Lots of Updates!

I just realized it has been quite some time since I left a new entry here. I share frequent updates about Sophie on my Facebook page, but there's not always enough space there, and I also don't want to oversaturate my FB friends. But I do have some important updates to share!

First, I have launched a website just for Sophie. You can find it at www.Dare2Care4Sophie.com. You can find photos, a short bio about Sophie and me, a list of our benefactors and of course a few ways that people can help. Most importantly, I encourage you to sign our guestbook and leave the most important gift of all: your words of love and support.

Second, a medical update: Sophie has graduated from weekly treatments to every two weeks. I am so happy to have reached this milestone, not only because it will minimize the stress on both of us involved with each treatment, but because it means we are over the hump.

It is all downhill from here, as they say. That being said, there have definitely been some pretty scary bumps on that hill. We had a few more visits when Sophie didn't pass her chemo pre-test due to low blood cell counts. The oncology team has reassured me that this is not uncommon, but every time it happened, my heart sank. Now that Sophie has two weeks to recover between treatments, this should no longer been an issue.

More importantly on the medical side, Sophie has developed some serious skin problems. She has always been a sensitive gal, her pretty pink skin a little itchy at times, but it was no longer manageable with Benadryl, so we made a few visits to our regular vet to check things out. Because of Sophie's depressed immune system, there are some things we just can't administer right now, such as steroids. So we are managing the symptoms with quite an arsenal: an antibiotic to stave off infection, a alternative antihistamine, preAs her mom, it does make me sad to see her looking a little patchy lately. She has a few spots that become inflamed, and when she scratches, the hair comes out and is slow to regrow due to the chemo. When I see her like that, I just have to take a deep breath and think of ALL of the amazing good stuff in our lives right now, like the time a few weeks ago that she had a blast at the dog run, or how sweet our roommates are with her, or just the fact that we've made it this far.

I'll end this update with something that is sure to make anyone laugh: just imagine me, wearing a dog costume and carrying a boom box, shaking my booty to disco music and collecting donations for Sophie all around New York City. That's how I will be spending my next few weekends, folks! I am summoning my college theater experience and being unashamed to make a fool of myself for something that really matters. Watch our website for dates and locations, and if you see me, send me your photos and videos!