So long, dear friend

We learned today that Kali has cancer. Lymphoma. It is in lymph nodes all over her body and has affected her kidneys too. Since it has spread so much, there is nothing the vet can do to help her except make her comfortable for a little while longer. Maybe a few days. Maybe a few weeks.

It all started a couple weeks ago. On a Thursday, Kali didn't eat at all (except to clean up the floor under the kitchen table). Friday, Saturday and Sunday... no food eaten. During this time she also threw up and obviously had an upset tummy. On Monday I took her to the vet and he ran some blood work, checked for parasites, and did a full exam but found nothing. Her values for something with her kidneys were a little high, but not concerning and he thought it was because she hadn't eaten for several days. He gave us some pills for her obvious symptoms, and said to start her on bland canned dog food and some boiled chicken and white rice. She ate two meals of the chicken and rice, but that was it. By Thursday night she was looking pretty bad. So that Friday we took her back to the vet; another exam didn't find anything, but additional blood work showed those kindey values were rising. Not a good sign. The vet thought it might be a kidney infection. Kali was also a bit dehydrated, so they gave her some IV fluids and sent her home with some antibiotics. That weekend she ate a bit of table food here and there, and Saturday seemed to be doing pretty good. But it was short-lived. By Tuesday she was only licking ice cubes. Nothing else. I took her in again on Tuesday and she was given more IV fluids and her blood checked again. Kidney levels were a bit higher, but she wasn't in kidney failure yet. More tests, more IV fluids, and finally an ultrasound this morning confirmed our worst fears. Kali has cancer. And it's not going to get any better.

So now we begin to say good-bye to our loyal and faithful friend. She's been a good dog. Wonderful with the girls. Protective of our house. Playful, a bit quirky, and eager to please.
Kali is back home with us again now. But most likely only for a few days. We'll miss Kali's front leg popping up over our arm when we reach down to pet her. We'll miss her cleaning up under the table after a meal. We'll miss having her around and playing in the backyard. We'll miss knowing she kept the house safe while we were gone. We'll miss you, Kali.

Got a little too close to flying mac and cheese

Not every dog looks this good in a pink sunhat

Hangin' with the trips

Greg's backyard buddy

Wishing you a Merry Christmas, 2005

Meredith lovin' on Kali

Listening to Meredith read a story

Very patiently eating her food... one piece at a time

Cleaning up the baby food bluberries that Meredith just splattered all over the floor and wall

Going for a walk

Kali loved chasing the laser light. It was her exercise when the vet said she needed to lose a little weight. So starting at 60 pounds, Kali chased that laser light around the backyard daily. She went with us to visit Greg's parents, who live on an acre of land, and Kali ran and ran and ran chasing that laser light. We called it 'Puppy Fat Camp'. At Kali's next check-up she weighed 40 pounds!

When Kali was about 2 years old, Greg started a garden in the back yard. He grew grape tomotoes and banana peppers. Which Kali loved. But she rarely tried to get them from the plant (they were fenced in, but she could have gotten one if she really wanted to!). Her patience was rewarded with her own share of tomatoes and peppers. And boy did she love to eat those!

Kali was very protective of our house. She had a bark that would make strangers on the front porch step back about ten feet after they rang the doorbell. She knew who was a stranger and who wasn't. When the man came to fix the heater, she barked the entire time he was in the house. Guess she didn't want him to forget she was there just in case. But when someone we knew came over, she didn't bark after we opened the door. She just knew.

When Meredith came along, and later the triplets, Kali didn't get nearly as much attention as she was used to. She had been our baby for 3 years. But she never complained. She was so gentle and patient with the girls. Sitting and eating her entire cup of food one... piece... at... a... time so that Meredith could have the joy of feeding it to her. Kali never snapped when one of the kids accidentally grabbed a handful of fur and pulled.

Meredith has been really sad since we told her that Kali has cancer and she just can't fight it much longer. We have done everything we can to try to help her get better. And the doctor did everything he can to help her get better. But the cancer was just too much for Kali's body and soon she will die. She made Kali a card to help her feel better for now.

This is the 6 of us with Kali. Notice Kali's 'bandiad' on her leg - a purple wrap from where she's gotten IV fluids in her leg, three time in a week. And the circle on her tummy - that's where the vet had to shave her belly for the ultrasound. The squares all over the picture? Meredith said that is Kali's favorite shape.

(I don't know why this flipped sideways, but I can't figure out how to fix it.)

Meredith, Amanda, and Melissa lovin' on Kali last night. Kali's got her brave face on.

So long, dear friend.