LUNA'S LEGACY

photo and dandelion wreath by Abby

For his birthday, Russ started a foundation to help other dogs and their families with expensive medical treatment in Luna’s name called “Luna’s Legacy.”

Luna’s Legacy

“I was stuck. My grief didn’t reach a turning point until starting this,” Russ said. We are all still recovering from losing Luna, and having Joy sure helps. We are hoping Luna’s Legacy will also be helpful for us all…and save all the dogs! Or at least help a lot : )

Thank you all so much for your help with this. That has been healing and encouraging to us also. And we have such a great base to start helping all (a lot) of the dogs!

LUNA 100, CANCER 0!

Luna has finished her chemotherapy!

Tuesday was her last round of medication. All of her friends at VCA MidWest Vet signed a pink scarf for her with encouraging notes and love. She fell asleep with her pink scarf on, surrounded by love and support.

Thank you Dr. Clemans.

Thank you Brandy.

Thank you VCA MidWest Vet Team.

Thank you Team Luna.

We are not done fighting. Luna has quarterly check-ups to look for the return of the cancer, and we will be watching for signs of its return at home as well. She may need to go through a second and even a third round of chemotherapy. We will cross those bridges at a different time. This time is for celebrating <3

Please join us for an Open House to celebrate Luna's completion of chemotherapy!

Sunday, September 9, 2018

2:00 - 5:00 pm

at

Phill and Karen Finch's Home

We will have snacks!

Message me on Facebook or e-mail me for the address and directions -

shawn@finchdvm.com

In lieu of gifts, please come and tell Luna, "Congratulations Luna!" in a high voice. She will like that :)

FALL TIME

Today and yesterday have been cool and rainy.

Amanda made amazing spice cupcakes.

School is starting (I have mixed feelings on this!)

It feels like fall is coming.

Even without the big garden (next year!) I am starting to buzz with happy thoughts of fall. It is good to feel happy.

We did plant morning glories and cherry tomatoes, and those plants are going crazy!

I got to see Stephanie - and a super cute Husky puppy - this morning.

I made pumpkin coffee with caramel creamer.

I am settling in for the morning to write articles for Dr. McGill for Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery.

I hope you are having a good week.

More soon on starting part time...Fetch 360 (used to be CVC) and the start of the school year. Hopefully Abby will do a fall time photo shoot of Joy and Luna as she has the past two years that I can share with you soon too!

Joy says she is always buzzing with happy thoughts. And also, she loves you.

OPTIMISM

Optimism is getting your terminal dog a Christmas collar in August. Someone has to be the outlier right? Why not Luna?

She is doing great by the way! Two more chemotherapy sessions!

Luna "choosing" a new collar and leash - she wants them all! She was a hit at the Farmers' Market with her ears and tail!

BACK TO BLOGGING

Sorry about the big pause.

I have been dealing with low level depression signs, just kinda feeling blah, and not writing at all.

I am hoping to get back to writing, because I love it - and you! I will probably post twice a week, including the comic, instead of daily.

I am doing better, and Luna is doing great! She goes back for her next chemotherapy session next week.

art by Abby

In other news...

Happy anniversary Finch! 22 years : )

I will be going part time in August! I will be able to be home when my kids get home from school most days! I plan on seeing as many surgery and medical patients as before, just in a shorter amount of time, so don't worry about availability.

A second client said I should not even be on the team since I don't see cats. For such a sensitive person, I would have thought that would bother me, but it amuses me. Thank you again for keeping me Dr. Bashara! And thank you Doctor Friends for seeing all the beautiful cats!

On an opposite note, one of my very favorite cat client couples adopted another cat. I will celebrate with them from afar <3

Yesterday I accidentally wrote in a medical record that a panting dog was painting excessively, and it made me giggle the rest of the day.

I hope you are having a good week! It is good to be back. Thanks for not giving up on me!

POST FROM TWO YEARS AGO

JUNE 28, 2016

WELL DONE

LUNA LOVEGOOD, CHAPTER 22 - "STUFF" GETS SERIOUS

We check Luna's complete blood count before every chemotherapy event to assure her white blood cells are not too low for her little body to handle chemo.

This week when we checked, her white blood cell count was way too HIGH. Dr. Clemens hospitalized her and went searching. Our biggest fear was that her cancer had spread.

Photo update from Luna's awesome medical team!

It turns out Luna has a urinary tract infection, which is very treatable. She stayed overnight at the hospital last night and will come home tomorrow if all continues to go well. We went to see her last night.

Amanda and Luna

Abby and Luna

Abby and Amanda and Luna

Thank you for your prayers! The little goofball continues to hang in there.

Besides the stellar medical care from the doctors and team at VCA Midwest Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center, they have gone above and beyond taking care of Luna and taking care of us. The team let us visit last night and is letting us visit again tonight. They have sent us pictures and texts with updates that have meant the world to all four of us. It is so unnerving to not have Luna here - she is very much a snuggly and in your face dog, and her presence is sorely missed! The sweet updates have taken the edge off for all of us and made this separation bearable. 

Photo from one of Luna's nurses, Tasha <3

Next update - hopefully Luna's homecoming! Then...a series of photos by Abby of Joy and Luna in flower crowns.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

NOT PROM

Amanda and her friends Rosalie and Alex dressed up for prom and went to dinner instead of the actual dance. How cute is she??

They had planned on going to an escape room and a movie afterwards. The night was cut short when Amanda became ill and had to return home. Boo!

Part two, arranged by Russ, is this coming weekend with an escape room. Hopefully the two gatherings will be as much fun as one entire prom night should have been!

LUNA LOVEGOOD, CHAPTER 21 - IN WHICH LUNA HAS CHEMO SIDE EFFECTS

We've been so blessed this entire time Luna has had chemotherapy. She has not had any serious side effects. One of the drugs makes her a little nauseous for a day or so. Otherwise, she has been her normal healthy adorable self.

Abby was incredibly amused at Luna's fluid lump. She is such a cute camel!

This week, she was really nauseous to the point of vomiting and not eating and running a fever. Russ, Abby and I took her in to work Saturday evening and got her Cerenia and carprofen and fluids under the skin.

We would appreciate your prayers as Luna recovers from this! She seems to be feeling better today. She is still not eating great, but is improving.

Luna resting with Abby after her big evening.

While we were driving home from the hospital Saturday night, the sun was still shining and it was barely drizzling. We saw a rainbow, which Abby said was a good sign. I agree.

RUSS HOLDING BABY ANIMALS

Baby Snookie Jones!

Erika's baby piggy <3

Joy the Puppy as a puppy!

Happy birthday to my best friend, my partner, my husband and my co-parent.

You are the best, and I love you!

Also, you look super cute holding baby animals.

IN WHICH JOY HUMORS ME BY WEARING A GIANT BOW

The bread basket from Black Tie and Tails was wrapped with a beautiful sparkly PURPLE bow. So of course I put it on Joy the Puppy. She was a good sport, and left it on for a couple pictures.

JOY PLAYS

I took Joy and Luna to Beals Elementary to play. Only Joy was being photogenic!

THE BIRD NEST

Thursday was a rough day. I finally worked up the energy to be productive and went into the garden to pull last season's weedy growth off the fence.

No sooner had I started (thinking, "this is easier than I thought it would be!") then I accidentally pulled down a tiny bird nest with three tiny speckled eggs.

I started crying and called Russ, who, along with Jeff and Travis, was working hard to finish building a second story deck.

Russ said to put the nest upright and he would build a stand for it.

And he did.

I hope the birds come back to their nest. I will keep you updated.

AN ENCOURAGING WORD

From a Friend, when I was recently dealing with writer's block...

"Slumps are OK. You know how you let a field lie fallow so it can grow stuff again? That’s you. Your writing is lying fallow."

Thank you Friend. You always know what to say.

BECOMING MORE MYSELF AGAIN

Every once in a while I will try to give you an update on my depression here. Mostly I have been doing very well. I consider this year from August 2017 - August 2018 a year of healing. I am trying to give myself that much time to get healthier, but it sometimes seems like a slow road. As a veterinarian, I - as you can imagine - like to fix things.

I was on five medications for my depression and Claritin for my allergies. (I was on way more for my allergies, but Claritin and no cats seems to be the trick!)

Recently my physician's assistant allowed me to discontinue two medications, including trazodone, which I was taking to help me sleep.

I have been sleeping well for the past several months, and anymore, trazodone seemed to just be making me groggy and dull in the mornings. Now I feel sharp and more myself again. I am by no means a natural morning person, but I enjoy mornings and getting so much done at work so early. I still was getting things done and enjoying it, but it was sure a struggle. Now mornings are back to normal again and so much better.

So that's the latest. Otherwise things have just been steady, which has been nice.

My spring container garden!

ABBY'S CROSS STITCH PILLOW

Another my kid is so talented post! Abby made this pillow of her and the dogs...

Luna in the bottom left corner, Abby (with her pink hair!) at the top and Joy in the bottom right corner

LUNA LOVEGOOD, CHAPTER 20

Our little dog Luna is doing so well you guys!

She is over halfway through with her chemotherapy for lymphoma.

I JUST learned from Dr. Clemans, her internal medicine specialist doctor who is directing her care, that Luna gives them all kisses! I am so happy she is such a good sport there and is sweet to them. She IS sweet, but she is onery too, so I was not sure which Luna she was at VCA MidWest Vet. Apparently, Good Luna. Yay.

Here are some recent pictures...

Luna says "I love you" with her eyes.

She always has to be touching one of us!

Good night Luna!

LINCOLN CHILDREN'S ZOO

Russ and Amanda and Abby and I went to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo. It was amazing! I feel silly for never having gone there in college.
 

I love flamingos! I had never been so close to any before.

Flamingos are just the most gorgeous birds! Look at those feathers!

This bird bit me! I said "C'mere! Will you bite my finger? Please? Bite my finger!" and he did! It was so cool! I have a way with animals.

This camel has the cutest face.

Do you think he knows how cute he is?

I got to pet this tortoise!!

These Bald Eagles are unable to return to the wild. They are scary beautiful. I did not realize how big Bald Eagles were.

Amanda and Abby <3

Ver' small monkey

Naked mole rat! Don't you just want to kiss his tiny wrinkly forehead? Me too!

Turn around...

...Bright Eyes...

EVERY NOW AND THEN I FALL APART! Okay, that's enough.

Happy goat!

Abby petting the giant bunny

"Go home!" said the llama. And so we did.

EASTER CUPCAKES

My kid is so talented! Amanda made these cupcakes for her Dungeons and Dragons group and for the family at Easter. They were delicious and beautiful!

I hope you had a wonderful Easter and Easter weekend and are having a wonderful Passover and spring season <3

Tomorrow we will return to daily pet stories and pictures here! Thank you for being patient with me as I went through a down time. All is well, and I am excited to write again : )

EASTER 2018

We had a very good Easter at Mom and Dad's! Nelsons and Finches and Rasmussens were there. We missed you Travis!

Abby made amazing pies - cherry, blueberry-lemon and pecan, and Amanda made amazing cupcakes.

They both set up an Easter egg hunt for the small cousins which they loved.

Here are some pictures from today...

Olive got a head start on the Easter egg hunt!

Arthur's first egg!

Good job Olive!

This kid will have the GOOD photos.

Robert discovering the eggs are full of candy

Robert, Olive, Mom and Oscar search for the next egg...

Arthur and his eggs...

Robert and his candy...

Hi Felix!

Mom's table always looks beautiful <3

Happy Easter!

The little kids got baskets from Grandma, and the big kids got cards. No one has to be a grown up at the holidays!

Mom got these bunnies for Bill, Dave and me when we were kids.

Dad fixing the pond

The Nelson kids each got a bubble blower.

Abby <3

Robert <3

Robert waiting for Dad to unwrap his bubble blower

Arthur gave Abby Legos to unwrap for him. He did not mention that they were Olive's.

Amanda reading a book to Olive <3

Grandpa and Arthur

Hi Oscar!

Mom and Dad's neighbors decorated their yard! The girls said, "They didn't do a very good job finding eggs." :D

Happy Easter All!!