HAD TO SAY BYE TO MY BEST FRIEND FOREVER

BEHIND EVERY BAND IS A STORY



I havent posted in a while only because this post is a hard one to write.

On January 22nd we got the news that Dakota had Cancer. The type of Cancer is called Canine Lymphoma (Lymphosarcoma). The Vet said "What Dakota has and the location of the cancer is rare and only about 1000 cases have ever been filed" OMG go fucken figure that Dakota is 1001...the options were chemo therapy or nothing. After talking it over with Bro and Dad and doing some extensive research about the cancer and also treatments we opted to try out the Chemo. What I learned from all the reasurch was that Chemo for Animals is not at tall the same at humans (no hairloss, or that much of a side effect because its a low dosage of the treatment). I know many people would not agree on what I did (I find myself looking back and thinking would I do the same thing all over again) but hey what it came down to was I have to try because if not then I would always wonder what if and ask myself if I did enough or really as much as I could do for him. The type of Cancer he had has no cure cancer and the Chemo would only extend the quality of life. Chemo Cycle- once a month vet visit blood work check, weight check, and chemo pill (by mouth) following with a daily steroid pill for 30 days till the Chemo Cycle will then be repeated.

January 25th HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAKOTA
Chemo day One 10:45AM
Dakota was a little not himself really tried and drinking lots of water. Loss of appetite for a few hours but by around 7ish when it was time for his walk he was acting himself.

Day Two
Still a little tired, urinating a lot more, and drinking lots and lots of water hahahaha you can tell me was totally my dog because I am a fish lol but no really side effects from the chemp other than that. What they told me the Steriod pills would do.

Day Three
Totally himself running jumping eatting everthing you give him and just happy happy happy
I took him on a mini road trip this day to Fort Myers. Mom Dad Bro Dakota and I would go every year so I really wanted to do this. We both had fun he ran around went into the water for a while and then just sat on the beach. It was fun just him and I !!

Day Four
All is soooooooooooo great!!
We went to the pool place and did a few things around the house

Day Five
Loving this dog more and more every day ... for the past few weeks I have been sleeping with him in the guest room haha its a routine thing now and he has been going with me everywhere. It feels like old time when I was on O-town I never went anywhere without him even out to dindin he would come and we would eat outside haha

Day Six
I THINK THE CHEMO IS WORKING... I have so much hope in this because if you think about it this dog is not your normal dog .. he is a fighter.. ok ok ok when he gets attacked he does not fight but every other time in his life he has fought for his life!! The will to live is more powerfull than just giving up and if anyone can fight this it is him!!!!

Day Seven
My hope is so high right now and I want him to re-wright those text book cases... he is doing so great and the sadness I felt has totally gone away!

Day Eight
Down Hill in a mater of hours
I left him this morning and he was doing fine.. when I got home around 12:30 he was walking slow, acting different, and really not even looking himself. I gave him a few treats took him outside and he just seemed to be werid. He was still himself coming when I called him , wagging his tail but I knew something was not right. I went upstairs to do something and when he came he put his head on my bed as if he wanted to lay next to me, then he jumped 1/2 way up (front paws on my bed, and back legs still on the floor) I told him to get up a few time but it looked like he thought he didn't have room to jump. When that happens I usually grab his collar, tug it towards me, say get up and he jumps up. This time when I did that he turned to my hand on my collar and bit me. He got me good. I did not yell nor did I do anything to stop him . I felt that he bit me because I hurt him somehow. I went downstairs and he followed me I told my bro not to touch Dakota. He got scared and we all went outside. Bro asked me what happened and told him what I did and I also said I think when I tugged him his stomach touched the bed and that hurt him .... and is only initial reaction was to bit me to stop me from tugging. I called the vet and we went in... when they examined him he was having abdominal pain so she recommended a pain shot and also pain patch. I said yes, but I knew it was time to start thinking of when I was gonna make that decision I have been dreading the past few weeks. When dad got home from work we all talked about it and I made the decision to put him down tonight. The pain management shot will only work for a day or so and the patch only three days, and I could not see Dakota suffer so I knew I had to do this. We gave Dakota cake, human food, and treats. Then we went back to the vet.

Alyssa, Julie, Bro and I were around Dakota, they gave us as long as we wanted with him... I took him outside and said my goodbye and at 10:33pm FEB 1 2007 we let him go. This was by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do!

DAKOTA I LOVED YOU SOOOO MUCH AND MISS YOU MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW!! I AM SORRY ABOUT EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!