Mega massive vibes for Lazlo urgent

Thanks Carolina for updating for Laurie. She is having problems with internet of all days.......

OK Can I do a teeny dance here????? I know that the number's MUST mean that the tumor has shrunk if it is a 4

down from a 7. That is just incredible!!!!!!!

Laurie, I am just so glad that this day is over and you are all home safe and sound . that you will get the full results in detail tomorrow . Hugs and kisses to you tonight. All will be just fine, I just know it

Lazlo's tumor shrunk from 7 to 4 that's great

What a lot of frustration today. I'll be glad, as I know you will Laurie, when you get the full results interpreted properly. I think using the services of your own vet for the ultrasounds from now on will cut down on a lot of stress, and you can all do with less of that!

xx

to all, thank you!

And thanks Carolina, for updating (and talking me through the insanity LOL).

Don't have an update. Our vet doesn't start until 10:30, and I assume it'll take her some time to get a hold if the tech. I won't call to bug her until later this afternoon.

But this is definitely the end of the ultrasound drama. We'll be taking Lazlo to the local vet in the future. This all happened because the oncologist wanted us to have his follow-up ultrasounds done on the same machine, preferably with the same tech. I understand this, it has to do with the calibration of the machines. My doc has me get my mammograms done at the same place each time for the same reason.

That said... had we known it was going to be such a process, and that Laz would potentially have to sit in a cage all day, waiting - not able to pee (because he won't) or eat, we would have skipped all this despite the request.

Our local vet practice has some great vets. But when we still thought Lazlo's vomiting problem was hairballs, and the local vet was at the point where the next step was an ultrasound (which we should have done then!!!!!!), we decided to see if Chumley's holistic vet could help with alternative treatment. So that's why we were there when the cancer was discovered, and thus the first ultrasound was done there.

Such is life.

We are, of course, upset about yesterday's fiasco. The MOST disappointing part, of course, is that all of that torture for Lazlo (and us) might have been for naught - because they didn't schedule the same tech (a mobile service) to do the ultrasound!!!!!!

We don't know if they're giong to ask us to bring him back in for another... or if upon speaking to the tech our vet will get results that make sense.

On the ultrasound results notes page, we could see all the numbers clearly. We just couldn't read what any of them were for (they measure everything - pancreas, stomach, esophagus, &etc). But there was definitely nothing clearly marked as "gastric mass," which there was on the previous two ultrasounds.

Last time, the mass was 7.18cm x 2.6cm. The vet started to read us the news, and was all excited, because the first number was 4.03cm... but the number after that was 4.15cm. We asked if it was possible for the mass to change shape like that - and if so, did it mean it was growing? She said no, the number just makes no sense.

The good news is the biggest number in the notes started with a "4," so we're hopeful that means there was big shrinkage in the tumor. But we just don't know.

If another ultrasound is required now, we'll be going to the local vet.

They have a high resolution ultrasound in house. We can make an appointment for it, we don't have to drop off Lazlo. The owner is the one that does the ultrasound. They send the images electronically to a contracted radiologist (same person every time) who interprets them. So while we don't get results right away like we do (or are supposed to) at the current vet practice, the local vet is 10 minutes away, so FAR less stress involved all the way around.

Even if we can get numbers that makes sense from yesterday's ultrasound, we'll take Lazlo to our local vet to get another one, so we have a baseline from that machine to compare next month's ultrasound.

Thanks for listening to the rant, for the support, sorry for the drama, and we await anxiously for news today!!!!

[size=+2]WE HAVE NEWS![/size]

OK, why the number is COMPLETELY different than anything written on the sheet, we have no answer. That said....

The mass is now 5.24cm x 2.1cm. That second number (4.15) included both walls, so had to be divided by 2.

OK - it's not the 4.03cm we thought it was going to be... but it still shrank 27% (actually a little more if looking at it from a total volume standpoint) from last month, and is down almost 40% from when it was first discovered.

The comments we couldn't understand were that the lymph nodes are NOT enlarged any longer!

And the "complete loss" comment was a GOOD thing and in reference to the observation of something in the stomach lining.

The nodules are normal, and were in reference to observations of characteristics of the gastric mass.

So.....



Now let's hope the oncologist is as happy!

Yay! It shrunk! Way to go, Lazlo! I'm so happy for him!

I can understand your frustration and poor Lazlo, going through everything. Bless his heart.

Yay! Go Lazlo!!!

I'm so glad there was good news for you, despite the drama.

: blobpink:

I've got tears in my eyes - I'm so happy for you, Laurie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Carolina

...

Click to expand...

Ha! I just totally LOL'd.... and I'm totally saving this graphic!

AC

I'm so happy to see the cancer is shrinking, responding to the chemo, Laurie. What happy happy news.

So now he starts round three....is he going to get both meds each time again, or alternating?

Awwww hun,that's fantastic news x

Wow, what an ordeal! But that is great news to finally hear after all of that! Keep it up Lazlo!

This is incredibly wonderful, Laurie! All your perseverance is paying off! Congratulations on the latest readings. I'm so happy for you both (and Lazlo too, of course!)

WOO HOO for Lazlo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am just totally jumping and dancing to hear ALL of this wonderful news. I guess in the end and after such a stressful, frustrating day it was worth it on some level I am SO relieved to hear this fantastic news. I feel a crazy dance coming on ......

Happy for all of you. Very, very happy.

((((((((((HUGS))))))))))

Originally Posted by otto

I'm so happy to see the cancer is shrinking, responding to the chemo, Laurie. What happy happy news.

So now he starts round three....is he going to get both meds each time again, or alternating?

Click to expand...

We don't actually know what meds he'll be given for round three. After the results of round 1 were "disappointing" (even though Laz was on depo, and he started slowly because he didn't want to damage the stomach wall lining) to the oncologist, he switched up the meds he gave vs. what was planned for round 2, and then adjusted the dosage. It obviously worked.

So I don't know if we keep using the same meds (first three weeks, a combo of cytoxan and velban (VinBLAStine), last week Adriamyacin)... or if he'll do another switch up. We'll find out when we take Laz in next week, and I don't know what day we're in. Monday's a holiday, and we HAVE to go to NYC on Tuesday. So we're probably there Wed or Thurs, but they haven't gotten back to me yet.

Originally Posted by Carolina

: blobpink:

Click to expand...

And yes, you told me so!!!! And as per instruction, I am repeating after you:

From now on, I will only think of the positive possibilities! Until proved otherwise.

Originally Posted by Feralvr

WOO HOO for Lazlo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am just totally jumping and dancing to hear ALL of this wonderful news. I guess in the end and after such a stressful, frustrating day it was worth it on some level

I am SO relieved to hear this fantastic news. I feel a crazy

dance coming on ......

Click to expand...

Right? At least we don't have to redo it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yay!! Wonderful news.

Originally Posted by LDG

[size=+2]WE HAVE NEWS![/size]

OK, why the number is COMPLETELY different than anything written on the sheet, we have no answer. That said....

The mass is now 5.24cm x 2.1cm.

That second number (4.15) included both walls, so had to be divided by 2.

OK - it's not the 4.03cm we thought it was going to be... but it still shrank 27% (actually a little more if looking at it from a total volume standpoint) from last month, and is down almost 40% from when it was first discovered.

The comments we couldn't understand were that the lymph nodes are NOT enlarged any longer!

And the "complete loss" comment was a GOOD thing and in reference to the observation of something in the stomach lining.

The nodules are normal, and were in reference to observations of characteristics of the gastric mass.

So.....

Now let's hope the oncologist is as happy!

Click to expand...

Lazlo