Today’s Challenge: Keep #focus on what you have, not on what you might lose.

On Sunday, I couldn’t stop crying over my pug’s health issues. All I kept thinking about was my life without her. Truth is, I haven’t been alone for about nineteen years. Buddy, (Unconditional Love) my cat was with me for eighteen years and Shorty has been with me for almost nine years. When Buddy passed away this summer (My Buddy has Gone to Heaven), I was thankful I still had Shorty. But now…

I’m scared.

A month ago I found a mysterious lump on Shorty’s stomach. I had it removed and tested within a week of noticing it. Then I got that life changing phone call from my vet. “Becky, it was cancer. It’s called a Mast Cell Tumor, Grade 2.”

The prognosis seemed good but of course uncertain–watch and wait. On Sunday, a month after the original lump was removed, I found another Lump, so yesterday we took Shorty to the vet, had a needle biopsy and we’ll get the results today. Last night, I found another lump on her leg. We’re going back to the vet today.

I think at this point, we need to do some blood work and an ultrasound to see if she has cancer within, or if this is a skin problem only. I may have some tough decisions…

Yesterday, I didn’t cry and my man asked me why I wasn’t crying anymore. “I’m just not thinking about all the bad stuff today.”

It really is amazing that we can decide how we want to feel by what we think about.

And even more surprising… because I wasn’t crying and full of dread, Shorty seemed a little happier than normal, and my man was a little less sad, too. Maybe I’m the leader in this pack. 🙂

I’m going to stay positive until we have more answers. I may tear up from time to time but I’ll try to keep it to myself… I’m going to avoid thinking about the bad stuff and focus on all the good about this little baby of mine.

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I’m open to hearing about other people’s experiences with their dogs and Mast Cell Tumors–the good and the bad. Advice? Opinions? Thoughts?

Thank you.