duffy would rarely eat anything, sometimes a piece of lunch meat but always knew when I hid any medication in it and would spit it out. So, I had to shove the meds down her throat. She went for almost two weeks eating just a bit of lunchmeat each day, turning her nose up at any type of dog food.

In the meantime, Sunny ate anything I put in front of her - thanks to the steroids and gabapentin she was on. Then both dogs developed explosive diarrhea. I slept on the floor in the laundry room for a week, getting up hourly to take them out. We got new meds and finally stopping (literally) the stream.

The next week we got the test results confirming the tumor and cancer. It had spread to at least one lymph node. I scheduled a phone consult with a radiation oncologist in Malvern for Thursday (of last week). In the meantime, we noticed Sunny slowing down day by day, having more and more trouble with standing up and walking - the results of the tumor pressing on her spine. Still she was happy and eating/drinking - and seemed to be without any pain. The consult was promising but dependent on the size of the tumor, it's actual location and how far the cancer spread. We set up a new CT scan for today with 5 follow-on radiation treatments along with a chemo consult. Sunny got to the point where I could set an alarm for 3 to 4 hours during the night and then take her out for a walk. She got good sleep, I didn't.

The day after the consult, we noticed Sunny's eyes were different, one pupil opened completely. Again, she showed no signs of pain but would rub her muzzle as if that side of her head itched. Over the next two days she lost more and more control of her back legs and stopped walking except when she had to go out. She slept, ate and went to the bathroom. That is not a good life for any dog and so we knew we needed to let her go. On Sunday night before we let her go, my wife and I along with Sunny and Duffy slept on the laundry room floor. We spread out blankets and dog beds and had a potato chip[ and dip party. Both our dogs love(d) chips.

On Monday morning we took her to our Vet and helped her cross the Rainbow Bridge, stroking her ears and looking into her eyes as she went.

In one month Sunny went from a happy, running and jumping 8 year old lab to a plodding, unsteady terminally ill girl. Crushing. Two days later I'm still shedding some tears. Fortunately, Duffy is doing really well, putting on weight and running more than she has in years.

Hugs your fur babies. Life can change in an instant.

Click to expand...

My heart aches for you and your wife. The loss of pets is so painful. It took 3 months before I stopped regularly tearing up after the loss of my last one. They always leave us too soon. I'm actually getting a little emotional thinking about her and what you and your wife have gone through.

so sorry for what you have gone through. thank you for sharing and yes, we miss you around here, too.

Devious6 · Mar 14, 2024

Good morning fellow Pennsyltuckyvanians and Othertuckystatians!! Time to start back into normalcy again...but, damn, I miss that girl!

steelcity2 · Mar 14, 2024

Devious6 said: ↑

Good morning fellow Pennsyltuckyvanians and Othertuckystatians!! Time to start back into normalcy again...but, damn, I miss that girl!
Click to expand...

GM Mark. 74 degrees today ! Enjoy the weather everyone.

Edit: think I just heard on KDKA we might get to 79° !

Charlie Too · Mar 14, 2024

Good morning PA.

BkerChuck · Mar 14, 2024

Happy Pi day.

steelcity2 · Mar 14, 2024

From the @PennSilverTaco thread
Happy Birthday buddy !

Charlie Too · Mar 14, 2024

steelcity2 said: ↑

From the @PennSilverTaco thread
Happy Birthday buddy !
Click to expand...

X2. Happy birthday.

Tatts521 · Mar 14, 2024

Good morning Pennsylvania and surrounding areas. @PennSilverTaco happy bday.

TacoTwoDay · Mar 14, 2024

Happy birthday @PennSilverTaco and happy Pi day!

I'm going to go sit with the tattoo artist today and get more work done on my back piece.

Tatts521 · Mar 14, 2024

It's always a kick in the nuts when you don't have the correct tools. So went out and bought a 290 piece husky tool set. Didn't want to but also tired of looking through my garage for 1 socket. It's needed anyways.

steelcity2 · Mar 14, 2024

Tatts521[OP] said: ↑

It's always a kick in the nuts when you don't have the correct tools. So went out and bought a 290 piece husky tool set. Didn't want to but also tired of looking through my garage for 1 socket. It's needed anyways.
Click to expand...

Buy once , cry once , set for life .

PennSilverTaco · Mar 14, 2024

PennSilverTaco said: ↑

I am able to REALLY test the A/C today. For those of you new to my thread, my HVAC control shorted out; I replaced it with one from a totaled 2007 Taco, and the polarity is reversed, so that's why it looks like the heat is cranked. The A/C works great though!

Click to expand...

Today is perfect air-conditioner testin' weather...

PennSilverTaco · Mar 14, 2024

PennSilverTaco said: ↑

Today is perfect air-conditioner testin' weather...

Click to expand...

A/C works great!

PennSilverTaco · Mar 14, 2024

PennSilverTaco said: ↑

A/C works great!

Click to expand...

Though my original HVAC control shorted out, and the local dealer wanted like a grand, so I bought controls from a totaled 2007 Taco for $150; I now have topsy turvy HVAC that looks like the heat is cranked when the A/C is cranked, and vice versa...

Tatts521 · Mar 14, 2024

Got too hot for my liking. Plus a 24 yr old car been fighting rust all day. Sprayed everything with pb blaster. And called it a day on the accord. Have to buy new headlights now found a fist size hole in the bottom of the passenger headlight. Oh and guess business is slow new boss gave me the day off.

Charlie Too · Mar 14, 2024

Some person(s) stole 18,000 Jagr bobbleheads that were to be given away. Jagr is on the job, searching for the culprit(s).
https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/t...ame-for-stolen-jaromir-jagr-bobbleheads-x0561

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