.....Aly has a new buddy!

So today we got a new puppy.  A chocolate lab named Presley.  This could be the craziest thing I have done, or it could be a great thing for Aly.  Brian and I often feel bad because we think Aly is missing out on being with her friends at daycare.  Although she has not been neutropenic in some time, unnecessarily exposing her to germs and sniffles is something we are trying to avoid.  My justification for getting the puppy is so that Aly has a little friend and playmate that she can play with. ( ... and someone was nice enough to give her to us) We have our little Lola as well ( a 5year old Yellow Lab) but she likes to spend most of her day snoozing on the couch and does not have the energy to match Aly's.  Aly's immune system will be vulnerable over the next few months and we will need to limit the number of people that she is exposed to.

Aly's next phase of treatment ( delayed intensification) has been pushed out to begin on Friday October 28th - - and I am nervous.  I have mentioned in before in earlier posts, but the steroids will begin on Friday ( one week on, one week off - for 8 weeks) ..... and she will also receive the "red" chemo drug that some refer to as the "red devil" - - and nothing about that sounds good.  I can't imagine anything being worse than the first 28 days of treatment that she had ( with 28 days of steroids) - - but I am mentally preparing my self for the next 2 months ( ....but this time add a puppy to all the drama)  If my calculations are correct, she will have one admission in late November to KGH to receive a drug that needs to be run over an a couple of hours, and should be finished this phase of treatment about 2 weeks before Christmas.  My only hope is that she is well enough to celebrate the holidays with our family.  As long as she can have a short visit with family, exchange some gifts and maybe have Christmas dinner ..... I will be thrilled.  Fingers crossed she does not catch any "bugs" over the next few months.  She has been given the flu shot and I am planning on getting mine on Wednesday.  Ideally anyone that will be exposed to Aly should have the flu shot.  I was always one of those people that questioned some immunizations, and to be honest didn't realize how dangerous a flu could be -  but I can tell you now, I will be getting my flu shot every year from now on!