Tuesday Jan.26

Tues Jan 26

Took Ginger to local vet this AM for her bloodwork, then went to 5 different stores and finally found an outdoor dog kennel heating pad. Then went to (work related) community meeting. Vet called me 2 hours later (just as I was going into the meeting), 'very heartened with the changes in Ginger, her weight up to 38.8 (2.2 lb gain since Friday), abdominal mass palpates smaller and white blood cell count back up to normal, in fact a little elevated so sent her home with a refill on the Baytril antibiotics'. Sent the bloodwork to oncologist,Gave her the Cytoxan and Lasix. Also sub-cu fluids. I brought her home around 4 PM. We had to stop to pee on the way home, peed again when we got home, drank a lot of water. My husband let the other dogs out, they ran over, then stopped, sniffed her politely. I gave them all treats. She was shaking (it's very windy) so I then put her inside, fed her a bit, then took the other dogs for a brief run .... ran briefly then came to the trailer and waited. Ginger was standing at the door waiting. So, I backed the other dogs off (she wont come out if they're crowded around the door, (never has) let Ginger out, she drank a bunch more water, sniffed the other dogs, peed, then went back inside. I then had her lay down on the couch while I fixed the other dogs food. Meanwhile my husband was putting the outdoor dog heating pad in her dog house. (had to run a drop cord from the shed out to her pen, the wire to the pad is metal plated to avoid chewing) and it hooks up outside the pen I then got the food and let Ginger out, we went to the pens and I fed them 'as usual'. Ginger took a big poop after eating while I was in the shed so I cleaned that up (didnt look bad) using plastic gloves and great care , left them with their nightime chewies. I will bring her in at 8 PM to do her medication routine (its impossible to do out near the kennels, there is a light but its too dim to see things like pills) and let her stay inside until time for us to go to bed. I am praying the heated pad keeps her warm enough (there is straw, blankets etc in the dog houses) because if I can only get some sleep I may be able to carry on to help my sweet girl (whose splendid spirit continues to amaze all who meet her).

Your continued prayers and support are again, appreciated, more than you can ever know. I feel like Ginger (and I) have an entire team pulling for us, both here locally and all over the world.