This is Storm. Full name: Yaquina Bay's Eye of the Storm. Family names: Storm, Stormy, Stormisch, Stormify, Stormy Weather... and on and on. For the past nine years, he has been my best buddy. While he never did agree to go running with me (until this past summer, which is an entirely different story), he has been the dog that every boy wants to have, at least for me... even with his quirks. He wakes me up every morning by jumping on me, bugs me to feed him whenever I'm home, shoves his head underneath my hand when I'm sitting on a chair or couch, so that I have to pet him, barks fiercely whenever someone enters "his cul-de-sac" or comes to the door, and knocks over his water bowl whenever he wants fresh water.
What else does Storm do? He greets me at the door every time I come home, usually with his favorite toy in his mouth, high-fives me whenever I ask, tries to get me to chase him around the couch, follows me around the house, and snuggles up with me whenever I lie down.
As Storm is nearly 10, the realization that he is aging has been hitting home to me. He is turning grayer, and he does sleep a bit more, but he is still the energetic clown that he has always been. At least he was when we left for Portland last Friday for a water polo tournament. On Sunday morning, during our second-to-last game, we received a phone call from our pet-sitter that Storm was lethargic and wouldn't eat or get up. Since he always is the first one to awaken in the morning, the fact that he did not wake up our pet-sitter was a bit concerning. Because of the concern that Storm was not acting well, he was taken to the emergency vet (Summit Veterinary Referral Center, for whom I am very grateful). After several tests, there was concern that Storm was exhibiting the classic presentation for a Hemangiosarcoma. Google that diagnosis, and you (if you are a dog lover) will immediately turn cold with dread. It is a terminal diagnosis that typically can be measured in weeks to a few months. Honestly, I am forever grateful to Kevin, our pet-sitter, who quickly recognized that there was something seriously wrong with Storm. Had we been home, we might not have responded so quickly, since we are used to a lot of Storm's quirks and might have waited a bit longer, which could have been catastrophic.
I will spare most of the details but Storm was bleeding into his abdomen and required emergency surgery (exploratory laparotomy). An active bleeding site was found in his spleen, so he had a splenectomy and multiple liver nodules were seen, so a biopsy was taken of one of the nodules. Basically, while the final pathology won't be available until later this week, it appears that he has metastatic hemangiosarcoma.
Storm is in the ICU right now, trying to recover. Tracy and I have been visiting him multiple times during the day, and I'm hoping that he turns the corner and starts eating and that his dysrhythmia (heartbeat irregularities) stop, so the meds can be stopped. But, the reality is that my buddy only has, at best, a few months to live, even with chemotherapy. We're just hoping to bring him home, so that he can be in a familiar warm setting surrounded by those who love him.
To be able to have a dog like Storm has truly been a treat for me. It is said that dogs give people unconditional love without asking for much in return. Storm epitomizes that for me.
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