Wow...It's been a YEAR since I lasted posted! BAD, BAD, ANGIE!

Here are some things that have happened since I last posted:

-We moved to AL!
-DH got promoted!
-Skittle turned 7!
-I'm still not pregnant

It's now been four years since I've last seen a positive pregnancy test.  I've been doing a bit of research and found a FB group for autoimmune diseases and recurrent miscarriages.  A reproductive immunologist, Dr. Braverman, oversees the group and it has been a wealth of information!  And here I thought I knew so much about infertility!  Actually, there's been some new treatments that have come out since the last time we tried IVF.  DH and I have been going back and forth with deciding to try again or not based on that.  At the very least, getting a consult from Dr. Braverman makes sense.  His work with endometriosis could be a game changer for me.  I was talking with my sis about it and she said, "Would you look back and wish you would have tried?"  I immediately said yes.  That may have been all the push I needed.  I think it's worth getting a phone consult with Dr. B (as he's based out of NY) and pursuing (a massive amount) of blood work to see my immune responses. His theories just make sense to me. 

Two weeks later:

I was going to put in a consult with Dr. B and then we found that our cat has vaccine induced injection site fibrosarcoma and everything else has taken a back burner.  :(

A couple days before Christmas, I found a small mass on the back right leg of our Callie cat.  I made an appt with a local vet and she was seen on Jan 3.  He felt it and told me the diagnoses. I asked for a referral to be seen at Auburn at their vet teaching hospital and was accommodated immediately.  She saw a surgical oncologist and she was scheduled for surgery to amputate her right back leg the next day.  Trust me, this decision was not made in hast.  It all seemed to happen very quickly but it was agonizing going through it.  She did well with surgery and I was able to bring her home 3 days later.  She's now 2.5 weeks post op and doing very well (despite a big set back with a nasty upper respiratory infection).  Unfortunately, even with the clean margins that we got, the recurrence rate is 70%.  We are now pursuing Chemo treatments and a new injection treatment called IL-2, which could help boost her immune system to help fight off the remaining cancer cells (was told about 50% of cats respond well to it). 

Here's some of her progress pictures:

One Day Post Op: Mad Cat!

 

3 Days Post Op: (first day home) 

7 Days Post Op: the dot on her back is from a antibiotic shot for her upper respiratory infection:

 

Very sad sick baby with her cold:

 

 

2 Weeks Post Op and feeling much better:

 

 

2.5 weeks post Op: Sutures out!

 

 

She's been playing some and running (slowly) through the house but not really attempting to jump more than about 12 inches off the ground.  Her vet says that she'll try higher at her own pace.  They are pleased with her progress!

 

More on all this later...