Well, this is a post I thought I would never write. To say that my heart broke after receiving this news is an understatement. We were so excited to bring Sketchie home from the vet last week. As you may recall, he had exploratory surgery in an effort to determine his health issues (see this post for more info). I was convinced that he had IBD. To be honest, I was second-guessing our decision to proceed with the surgery. Would it even help him? Was it worth it to put him through all of this? I felt so unsure and conflicted.
Eric picked him up from the vet last week and I stayed back to finish up some work. He was gone a really long time which I thought was unusual. When I heard the door open I yelled, “Sketchieeee!!” like I always do in a high-pitched voice whenever I see him after being out. I ran down the stairs to greet them both and stopped in my tracks when I saw the look on Eric’s face. I knew something was terribly wrong.
After seeing Eric fight back tears I could only get out “what’s wrong?” in a choked up voice.
“Sketchie has lymphoma.”
I just collapsed into Eric’s arms. Completely lost it. The whole day was like one long nightmare. I wasn’t prepared for any of this. Even though the vet mentioned lymphoma might be a possibility, I thought “not Sketchie”. Eric explained that it’s small cell lymphoma (in his intestines) which apparently has a decent chance of responding to the treatment. I kept reading things online that treatment could help them live a few years (a few years?, I’d wail) and then I had to just stop reading about it. It was too much to process.
To make matters worse, Sketchie was still in a fair amount of pain, totally not himself and unsettled. Seeing the 15+ staples in his shaved belly was hard. It was a really difficult few days, but we gave him so much love and attention to try to help him feel better. His eyes looked so sad, obviously not knowing what the heck happened to his body. I’m so grateful though that the surgery went well without any complications.
So here we are a week and a half later still grappling with the news and trying to figure out what course of treatment we’re going to take. If anything, I’m so grateful that we were able to get the exploratory surgery to determine the root cause of his digestive issues and low B12. And that we caught it early. Knowledge is power!
I just want to thank you for thinking of Sketchie over the past couple weeks. Many of you left lovely comments and tweets and it really means a lot to me. I’d love to hear from those of you who might have had a similar experience with your pet and what treatment options you used. Right now, we’re open to exploring our options while keeping in mind his quality of life, above all.
The good news is that Sketchie is recovering well from his surgery! He’s a trooper! After 4-5 days, he seemed much more like himself. His appetite is back which is reassuring because he lost a lot of weight over the past 6 months. The spark in his eyes is back. Today he gets his staples out which I’m nervous about, so I hope it goes well and he’s not too traumatized by going back there so soon.
He’s still a young cat (7 years), so I’m hoping he will respond well to treatment. I know this one is not going down without a fight.
Now go on and hug your pets for me, will you?
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Updates:
In lighter news, I wanted to thank you for your incredible comments on my Cookbook Launch & Sneak Peek Post this week. I was on cloud nine all week seeing your tweets, Facebook messages, and comments come in. It really helped cheer me up and take my mind off things.
Newsletter:
I sent out the second cookbook newsletter yesterday, so be sure to check your spam box because they have a tendency to end up there. If you still haven’t received any newsletters yet, please add “[email protected]” to your email contact list to ensure that you get future newsletters. That should do the trick! If you’d like to read the 2nd newsletter in the meantime, you can do so on my book page (it’s linked near the bottom of the page).
New OSG Virtual Cookbook Blog Tour Reviews:
Check out these new reviews and don’t forget to enter the giveaways!
Dreena @ Plant Powered Kitchen (review, recipe, giveaway)
Kate @ Cookie + Kate (review, recipe)
Kaila @ Healthy Helper Blog (review, recipe, giveaway)
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies! (review, recipe, giveaway)
Kathy @ Healthy Happy Life (review, recipe)
Cadry @ Cadry’s Kitchen (review, recipe, giveaway)
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan (review, recipe, giveaway)
Nicole @ A Dash of Compassion (review, recipe, giveaway)
Livvy @ 86 Lemons (review, recipe, giveaway)
Ashley @ {Never} home maker (review, recipe, giveaway)
Emily @ Daily Garnish (review, recipe, giveaway)
Sarah @ The Sweet Life (review, recipe, giveaway)
Jess @ Get Sconed (review, interview)
Canada AM:
Lastly, I had two fun TV appearances this week. The first one was Tuesday morning on Canada AM. I somehow managed to get through LIVE TV without passing out. hah. You can find the link to watch the video at the bottom of my book page. Thanks to my friend Karly for the screenshot above!
Steven and Chris:
The second appearance was a taping for the Steven and Chris show. It was also a total blast! We made my Empowered Noodle Bowl with Orange-Maple Miso Dressing. I don’t have an official air date yet, but I will let you know as soon as I find out. It should be within the next week or two. I hear that it’s syndicated on the Live Well Network in the US, so hopefully those of you in the US can watch it online as well.
[a couple behind the scenes photos from Steven and Chris. Thanks to Ange for the bottom photo!]
Thank you again for making this week one I won’t soon forget. Have a great weekend!
i’m sorry about sketchie. i have used many alternative treatments that have surprised me and my vet who owns the largest private veterinary hospital ain the world. so, when i heard of your plight, i asked a friend, trish, who has a website called healedlives.com. it’s a site with testimonials about alternative successes. she didn’t have any testimonials but she contacted some of her sources and one replied. he’s a vet. the reply is:
Dear Trish: I have helped many people reverse aggressive lymphomsarcoma conditions in dogs and cats. This is not a guarantee that my procedure will work in every situation.
I talk about my approach extensively on my TV Programs on line at weismannutrition.com.
I take each case on a case specific procedure basis.
Please cal me if you would like to discuss this procedure further.
Best Vegan Wishes: Eric
Dear Angela, i have two small older dogs, and 3 amazing grandcats.
My heart aches for what you are going through.
Your precious kittie is so lucky to have such loving
Guardians. All positive thoughts sent your way.
May I add your cookbook is wonderful. Recipes delicious and
The cover with the spoon colors matching the parfait is gorgeous and front
And center on my bookshelf.
My heart is breaking. I don’t have any pet history with lymphoma, but my cat Ocho had an auto immune disease where he got terrible scabs on this head and face and in between his toe nails. We got it under control for a while with meds then it came back because the steroids caused so much weight gain.Then he became diabetic and we had to give him insulin shots every day. Then he started to balloon up in his abdomen because his penis died and he couldn’t pee. (I can’t make this up). So then we had his penis removed. (Again, can’t make this up). He stayed with us for about 6 more months after that. Our main concern was that he was happy and comfortable. We finally had to put him down when he was no longer in a good place. I’m sharing because there is still plenty of time to love him really hard and it felt really good to know we did everything we could for him. Our vet was amazing and let us pay a little late or break it up into payments. Everything will be ok. It might be hard but it will all be ok. Sending love.
Hi there. I read your story about your kitty. I’m very sorry for the kitty’s struggle. I noticed you mentioned his B12 levels. It sparked in my brain an article about feline EPI, which is a feline form of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. It involves a substance called Intrinsic Factor that pertains to B12 assimilation and I know it can be related to anemias that don’t always show up in a basic blood panel. If your veterinarian hasn’t done more in depth panels to determine possible pernicious anemia and issues with intrinsic factor it may be an excellent place to look. Although lymphoma is considered the major issue here, cancers and other devastating diseases rarely resolve or go into remission in the presence of an anemia. Please ask your doctor. I sincerely hope this helps you. Blessings.
Hang in there! Our pets are what make us happiest in the worst of times, they are always there for us and as a cat resuer myself I can’t imagine what you are going through! Stay strong and positive and all will work out for the best! Sending lots of love to all of you guys!
I’m SO sorry to hear about Sketchie. I truly feel your pain as a week ago we got bad news of about of beloved Radley, our 3 year old German Shepherd.
What we thought was an easy fix of a torn ligament in his leg, turned out to be severe early onset hip dysplasia and the vet told us he probably would not even be able to walk in a year…and we will have to put him down. I bawled. He’s my baby, and it’s so hard to walk through this with him. We are just trying to keep him as comfortable as possible for as long as he has, and love him to pieces.
Hoping all goes well for Sketchie’s recovery. :)
Oh no. I checked in today specifically looking for a Sketchie update. I have been worried. I am so sorry to hear about his diagnosis. I have no specific advice regarding leukemia, but I did have a similar experience when my cat was diagnosed with acute kidney failure. I was so terrified we were going to lose her, but luckily (knock on wood) she has been doing well with her treatments and we are hoping she will be with us for a long time. We are just doing our best to suck in every adorable moment and love her and appreciate her even more than we did before.
I just want to say thank you, thank you for loving your cat. You’re an influential person in so many ways, and it’s awesome to see compassion in your nature. We’ll pray for lil Sketchie!
So sorry about Sketchie, I have enjoyed following him via your blog. I have lost several pets to cancer. One cat and 2 dogs. The cat was a rescue we had a short time and they did not recomend treating as it was advanced. One dog was a rescue and same thing, metastatic liver cancer. Took her home and loved on her till she started having complications and then had her put to sleep. The other dog was like our baby and she had lymphoma too, we opted not to treat she lived 4 months once she was diagnosed and died in her sleep at home. It is hard to know what to do because you are their voice.
Hi Angela,
I have been following your blog for a while, and it is always full of things I love to share. I have been thinking about posting this for a few days, and thought I would now, because I know it has helped me a lot! I hope it can help you and Sketchie too. I’m an RN and also a Registered BioEnergetics Practitioner (R. BIE), located in the GTA. I really feel that the type of health therapy that I practice might be able to help Sketchie’s body to heal. It’s non-invasive, painless, and safe. If you’d like more information, feel free to contact me.
I am praying for beloved Sketchie and your sweet family, may god be with you at this time and always. All of my love, Lisa
I’m so sorry to read your loved one is dealing with a lymphoma diagnosis. My wife and I received news earlier this year about one of our babies having cysts covering her lungs. We chose to treat her with organic botanical herbs, and a multivitamin that claims to help with shrinking all types of cysts. So far her symptoms have decreased, and thats what we’re really focusing on at this point. I hope you find some comfort in knowing that you and your husband are giving Sketchy the greatest gift, which is a loving family, and a wonderful life. Best wishes to Sketchy, and many more hugs.
So so sorry to hear about Sketchie. I lost my dog late last year and it was the hardest thing but I am also so grateful I had her in my life. She could have ended up in so many homes; how lucky was I that she came into ours! No matter what, you know you gave Sketchie the best life a cat could ask for, and with any luck, she’ll be around for many, many years to come. Sending you love and support, from one animal lover to another. <3
Hi Angela,
I am so sorry to hear about Sketchie, He will be in my prayers with you and your husband. Praying for full recovery!!!
My heart goes out to you and Eric. As someone whose animals are like children, I cannot even begin to imagine what this news entails. (My own sweet girl goes in for surgery tomorrow morning to have a lump removed…praying it’s benign and that she heals okay.) I hope you find strength in knowing he has lived an amazing life through your love and kindness. Here’s something that may give you a chuckle: Sketchie is the reason I am reading your blog! My sister sent my mom and me a link saying how gorgeous this cat was. I took a look at the link, and then started exploring your blog more, and have hung around for almost five years. Needless to say, Sketchie isn’t the only thing bringing me back, but he was the reason for my first visit. :) Sending you a million hugs for this difficult time.
Angela, I’m so sorry to hear about Sketchie. I know what it’s like to be scared for a beloved pet’s life. I’m glad that you know what’s wrong so you can start treatment soon. Cookie and I will be sending lots of healing vibes from Kansas City!
Sad news indeed about sketchie. One of my dogs had that a long time ago and she received chemo treatments as well. She lived another 7 years from the time her treatments ended. Sketchie is lucky to have you. Hugs to you all.
Oh no! This breaks my heart for you. We had a similar situation with our cat a few years ago and I know just how hard it is. Sending you much love!
Hi Angela,
My heart goes out to you with the news of Sketchie’s diagnosis. Our cat, Henry, a 5 year old Himalayan, was diagnosed with lymphoma in August 2012. He was vomiting blood, losing weight, and acting lethargic when we took him to the vet. He was found to have a large tumor on his stomach that was causing the bleeding. His prognosis was very poor, but we made the decision to give chemo a try, even though it is not something I personally believe in for humans as a former oncology nurse. I searched everywhere for natural and supplemental treatments, but even the hollistic vets feel that chemo is best when it comes to lymphoma in cats. Henry responded well to the chemo and quickly began feeling better, even the vets were surprised by his response. Henry never had side effects from the chemo, but he hated the vet visits. The tumor shrank and Henry was in remission by February 2013. He was going for treatments every two weeks, then monthly. I supplemented his treatments with heat extracted Coriolus mushroom pills, which are used with chemo in Japan to reduce the drop in immune response, and probiotics. I tried to work in as much of a raw diet as Henry would tolerate, even though doctors and vets will tell you raw food and chemo are a no no due to risk of infection.
In December 2013, Henry suddenly began acting lethargic and was not as interested in food. I noticed his breathing was labored, so took him to the vet. His lungs were filling with fluid and it was suspected the lymphoma was back with a vengeance. We made the decision at that time to say goodbye. There is still a huge hole in our hearts.
The chemo was a gamble, but we got another 1 1/2 years with Henry, where he would not have made it another week without it. Our vet said she would see cats make it anywhere from 6 months to 3 years on the chemo, so the hope of another 3 years was a huge factor in our decison. Henry felt great while he was in remission, so we never felt like we were doing something selfish. We knew eventually the cancer would be back, but it made us appreciate every single day he was here. I would make the same decision, if I had it to do all over again.
Hi Andrea, Thank you for sharing Henry’s story. He sure was lucky to have your love and support! Sketchie recently started chemo (after speaking with many vets and coming to the same conclusion as you) and he is doing great so far and haven’t noticed any side effects yet. We’re hoping that since we caught it fairly early Sketchie will have a good chance of living a longer life. Ultimately, like you, his quality of life is #1 to me and I would not continue treatment if I felt like it was his time to go and his health was failing him. It really does make you appreciate every day with them though. Thanks for your comment…love to you and Henry!
Angela – I am so sorry to hear about Sketchie. Animals are such wonderful friends, and so often show us joy and love when we need it most. I am sure that Sketchie also feels the love you and Eric have for him. Some people believe animals have a 6th sense for things… well nothing can be stronger than his sense of how much “his people” love him! I hope that you all arrive at a healing solution for everyone.