Feline Lymphoma - Gigi's continued treatment

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Sufi-Lynn

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Hi, Everyone!

Yesterday marked Gigi's third week of chemotherapy to treat her lymphoma. They did a complete blood panel on her, and the technician was jumping up and down, waving the test results...Her blood work was perfect!!! Everything was straight down the middle "NORMAL" in every result :mrgreen:

Overall, she looks great and is back to her playful self! Her oncologists and I couldn't be happier with her response to the treatment protocol. At this rate, she should attain complete remission very soon :) Last week, all signs of the abdominal mass was gone, and her palpable lymph nodes were all back to normal.

If anyone has ever had their kitty diagnosed with lymphoma and was given the Wisconsin Protocol, I would really appreciate hearing from you. I would like to know how other kitties responded to the treatment and how long they continued to live a good quality life.

So far, the only side effects that Gigi has experienced was lethargy the first day of chemo. Her fur is still intact and she hasn't had any nausea. The clinic has her on several medications to help reduce the chance of nausea, which must be working.

I hope the wonderful results we've had will encourage anyone else who receives this frightening diagnosis with their own beloved furbaby. Gigi's quality of life is better now than before her treatment began. Her quality of life is the most important measurement of success in my eyes and in the eyes of her oncologists. They just want to give her the longest, happiest life possible.

If anyone would like more details on the protocol or anything else, please feel free to PM me anytime!

Thank you all for your well-wishes and support. Please check out Gigi's page on our website: http://www.bellasierra.com/15.html

I'll continue to post updates as we continue our journey.

Hugs to each of you and your precious furkids,
Lynn and Gigi
 
that's fantastic news Lynn!

this is still a bit tough but if it helps in any way i can do it. as i mentioned, Spazzie was diagnosed with lymphoma and we did the wisconsin protocol. i know this doesn't sound like the best of news but read thru please. Spazzie lived only about 5 months from suspicions of something was wrong to diagnosis to treatment to her journey to the Bridge. But what I want to point out though and what I think is most important is that Spazzie was 14 years old and to be honest, we probably caught it too late and in all honesty, we don't think Spazzie's family had/has the best gene pool. She was the second of her family we lost to cancer and we actually think she probably had it for awhile but her system was aggravated by the loss of her best friend, Kitty, at the end of July because it was just a couple days after losing Kitty that Spazzie was "off". at first we thought it was grieving but after a week of her new behavior we took her to the vet as something was wrong.

hers was classified as intermediate grade and she initially responded well to treatment. she did have some nausea after chemo treatments but took meds for that and did well with that. she never lost her hair although her belly hair where she was shaved for ultrasound & biopsies never grew back in. my vet told me though that would happen and that with cats they tend to lose their whiskers moreso than their hair and indeed, Spazzie's did start falling out a couple months into treatment. needless to say i collected them and still have them. anemia was also a problem we had to battle after a few months of treatment.

a few weeks before christmas though, the cancer started to win out and started growing faster than the chemo could kick it's arse and we were talking about possibly switching to different drugs but Spazzie was slipping away too quickly and we knew she wanted to go be with her best friend, Kitty, again. I have come to the realization that in our case that was what was meant to be, best friends together in this life and the life after.

it sounds like your kitty is younger, healthier and responding well and that is the best news. i can say for certain though that thanks to what I've learned via my journey with Spazzie and hearing about other kitties, I would do it again in a heartbeat.
 
Hi, Cindy!

Thanks again for sending the supplements :)

I'm keeping a close eye on Gigi and how she reacting to the treatments. I keep a log that documents her meds and I write down any changes in her behavior. Since I'm unemployed right now, I spend most of my time here at home so I can be with her.

She's one smart little kitty and has realized that if she turns up her nose at the Fancy Feast or other canned cat food, I'll give her a treat to make sure she will eat at least something. Now, even when I give her a can of food I'm sure she likes, she'll talk to me and refuse to eat until I get out the bag of freeze dried chicken or Temptations :) When I'm not looking, she'll go back and eat her canned food. What a character!!! She is very good at training me to get her way :lol:
 
That is such great news Lynn. I am thrilled for you and Gigi.

Just to remind folks, Diabetic Cats in Need is collecting donations for Gigi's treatment. We have almost $600 in her account (which includes a $200 pledge from the fund's "free" balance), but that's coming nowhere near the $7600 it is expected the diagnosis and treatment will take. Lynn, who is presently unemployed, is doing a great job selling off some of her prized possessions to keep current with the pay-as-you-go treatments. Those "prized" possessions are far less prized than Gigi. But there will come a time when the "goods" are gone and Lynn will need help.

If you spare some change, a link to donation instructions is in my signature line.
 
Hi Lynn:

I am so sorry to say that I hadn't seen any of your earlier posts about your sweet Gigi and didn't know about her diagnosis or illness.

It's wonderful that she's responding to treatment so well. Thank you SO much for e-mailing me and letting me know what's going on. I will be in touch with you.

Sending loads of healing prayers your way for your baby.

Still hoping to get down there once our little emergencies up here end and we're able (hopefully) to travel again.

Sending hugs,

Emmy & Dude (& Mittsi too)
 
I spoke to Lynn last night, after Gigi's weekly Wednesday trip to the oncologist. Gigi is still coming along remarkably well with her treatment. I am just so pleased that this was DX early, and that treatment started almost immediately.
 
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