December 26, 2011 - Christmas

Sydney was like a little puppy on Christmas morning. It was like she knew she always gets treats and a new toy for Christmas because every gift we brought out she thought was hers. It was even funny after a while but of course she got her things too and then was content.

She is still doing great. She doesn't try to sleep standing up anymore and doesn't hold her head up an inch or 2 off the floor when she is lying down. She can curl up or sprawl out like she used to. She can still breathe out of her nose but not as well as a couple weeks ago. A couple of weeks ago she stopped snoring but now she will snore again on occasion. The lump on her nose is also coming back so I started the castor oil again. She is almost out of essiac tea so I will be making more in the next few days and plan to feed her the sludge again. I’m not sure which of those 2 things made the biggest difference but I’m willing to do them both again. Maybe it was the combination of the two together? After using the castor oil only 2x today she already has a snotty nose. ??

I am still giving her vitamin C and vitamin D3 with every meal and playing as much as possible but honestly not as much as I would like with the colder weather and the holidays. 

I'm sure glad Sydney made it onto another Christmas card for our family.

Resources

Here is a list of some of the websites I used and you may find helpful:

http://www.balance-ph-diet.com/acid_alkaline_food_chart.html

http://www.2ndchance.info/homemadediets.htm

http://www.holisticcancersolutions.com/dmso_report.htm

http://www.nutrition2000.com/prostate_and_health/cesium.asp

http://sebahu.com/cancertutor/Cancer/DMSO.html

http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/tumors.html

http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/cancer1/altthrpy.htm

http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=1077&pst=1545709

http://augmentinforce.50webs.com/Medicinal%20use%20of%20Castor%20Oil.htm

December 12, 2011 - BIG changes!!! (up to date post)

WOW! Ok, lots of changes so here goes.

Sydney’s lump was definitely getting bigger.

I changed her food and added Pedegree Healthy Longevity to what was left of her Science Diet Mature Adult dog food. I also decided to use the essiac tea sludge leftovers on her dog food rather than throwing it away like I usually do. I would just scoop out a half-teaspoon or so and dump it on her food. Since her nose was plugged I assumed she wouldn’t taste it much anyway and it couldn’t hurt.

On December 6 we played pretty hard outside. She chased bugs and barked and was feeling very energetic so I went with it. That night her eyes were very red, swollen and bulging. Her left eye, which was the side that had the lump, was partially closed and her nose was bleeding. The bleeding got MUCH worse as the night went on turning to clots and she was sneezing constantly. I had to fence her into the kitchen so I could clean up after her better. As I was cleaning up I began to notice tissue in the blood clots. It was really disgusting. Blood clots would hang from her nose to the floor and the “chunks” she was sneezing out got larger, some the size of a pencil eraser or more. Needless to say I didn’t know if she was going to make it through the night. A disadvantage to researching online was that I read a post about someone’s dog having a tumor that burst and the dog passed a few hours later. On the other hand, I had used the castor oil for about 2 weeks as often as I could a day (usually 4 or 5 times), which said the tumor might burst and bleed out the bad cells. It was a long night but she was much the same in the morning minus the red eyes.

Wednesday was spent in the kitchen or outside but it was pretty cold out and she couldn’t breath in the cold air without wheezing so she spent most of it in the kitchen. I went through boxes of tissues wiping her nose like a little kid (which she hated) and lots of paper towels, carpet cleaner and Lysol.

Thursday morning I came out to check on her and the first thing I noticed was there really wasn’t much blood to clean up. The second thing I noticed was her left eye looked much better. As I was petting her I realized the reason she looked better was because the lump was SMALLER! By Friday the lump was nearly gone unless you really knew what you were looking for.

Today she looks better than she has in months AND I was sitting with her today while she slept and I could hear a different whistle sound in her breathing. SHE IS BREATHING OUT OF HER NOSE AGAIN!!! I can’t believe it but I’m ecstatic!!! She appears to be doing great. So apparently, she was sneezing out whatever the lump was.

I think it’s not just cats that have nine lives. I’m sure she will make it to see 2012 now and more than likely her 11^th birthday. YEAH!!! I pray and thank God for giving me even more time with my best friend!

On a less positive note, I also pray for my friend Tonya and her beloved dog Moose, who she had to put to sleep about 2 hours ago after a long battle with cancer. Which is another reason I started my blog Sydney’s Sake. I hope to help other dogs and their owners with this terrible illness called cancer.

 Taken Dec. 10, 2011

Taken Dec. 12, 2011

November 21, 2011 - Losing hair and hearing

Oh yes, lots of Wyoming fall snow. (as I read the last post). Her lump is not getting any smaller. I have been using castor oil during the day and cesium at morning and night. This morning I noticed when I used the Q-tip to apply the cesium that it was taking the hair off too. I have noticed it looking thinner and redder underneath. I’m not sure if it will burst like some I have read about online. ?? She still tries to sleep standing up (until she falls over). Her hearing is not as good as both of the kids have scared her in the last week and she has bit both of them. She is also bleeding occasionally too. Most of the time I see that as a good thing as she is bleeding the bad cells out.

BUT we have played downstairs every day and she always wants to play more. She is barking at the sliding glass door now anticipating Gramma to come over. 

I am guessing she really didn't feel well here. She hasn't nipped at the kids since then but I'm guessing the swelling had an effect on her hearing as well as her patience. I can't say it was all her fault either, the kids were playing way too rough in the house both times and fell on her. Neither of them were hurt but I think they learned a good lesson to respect her a bit more. 

I stopped using the castor oil after about 2 weeks because it was looking worse and worse. I truly didn't know if I was doing the right thing or not. I wish I would have taken a picture of her at this stage but I didn't.

November 15 - another weapon to my arsenol

The lump under Sydney’s eye shrunk for a while and is now bigger than before. I have been using the cesium topically but don’t see any results lately. It seems to be growing quickly so I found online that people have used castor oil topically. I also read about turmeric but don’t know anything about that yet. I need to make more essiac tea and someone said they put the sludge in with the food. Never thought of that but always thought it was a waste to throw it so I will try that when I make more. I’m still feeding her as much vegetables and fruit as I can. Fortunately with her not having a sense of smell, I’m guessing she can’t taste either so she’ll eat anything. I think she likes textures now. Meds and vitamins go right down no problem. This weekend will be 10 months post diagnosis. Sydney gets to play in the snow again. :)

I have read that after a while cesium may not have much of an effect. That is why I started to use castor oil. I think this was a good thing to do as well as adding the essiac sludge. 

She didn't like the castor oil much either. It must have tingled or something because she would paw at her nose and rub it on the ground/floor shortly after applying it. 

October 25, 2011 - Ups and downs

The lump under Sydney’s left eye has gotten bigger so I started to use cesium topically again October 14^th. It definitely swelled up like “they” said it would. Her right eye really bulged out and breathing became very difficult for her. That lasted about 4 days. By October 21^st it started to get smaller. Today it is MUCH better than it was the 14^th and she has her spunk back. She didn’t want to eat or play when the swelling was big. Now she seems to sleep better, want to play, looks better and just has a better all-around sense of being. I am still using it 2x a day (sometimes I forget and only do it once) There was one day she really didn’t want me to put it on so I only used it once that day.

So she has reached the 9 month mark and now my goal for her is to make it to her 11^th birthday. Something I NEVER thought was possible but now just might be probable. :) (I love ending these entries with a smiley)

By "they" I mean the websites that talk about cesium causing swelling before the tumor decreases. I have cited www.cancertutor.com throughout this blog but there are many more websites if you Google cesium cancer.

I wish I had taken a picture between Oct 14 & 21 but I did not. The swelling was large enough that looking at her straight on, it hid most of her left eye. She lost the curvature of her forehead so it was a steady slope from her nose to the top of her head.

 Picture taken October 23, 2011

September 26, 2011 - Facial changes and a day of panick

It’s been a while since I have updated. Her face has really changed. She has a lump under her right eye and her left eye seems to be bulging out. BUT she has reached the 8 month mark and still enjoys playing and getting scratched, although she has definitely slowed down. Sleeping has become more difficult. I think she can breathe better standing up because she tries to sleep standing up. I will hear her stumble and fall over during the night. That is hard to listen to! I will tell her to lay down and that works for a short time and she is back up.

I actually think her cancer saved her yesterday. I will never know the true story but I think someone tried to take her. She was in our camper at Cook Lake with the screen door closed and she can’t open it. When we got back she was gone and the door was closed again. I am 110% sure she was in it because Avri and I waved to her as we left. The people camping next to us said she was hanging out with some guy all day on the dock. I’m wondering if he didn’t plan to take her until he saw she wasn’t healthy. I don’t know why anyone else would let her out but that had to be what happened. God was definitely with her yesterday because she was playing with a family on the other side of the lake when we got back from 4-wheeling (late). I felt horrible/panicked because she could have been anywhere. I learned a few lessons though. Keep her tags on (they were off), close and lock all doors because people can’t be trusted and appreciate her as much as I can because she will be gone some day. She is very tired today, she had cockal burs ALL over her, a fishing lure in her tail and blisters on her front pads. I actually think she had a fun day. 

I will never forget this day because this was the closest she has ever been to being "lost".  I had so many emotions in such a short amount of time (it was probably 20 minutes that I drove around calling her and whistling for her). I will never forget how relieved I was when I saw her. The people she was with were really concerned that something happened to her because her face looked so bad.

 This picture was taken August 27, 2011.

This picture was taken October 18, 2011
You can really see the lump on her left side and eye on her right side was starting to bulge.

June 22, 2011 - 5 months and another lump

I have really enjoyed having Sydney go with us camping. I wish she didn’t have to hang out in the camper all day while we go 4 wheeling but there is no other option. I never thought she would go camping with us again anyway. I think she enjoys being in the great outdoors. I know she can’t smell anything anymore so that takes a lot of the fun out of it for her though.

Well, I think either the cancer is back or growing again. More in the throat now. She makes a gaging sound a lot during the day and not just when she sleeps. I looked in her mouth the other day and now she has a lump on the roof of her mouth. So Friday June 17^th I started the cesium DMSO and potassium again. She doesn’t like it much. I only apply it topically but put quite a bit on the end of her nose so she licks it. Hopefully if she swallows some it will help too. Yesterday has been 5 months. I would love to see her sail past 6 months and I’m trying to be positive but a part of me is being practical too. I know this cancer thing will get her in the end, I just hope the end isn’t close.

Thank you God for giving me time to adjust. Please give me a bit more. 

I have  neglected to mention in all of these posts that Sydney gets really impatient with the cesium after about 2 weeks. She still lets me put it on but I have to really work at it. So that's usually when I stop using it until I feel there is another need for it, like another lump. I continue with the potassium though because cesium is still in the body and potassium is still being depleted. 

Generally the lumps go away or at least decrease in size after using the cesium which is evidence enough for me that this is working. Not to mention that she is still here and enjoying life.

June 2, 2011 - Another diet change and sleep change

Sydney gets to go camping with us tomorrow. Never thought she would get to go again. She is getting to see the nice weather and lay in the hot sun. It makes me happy. She got to play in the mud at Pine Haven last weekend with Farley and another dog. She played ball all day in the rain and found her toy froggy. She loves it outside.

She really hasn’t changed at all. She still gurgles and chokes when she is trying to sleep. She has learned she can lay with her head against the front door in the corner and she sleeps better. I find her in her kennel a lot, especially when I leave and come home again. She used to sleep in our room all night with occasional wondering of the house. Then she started coming into our room early morning, 4:00ish. Now she doesn’t come in at all, not even to say good morning. I miss the good mornings from her but we sleep better because she is so loud and I think she knows that. She is so damn smart she amazes me sometimes. Kinda like when she senses my emotions and I don’t have to say anything or even look at her. She knows. I sleep with earplugs when she is in the same room (or camper this weekend). I hope it’s not hurting her feelings. :-/

I hesitated to put the flea collar on her and give her the heartworm meds again but I don’t want to take chances with the summer here. I just don’t know what “causes” the cancer in the first place. I read ~50% of dogs get cancer. Something is wrong with that!

Still doing same diet – food with vit C, D3, Flor-essence and added wheat grass. I give her lots of veggies when I can. If I can just keep her alkaline!

She still sleeps in the living room once in a while but I'm happy to report we have all adjusted to the snoring so she has returned to our room for most of the night.

I began to add wheat grass to her food because it is also an alkaline food. I did not continue it after the bottle was finished but only because I couldn't find it and then I stopped looking. I should put it back on my grocery list now though.

May 16, 2011 - Strange sounds and vaccinations

Just another update, Sydney is doing much the same.

She still struggles to sleep and makes whistles, growls and Darth Vader sounds. She still makes a cough/gag sound at night occasionally BUT I truly don’t think she is getting worse. I think the bump on her nose is a bit smaller, I still can’t find that bump that was on her neck a few months ago and once in a while she will make this really high pitched whistle and I have got down close to her and actually think she is getting some air through her nose. We think the cancer is gone but has done some serious damage to her nasal passages. Not sure if that is fixable or if it’s worth trying to fix. She is due for rabies vaccine next month and will not give her that but may still go in for a check-up. Pretty sure they are not expecting to ever see her again. Wonder what they will say/think? 

I never did take her in for a check up. I can't see spending $100 to hear them say "yep, she still has cancer". I read a LOT about vaccinations and how they are lethal to cancer patients. That was also a hard decision because I was always told to trust your doctors/vets advise and get vaccinations. The biggest reason I decided against having her vaccinated again was because she rarely goes farther than 50 miles from home and even then she is not allowed to go far. She isn't a ranch dog - far from it! She is a spoiled city dog that spends most of her life either in the house or in her private fenced yard.

April 21, 2011 - Made it over the hump & more diet changes

Well, Mom was pretty hesitant about taking Sydney for a week and I was hesitant to leave her but all went well. I don’t think Mom slept much though.

Sydney was very happy to see us and the first night she was surprisingly quiet(er). Last night she was pretty loud again but Kory and I agree that she is not worse and if anything she is the same or better. He says we “cured cancer”.  I’m afraid to count my chickens but yesterday was 3 months and she shows no sign of slowing down. I have high hopes that she makes it into the summer and hopefully longer. I never thought I would say that 2 months ago.

I am doing the cesium topically only 2x a day with the DMSO. She gets the vit C, D3, potassium and Flor-essence with each meal and the ½ prescription NSAID at lunch in cheese.

Although she is showing her age (slower and not hearing well) she is all pup when you pull out the frisbee.
Thank you God for giving her and us a second chance together.

I am so thankful for my Mom and her willingness to watch Sydney when we have things going on. I also know Sydney is very comfortable with her.

This is when I changed from putting the cesium on her food to just dipping a Q-tip into the mixture and applying it to her nose. This also eliminated the awful odor that occurs when DMSO is taken internally.

March 30, 2011 - Change in diet and knowing when the time is right

She took the cesium and DMSO for 2 days then Sat night she threw up twice and didn’t eat Sunday so I took her off it. Still doing the potassium. Trying to use it topically but she doesn’t eat breakfast until I bribe her around lunch. Very tired – both of us.

When is the right time?

• Is your dog in pain that can not be greatly reduced by medication?
• Does your dog have a terminal illness that drastically reduces his quality of life or causes constant pain?
• Is the treatment that the dog is currently taking improving his quality of life or simply maintaining a poor quality of life?
• Can you afford an expensive treatment when the dog only has a small amount of time left either way?
• Has your elderly dog lost most or all of his bodily functions?
• Does your dog still have the ability or mind-set to eat and drink?
• Are your dogs gums pink? This can be a sign that he is not receiving enough oxygen.
• Are you attempting to extend your dog’s life for his benefit or your own?

…there is a point in every dog’s life where he may be suffering and simply existing, rather than living. When this happens, it’s time to let go.

I'm not sure where I found this but it was on a website somewhere. Sorry I can't cite it. 

March 23, 2011 - No sleep and preparing for the worst

About a week ago Sydney didn’t seem interested in the cottage cheese and flax oil so I stopped giving it to her. I figured she knew better than I did whether it is helping her. I am continuing the Flor-essence, D3 and C vitamins with her food. NSAID at noon.

She is making loud whistles or snoring sounds all the time. If she is licking or eating it sounds like her tongue is really thick. Night times are much louder. I am sleeping with earplugs part of the night or my arm over my ear so I can sleep. I would never kick her out of our room but she comes out to the living room and sleeps for a while too. She looks tired and when she tries to rest she doesn’t put her head down. She tries to hold it up about 3 inches off the floor. She has a large lump on the side of her neck that feels like a bone. ??

She still enjoys playing downstairs and really likes Frisbee. She likes to eat snow so I’m wondering if that doesn’t feel good to her. I told Trevor a week ago and he seems to talk to her more now. He doesn’t have the closeness that I hoped he would have – the whole “boy and his dog” thing never happened. Avri does more but she is still too young and Sydney isn’t tolerant of young kids. She just wants her butt scratched. :)

I’m thinking I will try the cesium chloride, DMSO and potassium starting Friday. There is no liquid potassium on the market due to the Japan earthquake and nuclear scare. So I will be using tablets instead. Not ideal. We leave for Hawaii in 17 days. I don’t know how Mom feels about taking her and I would feel horrible if I wasn’t here when she passed. I guess I just feel like it’s time to “do something”. She is already suffering by not being able to breathe and sleep. I don’t want to drag it out and I want to give her one last shot. This is all I know to do.

Rob and I dug a hole on top of the hill at the land a week ago today. Kory bought a casket and headstone. I guess I have done what I can to prepare so it’s in God’s hands now. 

It's really amazing that she adjusted to breathing out of her mouth. I was always told dogs can't breath through their mouth - guess what - they can!

February 28, 2011 - More symptoms

I have been routinely giving Sydney Flor-Essence (which she doesn’t like much) and Flax oil with cottage cheese, vitamin c and vitamin D3, 2 times a day. She still gets her NSAID at lunch with cheese.

It seems like Sydney has gotten worse in the past 2 weeks. She used to weeze and snort only during the night. Now she does it all the time. She snores REALLY loud at night. She makes loud gurgling noises down her throat. I wake up during the night and I know she is awake because she can’t breathe. She lies around a lot during the day and tries to nap but I just don’t think she sleeps much and certainly not good. Throughout the night I will wake up and if I don’t hear her I wonder if she quit breathing completely and hasn’t made it through the night. Most of those times she has come out to the living room. Needless to say, I haven’t been sleeping well either.

At the same time, I play with her and her toy downstairs every time I workout. She LOVES that time. She doesn’t seem to have a hard time breathing when we play. Of course I don’t really wear her out either. We just play fetch across the basement over and over, a little tug-o-war and teasing. You would never know she was sick to see her then. She REALLY loves it when I shovel the back patio. I toss the snow in the air and she catches it, spits it out and waits for more. She almost does a half back flip to catch it.

I just wish some of these things I am doing would at least slow down the tumor growth. It seems to not be making a difference. She has started to bleed out the right nostril now too. I just don’t know how long she is going to make it.

February 18, 2011 - Questioning my decision

After doing more research I am having second thoughts about trying the cesium chloride and potassium. Everything says the tumors will swell considerably before they start to die. She is already struggling to breath through the small space left in her nose and throat. I don’t think she has any room to spare for swelling. I think it would be a death sentence for her. Side effects are diarrhea and vomiting. I wish I had researched more before we spent the money. It is also very difficult to get the low dose naltrezone that she should be taking with it, the vet doesn’t want to prescribe it and ordering the right dosage from a specialized pharmacy in California or Canada is the only place to get it.

I am making the Flor-Essence today. I need to find canning jars.

I am going to hold off on the fish oil pills since I am doing the flax seed oil/cottage cheese (and she loves it).

I am also finding that dogs make their own vitamin C so supplements may not be helpful. 1000 mg is what is needed to help kill cancer cells. But, I also found this: “For every ten pounds a dog weighs she should receive 100mg of vitamin C. This dosage should be given to the dog twice a day.”  I also read to gradually increase it but watch their stool. If it gets runny to decrease it back.– AAAHHH - The Internet!

Arlis also suggested putting the Flax seed oil in her nose because it can decrease inflammation. She doesn’t like it much and sneezes it back out but I’m trying it. 

This is the first time I really felt resistance from my vet. When I called and told her I wanted to do this she turned from what I thought was a nice, sweet, understanding person to this harsh, short, critic that told me I had no business trying anything I read on the Internet. The only way she would prescribe the naltrezone was if I signed a release form and then she would not help me again after that. 

Arlis was the owner of HealthStyles Market and also one of my childhood neighbors. She was not only very helpful but also sympathetic.

February 16, 2011 - Early symptoms

Been doing fish oil and D3 for 2 days

Started Vit C and flaxseed oil and cottage cheese

Sydney has been snoring loudly at night (waking me up) and making sounds like moving tongue against back of throat. I can hear her breathing from across the room. It even sounded like a whistle at one time today. Had bloody nose last weekend but now not having bloody noses but bloody mucus. I think she doesn’t sleep well so she is sleepy.

She still loves to play. We played fetch downstairs and she ran with Trevor until she was tired. She chased bugs outside and seemed to like it warmer today (50 degrees). Her eyes looked sickly this morning but after playing this afternoon she looks much better. I still love to see that intent “let’s play” look in her eyes when she gets down on her forearms like border collies do.

Need to get mason jars tomorrow to make Flor-Essence. Cesium and Potassium should show up in mail tomorrow.

February 14, 2011 - The Beginning of diet and supplements

I began my journal with my first supplement findings:

Morning
Flor-essence (essiac tea) 1/2 oz 1/2 hour before breakfast
With meal -
2 tbsp cottage cheese blended w/ 1 tbsp flaxseed oil (Budwig Diet)
100 mg Vitamin C
1000 mg Vitamin D3
1 Fish oil capsule 
500 mg Cesium Chloride diluted in 1/3 tbsp DMSO & 1/3 tbsp purified water
1 hour later 200 mg potassium


Noon
1/2 NSAID as prescribed by vet for pain and inflammation


Evening
With meal-
2 tbsp cottage cheese blended w/ 1 tbsp flaxseed oil
100 mg Vit C
1000 mg Vit D3
1 Fish oil capsule
500 mg Cesium Chloride diluted in 1/3 tbsp DMSO and 1/3 tbsp purified water
1 hour later - 200 mg potasium
Flor-essence (essiac tea) 1/2 oz 1/2 hour before bedtime

Looking back at this today I can tell you some of this I had to change but a lot of it was right on.

A quick explanation to each of these above:
"Cesium has been proven to get into cancer cells, when other nutrients cannot. The cesium:
1) Makes the cancer cells alkaline (Note: the BLOOD is NOT made alkaline, only the inside of the cancer cells),
2) Limits the intake of glucose into the cell (thus starving the cell and making the cell "sick" from lack of food),
3) Neutralizes the lactic acid (which is actually what causes the cell to multiply uncontrollably), and
4) Stops the fermentation process, which is a second affect of limiting the glucose."

DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) allows cesium chloride to get inside the body transdermally (i.e. through the skin).

Potassium - "Any alkali therapy changes the ph of the body toward a more alkalotic state. This causes movement of potassium into cells [i.e. which depletes serum potassium] which may result in low serum potassium values."
http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer/Alkaline.html

"Essiac is a product that is composed of 4 or more herbs, two of which (Sheep Sorrel and Burdock Root) are known to kill cancer cells. The other two herbs build the immune system and deal with detox and protecting the organs."
http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer/Essiac.html
(I was told this will help flush the bad cells out of the body)

Vitamin D3 is commonly used as an antimicrobial
http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer03/MSM_D3.html

Vitamin C - well known for being an antioxidant and is recommended for healthy dogs too

The Budwig Diet restores the electrical charge in cells.
http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer02/Cellect_Budwig.html

Fish oil - anti-inflammatory and recommended for healthy dogs too

The Beginning of a Long and Hard Journey

I will begin by saying this is a trial and error process. It is not an exact science by any means. However, I knew I had nothing to lose by trying something and everything to lose for doing nothing. I will also tell you I am not a veterinarian, a medical physician, homeopathic doctor or a nutritionist. I also didn't have a lot of money to invest in this process.

• So how can I be an expert on cancer? I am NOT! However, I have done enough research to learn of some obvious and easy things you can do in the fight against cancer. I have tried many things and have seen the direct results. I have also read hundreds of testimonials of people and pets using non-traditional means with positive outcomes. Some of them used them in conjunction with tradition medical treatments.

• Why aren't these things being made public? I really don't want to get into the conspiracy theory thing too deeply but I truly believe cancer has become a money maker for many in the healthcare field. There is no money to be made by curing cancer and the things I have used and read about are naturally occurring substances in our environment, which means it can't be patented and ironically they don't cost much either. That being said, I don't want to undermined the vital role of our healthcare professionals. I have the utmost respect for veterinarians, doctors, nurses and other caregivers. It is in my personal opinion that nutrition has not been focused on nearly enough and often times prescribing a medication rather than a healthy diet is common practice and not necessarily what is best for the patient.

• Would I recommend some of these things for humans as well as dogs? Absolutely! That is how I came to learn this in the first place. Then I adjusted it to a dogs sensitive digestive system, body weight and vitamin requirements.

• Can I guarantee it will improve the health of your pet? Unfortunately, no. Life is never a guarantee, but a gift. I am a devout Christian and believe that prayer has not only helped me through stressful times but has been a major factor in Sydney's healing process.

So, as I share with you my journal, please keep in mind that I am not a writer. I apologize in advance for my spelling and grammar errors. I will try to cut out anything unnecessary but this journal is nearly a year long so it may be lengthy.

Please take from it things that can be helpful and disregard anything you think is not. Hence the meaning of "blog" provided by Merriam-Webster: a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.

Sydney's Sake

My first "child" is a Border Collie - Australian Shepard mix named Sydney. She has been my best friend for going on 11 years now. She has slept next to my bed from the day we brought her home back in March of 2001. She was there for my wedding, she was the first one to meet my newborn son at the door when we brought him home from the hospital and then again when we brought home my daughter. She has truly been there with me through the thick and thin and I know anyone that is a dog lover like me can relate.

On January 20, 2011 (the day before Sydney turned 10 years old) I found out she had nasal cancer. The vet said it was in the "advanced" stages. She had a CT scan and a biopsy showing the tumor in her nose, going up behind her eyes and up over her brain. I was given the same info everyone else gets with this diagnosis - she had about 3 months to live unless we did radiation treatments, then she would have 6 months to a year. These treatments would be $5000-$7000 and I would have to travel 4 hours to get her to a place that could do it, a couple times a week for 3 weeks. Surgery was not an option because of the location of the tumor.

After researching the effects radiation has on dogs and weighing the pros and cons I decided against doing these treatments. I watched Sydney's condition slowly decline for a couple of weeks until on February 14, 2011, I decided I was not going to stand idly by and watch my best friend suffer without doing SOMETHING - ANYTHING. So I began my very long venture into cancer research.

This is what I found:

• 50% of dogs over the age of 10 get cancer.
• Vets seem to think the cancer is genetic and once it is diagnosed, it is a death sentence.
• Nutritionists seem to think it is caused by diet that cannot only be prevented but also treated.
• Most vets will shut you down at the first mention of treating animals homeopathically.
• Many nutritionists and health store personnel can advise you on animal illnesses as well as human. 
• The Internet is full of information if you can take the time to find it. Hopefully, I can consolidate some of that info for you here.

Because my husband and I have a personal interest in diet and nutrition we began to draw many parallels between human health and that of our dog. We have tried to incorporate alkaline foods into our own diet because of the high acidic levels of the typical western diet. So why not do the same for Sydney. I began to give her something with every meal such as watermelon, cantaloupe, apples, broccoli, cucumbers (her personal favorite), carrots, celery and whatever I could grow in my own garden including green beans, peas and squash. I also make sure to give her filtered water and pour a splash of lemon juice in it. Here is a great website for more diet suggestions. 
Here is a website for human alkaline diet suggestions.

I kept a journal beginning February 16, 2011 of the vitamins and foods I gave her along with her ups and downs. I decided to share my findings because today is December 12, 2011 and she is still with us, sleeping at my feet as I type. I won't make you do the math but she has outlived her life expectancy by almost 8 months and to look at her today as she ran through the snow chasing her ball and barking at kids, I would say she is better than she has been for quite a while. She has that sparkle in her eyes again and I don't see her leaving us anytime in the near future.

Unfortunately, I know of other dogs that have not been so lucky. So I'm sharing this not only for Sydney's sake, that I can learn more from any of you out there, but for the sake of all our four-legged family members. I encourage you to do some research and use anything you find here to keep your pets (and you) happy and healthy.

It is my hope that by sharing this, another dog lover and their best friend can have more precious time together like Sydney and I have.