Creek Running North

The other day you asked what was next.  Obviously, the answer is, “provide much-appreciated support to people whom you’ve never met.” Thank you.

oh, he is a very handsome pup!  and obviously loved, for good reason.

thoughts are with you and yours, charles.  xoxo

At first I thought Coalie was six feet tall. Then I realized the human-for-scale was a toddler and not an adult.

That is a handsome dog (and a snuggly one, apparently), and I’m sorry he’s sick.

Charles,
hugs to you and your loved ones, and many treats and kisses to Coalie.

what a handsome dog!

Sending you, Coalie, and your family light and love, Charles.  If you need support from people currently in similar circumstances, try http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/CanineCancer/.  I’ve heard it’s a good list.

oh my what a good lookin’ dawg.  just triple up on that Coalie-hug there for me, youngster! 

(and my god the Coalie EARS. oh skritch!)

very sorry for what grief you and yours are looking ahead to regarding this sweet guy, Charles.

Coalie is so handsome!

Sending along a hug and scritch from all the critters here, two-legged and four, for Coalie and for you. We have all our legs, arms, ears, eyelashes, and eyeballs crossed for a benign biopsy result.

I too have heard good things about the cancer board from several people who have been members.

Chris, thanks for posting Coalie’s picture and the space to send our healing wishes.

What a dashing fellow. One ear up, one down. Obviously a ladies’ man, and quite possibly an excessive womanizer in his younger days.

Charles,

Healing wishes and positive hopes to Coalie and rest of the family.

Sending many positives your way, Charles.  What a gorgeous dog - and very well loved by the looks of things.

I know this is obnoxious to say, because Coalie has his own wonderful unique personal style.

But I can’t help but think that if Zeke and Gilly had had an illicit love child, he’d have looked a lot like Coalie.

Thank you to everyone, you’re all very kind and we really appreciate it.  kabbage, we will try that link, thank you for posting it.  And Chris, that’s not obnoxious in the least.  I’m sure Coalie would be proud to be from such a distinguished lineage.  Actually we’ve never been sure what “kind” of dog Coalie is.  He was a rescue dog along with his brother, Caleb (who looks just like him except that Caleb is 15 pounds lighter and has two straight ears).  We think he’s some kind of shepherd but don’t really know for sure.  I don’t want to hijack Chris’ blog but when we get news of the biopsy I’ll let you all know.  I have to go now to feed him some treats, so thanks again.

news we want to hear is NOT hijacking, charles.  and we want to hear about coalie, and about you and the family.  good or bad.  you’re kind of stuck with us, since we are holding coalie in our hearts.

we’ve only had “all american” rescued dogs, too.  i love coalie’s ears!  such a fine boy.

Oh, he’s crazy handsome. And yes, a heart-jerk there, from the same kind of expression Gilly wears.

Sending more hugs to both you and Coalie, Charles.

Snuggles and pets to everyone involved, as appropriate.

Oh poor guy! Not sure if you read this blog frequently, but we just lost our old buddy Cheney in September. He had complications from degenerative myleopathy.
I really appreciated Chris writing about Zeke. It actually helped when it was Cheney’s turn, even though I had been through death with other dogs, but each one is so special, and each time it is different. Cheney was with us for almost 12 years.
So sad to hear that type of cancer is incurable in dogs. What a beautiful dog he is.So sad. I will be thinking of you.

Charles, I almost feel guilty in some sort of karmic sense.  A month ago, our vet found some suspicious growths on my ten-year companion pound-mutt, Kelsey.  I spent several anxious days waiting for the biopsies to come back, made all the more fearful because of a series of bad cancer news that flurried on my human family over the past decade.

Kelsey’s results came back benign, and we celebrated.

Having thought often in the suspense how I would feel if the news was bad puts me in a position to feel, maybe, a little of what you and your family do about Coalie.

I wish you the best in the time ahead.  And I wish Coalie treats and hugs and walks.

We just went by Petco and had a cheek swab done on our dog Chris - they will do a DNA test and see what they can determine about the breeds in him. They don’t have a profile for all breeds but we figured it would be fun even to learn which ones aren’t in there.

Here in the Sacramento area they are holding a swab-a-thon today. Test costs $70. In case you’d like to learn a bit more about Coalie’s heritage.

Wonder if they’d do hair. There’s a fabric office chair I haven’t cleaned in nine months.

We could finally answer that “wolf” question.

coalies ears, and his huggly person, keep him in my mind.  thinking of you and yours, charles.

Biopsy results are not yet back.  I suppose we’ll get them today.  We’ve (by “we” I mean my legally conjoined significant other) have been spending hours researching on line, learning about all the things it could be other than cancer, all of which are unpleasant in their own way.  Meanwhile, all Coalie really knows is that he’s getting more pets and scritches and treats than usual.  And we (again, not me per se) have been buying can after can of high-protein dog food, which Coalie really really really likes (if you listen carefully, those of you in neighboring states might be able to hear the gobbling and smacking at dinner time).  Thanks again for the wonderful messages; you people really are great.

The results are back and they are not good at all.  It’s a very aggressive form.  It looks like it’s just a matter of making him as happy and comfortable as we can for as long as we can. 

He’s a really good boy.

Oh, Charles.

I’m so sorry.

Good boy, Coalie.

((( charles ))))

scritches and love to coalie.

Oh, dear.  Kelsey’s going to get an extra-strong hug when I get home tonight.