Friday Things
Thank you to everyone who has asked about Einstein and offered up good thoughts and prayers for him. It’s been quite a long week for us. He had a great therapy session last Friday afternoon and we immediately started seeing improvements over the weekend – he began sitting up and standing up on his own, and being able to lay back down on his own, much steadier on his feet, hardly any knuckling while walking, and he even walked from his dog bed near our entryway over to the kitchen while Joseph was eating dinner on Wednesday without any issues (they both love mealtimes!).
Less than 2 hours after we snapped that picture above, he had a seizure while I was putting Joseph to bed. My husband rushed him to the animal hospital while I waited for my mom to come and stay with Joseph. After a complete blood workup, chest x-rays, an abdominal ultrasound, and finally an MRI, our worst fears were realized late yesterday… He has inoperable brain cancer that has spread to his lungs. The neurologist put him on a steroid to reduce swelling, alleviate his symptoms and allow him to be comfortable and happy. We get to bring him home today, but the prognosis is not good… the neurologist said that six months would be the very high end of expectations.
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My heart is broken into a thousand pieces. He is just the best dog, and this happened so suddenly with seemingly no warning signs. I really thought I had four or five more years with him. I just want to hug him and never let go.
I had a bunch of other things lined up to talk about in today’s Friday Things, but they all seem trivial given the news we got yesterday, so I’ll save them for next week.
Thank you all for loving Einstein as much as we do ❤️
I’m so very sorry to hear about Einstein. My heart breaks for you and your family. Keeping you all in my prayers.
Michelle, I am so sorry! I have been with you since the beginning. I feel as if
Our precious dogs become such an integral part of our families and we love them just as we love our children. My heart goes out to you and my prayers are with you and your family. There will never be another Einstein…he will always be with you…he will always live in your heart. Just hug him, love him and give him those extra dog treats!!!
Dear Michelle my heart is broken for Einstein, you and your family. Seeing his happy sweet face today made me choke up. I hope your strength and faith helps you through this devastating time. Warm hugs and prayers to all.?
Michelle, I am so sorry. I burst into tears reading your post. I also have a golden and lost my fist golden to cancer quite suddenly. My heart goes out to you and your family, I know no words will help ease your pain. I hope you find comfort in knowing Einstein has had such a loving family and home. ❤️
I am sooo sorry to hear the news. I recently lost my sweet furry girl and while I am still heartbroken, I know it will get better in time. Cherish the time you have with Einstein as I’m sure you will. Many, many warm hugs to you and your family.
What a shock. I’m so sorry, Michelle. I loved reading about Einstein and looking at his pictures. My thoughts go out to you and your family.
So incredibly sad for you. Tears are streaming down my face. I too have a golden and she is the most beautiful dog. For now….love your beautiful boy and hug him tight. He knows how deeply you love him. Sending thoughts and hopes your way!!! ❤️❤️❤️
I am soooo sorry about your baby. My heart breaks for you because I’ve been through losing my little pug recently and it still is with me. He looks like such a sweet dog.
I’m so very sorry Michelle. I hope your family can receive comfort and peace.
xx Wendy
From one dog mom to another…my heart goes out to you. Cherish the cuddles you will have with Einstein. He is lucky to have you.
My prayers are with you and your family. Hugs and kisses to Einstein.
My heart breaks for all of you. Duke and Joseph will be so very sad. Take care of yourself, love, cherish and enjoy each moment with him.
My heart breaks for you. My 7 year old dog was diagnosed with Lymphoma earlier this year. We were able to do chemo and enjoy more time with him but I know his life will be cut short by this horrible disease and I mourn the loss of spending more years with him and getting to care for him as a senior. He’s one of the great loves of my life and the news was devastating. So I know what you are going though. Enjoy every second.
My heart is breaking for you, Michelle. It’s such a painful experience. Cherish the time that you have left with him.
So sad for you and also all your readers who love Einstein so much. You and especially Joseph will treasure that photo forever.
One of the things I love about your blog is your dogs. Your post brought tears to my eyes and memories of what I’ve been through with my own pets. Einstein and your family are in my thoughts.
Enjoy each moment now and make good memories for the future.
Michelle and family,
I am so sorry for this heartache you are going through. Our precious golden, Lucy, lived to just 9 years (like my golden before, Sophie). She suddenly went blind just before Christmas and after blood tests, the vet didn’t know how she was still alive except for an incredible will to live. That was a Friday and we let her go on Monday because we didn’t want to go through any seizures, etc. Putting your dog down is right up there with losing your parents. The ache and the hole remains long after. But dwell on all of the sweet memories – of which there are an unlimited amount. Goldens’ hearts are pure love and kindness – and you know how much Einstein loves each of you. Take good care of yourself during this ordeal and spend as much time as you can with him. We cut some sweet belly hair from Lucy and saved it. Later we released it in paper lanterns as a memorial. It was very healing for my kids and me.
That just broke my heart. I am so sorry for all of you. I have followed you for so long that I remember when he was your only baby. I had really hoped that he was on his way to recovery. I recently saw a video of a man whose dogs life was ending, and he gave the best send off. chasing birds at the beach, eating cheeseburgers, fetching a whole can of tennis balls, sleeping in the bed. I wish you all the best with Einsteins health, and I hope it is virtually pain free for him, and close to it for you.
Oh Michelle…I am in tears right now…both for you and for my own loss so shockingly similar. When you first mentioned Einstein’s sudden lameness I must admit I got a feeling of deja vu and dread for you. My boy Bruno (brown standard poodle) had what I believe was the same thing. My perfectly healthy happy athletic 12 1/2 year old boy collapsed after dinner one evening this June. He appeared to be paralyzed on his right side. We HOPED he had possibly tweaked his back and had a pinched nerve or something. We took him to the vet where she noticed he was also blind in his right eye. Through process of elimination she said he either had a stroke or a brain stem tumor/cancer. He could no longer urinate or defecate on his own. We took him home to consider our options but he continued to decline the next day, loosing use of his left side. He left us that day…but not before eating a whole can of ‘forbidden’ cat food. I continue to mourn his loss, along with our other dog and cat all gone within 3 weeks in June. Our home not so long ago teaming with activity is now so eerily quiet…but clean! (bright side…must look at the bright side…)
I hope that you and your family find comfort in being able to spend these last few months with him making every minute count…feeling grateful for all the joy he has given you over the years…and the blessings of your growing family.
xoxoxo, Jyll
I am so, so sorry for you all. How heartbreaking.
I have enjoyed watching Einstein over the years (I started following you way before you had Joseph. I am so sorry for you and your family to have to go through this. Just remember, he will always be in your heart. Keeping you and Einstein in my prayers.
☹️Sorry to hear about Einstein’s diagnosis.
Oh no, I’m so sorry for your family.
I have been following your blog for years and have always looked forward to reading your Friday Things and the adventures of Duke and Einstein and now little Joseph. It’s the first thing I do when I wake up. I am so sad to hear about Einstein’s prognosis. I cannot stop thinking about it and it brings tears to my eyes. As a mom to two fur kids, my oldest suffered a stroke when he was a pup and had to learn how to walk all over again. So when I read that Einstein had to go through the same thing, I knew what you (and he) was going through. But now this?? I hope that Einstein can be pain free for the time he has left, that he can meet his new little brother and he can cross the rainbow bridge in style.
This breaks my heart in so many ways. It sucks. It’s sad. It’s gonna break your heart. And you just have to remember that your life is better forever because you got to share it with him. Enjoy the next 6 months.
My heart is breaking f.or you and your family. Poor Einstein. Just remember all the good memories. Try to have a great weekend.
I am so sorry that this has happened to Einstein and your family – especially for Joseph and Duke – who are his best buds! I know this will be hard on you and your husband also and I’m so sorry that this is happening at a time when you should only have happy things going on – I am glad that at least Einstein will be around long enough to say hello to the new baby. I hope you have a good week and get to enjoy lots of time just hanging with your boys.
So sorry to hear about Einstein’s condition. He is very lucky to have a family who loves him so much.