Thursday, November 24, 2011

HAPPY THANKSGIVING



To all of my blog friends and faithful readers of La Casa de Towanda, I wish you a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving. I hope you will be spending the holiday with loved ones, enjoying good company and good food.

I will be going to my friends' house and we will have 12 people there, most of whom I know, and several other new ones to get to know.

This has been a tough year, but there is still much to be thankful for ... and I count ALL OF YOU among my blessings!

Enjoy your day!

Love, Sharon

Thursday, November 17, 2011

New wheels




My old Buick Century was 13 years old and in deteriorating shape ... it was time to get a new vehicle.

My son Brian came out to Santa Fe last week. We made a trip down to the Chrysler-Jeep dealership in Albuquerque and picked out a nice shiny brand new Jeep Liberty to buy.

It's perfect! It's wonderful! I have wanted a Jeep for years and years and finally here I am an old geezer and can drive around in this cool SUV.










Friday, November 11, 2011

Thank you to our veterans




To all the military men and women who have worn the uniform of our country, and preserved our liberty.

And especially to

My husband, John Hosenfeld
My son, Brian Hosenfeld
My Dad, Bernard Davis
My Brother, Jake Davis
My Brother, Steven Davis
My Uncle, Frank Davis
My Uncle, Patrick Russo
My Uncle, Arthur Lippens
My great-grandfather, John Couse
My Great-Great Grandfather, Leonard Davis

A grateful family salutes you all ...

God Bless you all for your service to this country ...

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Entering cancer care



Starman recovered very successfully from his episode of cluster seizures. Started on medication over ten days ago, he has had no seizure activity, and is acting like his old happy, contented self.

HOWEVER...the MRI and spinal tap indicate that something is in his brain, and the veterinary neurologist and oncologist have not been able to determine the exact cause. The test for lymphoma, the most common brain cancer in dogs, came back negative. It may be a more rare cancer ... or it might be an erratic immune system which is causing encehpalitis and swelling in the brain. So they are treating both, in hopes we can hit whatever the problem is.

Yesterday we had our first visit at the Cancer Center, which is adjacent to the Emergency and Specialty Clinic.



I am so impressed with everyone I have met and everything I have observed so far. They are professional and caring, and they do a lot of teaching so the pet owner does not feel lost in the dark. It was explained to me that the focus of chemotherapy in dogs is not to hit the animal so hard that they suffer effects from the chemo. The goal is to give low doses of chemo which shrink the tumor or prevent it from growing, while the dog lives a normal, happy life with no ill effects from the chemo.





So, Star started on his chemo treatment yesterday. I am to watch for side effects, but so far have observed nothing except his normal behavior. He is on the chemo drug, prednisone, an anti-seizure drug, and two antibiotics. We are getting used to being on a strict medication schedule.

Right now, we are taking one day at a time, waiting to see what happens. And so far, I have my sweet dog to hug and love.