Willa McDermott (1999-2012)

Last night Mary Jane and I said goodbye to our beloved Willa. She lost her fight with cancer and passed quickly. We will always be proud of how she touched so many lives, most deeply, our own.

The vets think that the cancer we fought in her mouth, the cancer that we know has been advancing into her lungs, spread to her brain and caused the seizures.

The thing that kept us going these past few weeks was that she was happy. Happy to be with us, happy to go on walks and happy to wait in bed with Mary Jane and wait for me to return with her turkey-wrapped before breakfast meds.

We officially retired Willa in August. APD held a wonderful ceremony for her and the Chief of Police presented Willa with a commendation for her service to Austin. The Statesman followed up with a great article. We were also asked to work with a local hi-tech company that is producing technology that can help SAR operation. This was a chance for me to get suited up and bring Willa back into the field. She treated the whole thing with her usual professionalism and delighted in being back on the job. Here is the picture we took that day.

Mary Jane and I miss Willa terribly. Everything we do, every move we make, used to have a “Willa component”. She was as much a part of our lives as breathing. It was automatic and seamless. If I was traveling and called Mary Jane, she would tell me what she was doing and I could tell her exactly where Willa was. Sitting on the couch, Willa is on the hearth, cutting cucumbers for salad, Willa is underfoot, waiting for cucumber.

It is clear that Ruby misses Willa too. She continues to listen for her and search for her. She knows Willa’s patterns too. Willa had a place in my office, Ruby looks for Willa there a few times a day.

The thing that buoys us up and keeps the despair away is the constant reminder from relatives, friends and professionals who knew Willa, that she was a great dog. She was more that a pet, she was a personality, she was more than a Search Dog, she was a Search Professional that was always ready to serve. The condolences that we have received from Facebook, Twitter, and email has been profound. Everyone is sharing their memories of her and her impact on them personally.

Spa Day

This morning was a spa day of sorts for the girls. Willa has an appearance coming up and is looking a bit shaggy. I try to keep both dogs well groomed particularly in the heat of the summer. In Willa’s case she still has the reverse Mohawk from her time at LSU. I worked on the margins of the clip to ease the edges a bit, blending it in. I also take care of nails and that oh-so long between the toes hair that makes their feet slip on the wood floors.

It was while I was trimming Willa’s back feet and clipping her nails that I noticed something. Willa does NOT like me to mess with her paws, particularly her nails. Now, I am pretty good when it comes to nail trimming, but Willa is a squirmy bag of trembling dog flesh when nail trimming time rolls around. So I sit on the floor with the stinkiest of stinky treats and prop Willa on her back so I can control her and her foot. She resists but the treats keep her in place for the 18 snips it takes to finish the job. Then, when I finish the front ten, I pivot her 180 degrees so I can do the back 8. At this point she’s panting but not struggling anymore.

So, she’s laying on her back, mouth open, and I grab my camera and snap this…

OK, so there is a bit of Salmon jammed in there too, but what I see is fresh pink palate and a very small grey spot. Compare this to the first shot and you can see that it looks like it is healing. Add to this the fact that she is choosing to chew her hard chews on that side and I think her mouth is healing. She still has the chapped lips from the radiation treatment, but that looks better every day too.

I still have a bit more clipping to do before they are ready for “show” (and I’ll post pictures when I finish) but I wanted you all to see for yourselves. This has been a good, although very hot, day. I think we’ll be playing in the sprinklers later today…

Silver Lining

Today was Willa’s Graduation of sorts from Heart of Texas Veterinary Specialty Center (http://heartoftexasvets.com/). I passed a quivering, trembling Willa off to Deanna for her last Melanoma vaccination. She has had 4 in the past 2 months, wow, how the time has flown.

Following her physical exam Dr. Brown confirmed what I had already seen. The tumor is “different”, depending on how you describe it, it is changing in appearance and looks like Willa’s immune system is fighting it. You can see the pink of her pallet next to the usual black of the roof of her mouth. The part that used to scare me, the white of the tumor, has turned greyish, pinkish and is not as well defined. Her mouth definitely suffered from the radiation. Two days ago she looked like she had a chapped lip in the corner of her mouth (see her lower lip below). That inflammation is going down, but we’re extending the antibiotics just in case.

We made our next appointment for a check-up in November. Willa was happy to leave, which is sad, because they really love her there.

Once we got home Willa was back to herself. Chasing squirrels and rolling in the freshly mowed grass. Physically she is doing great. She eats well and shows no sign of growing older.

We have learned from many friends and family that Willa was included in the prayers of individuals as well as whole congregations and a prayer chain that spread around the world. We are so grateful for everyone who contributed to Willa surviving and thriving through this ordeal. We are touched by the thoughtfulness and generosity of those who do not know what an amazing girl she is, but pray for her health and recovery.

Thanks to everyone who cares about Willa, you are our support system.

The Only Constant is Change

Chicago was great, but the best welcome home gift was Willa, Ruby and no green slime. It looks like the antibiotics are working. During the morning agility training Willa started barking, well…trying to bark. The folks at LSU warned us that the radiation may cause changes to her eye, mouth and throat. It appears that is the case. Her eye is watering a bit, her mouth, now free of the slime, is a bit pink and her bark is…well…tiny. We’ll continue to consult and monitor, but aside from a tiny dog bark, Willa had a great time and ran her butt off this morning.

While visiting Shedd Aquarium we picked up a few gifts for the girls. If you know Ruby, you know she LOVES whales. Shamu has been her favorite for years (in fact she is actually on her second Shamu, the first was loved to death). Ruby wraps her paws around her whale and nurses on its head, falling into a trancelike state we call “The Shamu Zone”. We name all the toys and Ruby’s new Beluga is “Bella” after one of the Shedd whales. Here are Willa and Ruby with their Octopus and Bella.

As you can see, Ruby loves her Bella. Note: She’s not chewing on Bella, she’s in a nursing trance, waking  only if she needs to adjust her paws, needs to nurse a bit more or begins to fall over.

It’s good to be home.

How Health Care Should Be

Mary Jane and I are heading to Chicago for a couple days for the SharePoint Connections Coast to Coast technical conference for me, speaking about SharePoint, and Mary Jane ‘cause she’s never been. We have been feeling good lately because on our last visit it Dr. Brown said “it appears that the tumor is smaller”. I had snuck a peek at it during one of Willa’s yawns and thought the same thing, now I had independent confirmation. In mind, “small tumor” is better than “big tumor”, but not as good as “no tumor”.

Running through our preflight checklist went something like this:

• Cloths for 3 days – CHECK
• Computer and Presentation Notes  - CHECK
• Boarding Passes – CHECK
• Take care of the green stuff coming out of Willa’s mouth…

Over the weekend we took Willa and Ruby swimming on Lake Austin. My buddy Bren met us at a favorite location with Oso and Happy to get the dogs some water time and ease our guilt over leaving them behind. Willa would rather swim than anything else, so it works well to keep her fit and limber in the heat of the summer. For Ruby it’s all about seeing Oso and swimming, running and swimming, chasing dragon flies and swimming.

I noticed that Willa was snoring a bit more than usual on Friday night by Sunday she was snoring a bit more than me. When I was bathing her after swimming Sunday she has green slime on the corner of her mouth. Careful application of the shampoo removed the slime and the blood from a week of sleeping with the tumor in her mouth. (Accentuating her beautiful white muzzle even more.) We became most concerned when Willa began having trouble eating wet food. By this morning we actually switched her to dry food to help her eat.

With our 9:30 departure looming we called LSU and HOT Vets to get a consultation on the situation. Both vets postulated that Willa’s tumor and the tissues around it are beginning to slough off and we need to switch antibiotics to keep the bugs away. We were able to arrange for the Amazing Bren to pick up the drugs and Willa’s Aunt Judy (our loving neighbor of 13 years) to administer the antibiotics while we’re gone. Again, LSU and HOT Vets jumped to our aid when they realized the time crunch, Westlake Animal Hospital made the arrangements for us to get the meds after a call from HOT Vets. Everyone was amazing in their desire to help us and Willa in under 90 minutes. (Try getting that kind of health care as a human!)

So with a little less guilt we’re off to Chicago with thoughts of our great weekend together. We’re also thinking about less slime, healthy dogs, temperatures less than the “surface-o-the-sun” temps we’ve been having in Austin. Mostly we’re thinking about Willa as she fights the cancer and the side effects and the wonderful care givers that we have to look after Willa, rain or shine.

Here’s a quick video of the dogs at the lake. You can see that, aside from Willa’s hair cut, she is still energetic and playful. (Check out Ruby’s two jumps!)

Crazy Dog on the grass and playing with Ruby and Oso

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

We left LSU right after Willa’s final radiation treatment for the week. The folks that took part in Willa’s treatment at the LSU Vet Clinic Cancer Treatment Unit signed her bandana with kind words and prayers for Willa. It is a touching reminder of how much they all care about my girl.  Willa was happy to be headed home and slept most of the way…at least until I pulled out the chicken sandwich I had made for lunch.

Willa and I arrived home safely Friday evening. Tropical storm Don had nothing for Austin, but still managed to dump a lot of rain on us East of Houston. Once home, Willa promptly hopped out of the car and ran to Mary Jane for “welcome home” kisses. She then ran into the middle of the yard, flopped down and began “Crazy Dog”.

Aside from the blue, green and black marks (and an odd hair cut) Willa is no worse for the ordeal. She has a follow-up visit at HOT Vets Wednesday and her 3rd Melanoma Vaccine injection. I’ll continue to update the blog as we hear more news.

Mary Jane and I cannot thank you all enough for your kind words, prayers and thoughts as Willa has gone through treatment. The Twitter #GeauxWilla hash tag has shown MJ and I the reach Willa has had. I appreciate the memories folks have shared with me about Willa. She has touched many folks and I am proud to hear how others talk about her.

The plan now is exercise in the form of swimming, great food, and lots of love. (Sounds like a plan I’ll be following too!)

All Joking Aside…

Those of you who know me know that I use humor to relieve stressful situations. This blog is a good example. To consider the seriousness of Willa’s condition and to dwell on “poor Willa” is not my way. (Don’t get me wrong, I have those moments, quietly, in private, I just try to avoid it in public.) The thing is, I am here at the LSU Vet Clinic with owners of animals who are in the same boat, or considerably worse. Consider the dogs I saw today, of the 12-15 dogs I saw while I waited for Willa, 4 of them had 3 legs, removed due to cancer.

I recognize the other owners now, after seeing them each morning for the past week. We exchange knowing looks, the “How’s Buddy doing today?” nod exchanged by folks who love their aging pets and feel the anguish of the other owners, sharing a moment of hope. That’s what we get here, hope. Hope that even if Willa passes sooner that we all expect, the young Veterinarians will learn how to care for a great dog who happens to have cancer and the passionate owner who wants the very best for his companion, right up to the end. Hope that in learning, lives can be improved, and the precious little time we have together can be extended just a little.

Willa lucked out this morning, Adrienne asked if we could come in earlier for her fourth treatment. That meant that we were done earlier, too. That meant that the Tuna that I brought home from dinner last night with Willa’s Uncle Rod (MJ's brother) and Aunt Vicki went into Willa’s breakfast that much earlier. Dinner was great, I have to admit, Baton Rouge (well the whole state of Louisiana, actually) knows how to cook! The restaurants here are amazing, but last nights dinner was great because of family. We talked and reminisced about dogs we had owned and “family stories”, memories that I have of my “Louisiana Family” as Rod likes to call it.

I have been a part of this family for 22 years. MJ and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary last Saturday, her on the road back from Willa’s first LSU visit, me packing for her return trip. We did take time for dinner together, but I am looking forward to getting home and celebrating.

We have a lot to celebrate.

Slipping into a Routine

Maybe it’s a coping skill, but after the fur-ro-ry, as Bugs Bunny would say, of the past 5 weeks, Willa and I are into a routine that suits us. I guess the weirdest part is how easy it has become to explain to passers-by why my dog has a shaved head and Manson-esque prison tats in blue and green. Willa now sports 5 blue and green crosses, two by her eye and three on the back of her head.

Here is Willa’s routine day:

• 5:30ish jump on the bed and go back to sleep
• 8:00 Wake, get love, try to stay in bed a bit longer while Dad makes coffee
• 8:10 Outside to pee/poo, clear the squirrels temporarily from the yard (do dogs dream of a permanent solution?)
• 8:15 Greet Grandma by picking up Geoffrey and growling gently while circumnavigating her legs. Drop Geoffrey only long enough to administer a tiny kiss to Grandma.
• 8:17 First nap of the day while Dad blogs, talks to Mom and works
• 10:45 Jump in the car and head to LSU
• 11:00 Drop off at LSU, greet Adrienne or Shay with a bit less panting and trembling than the previous day
• 12:30 Bee line it back to the car for Breakfast al-Fresco in the car, Salmon in brown gravy with a side of 300 mg of Clindamycin
• 12:30:25 Head back to Grandma’s so Dad can have lunch and finish his work day. Takes second or third nap of the day.
• 5:00 “Willa want to go for a WALK??” Secure the neighborhood, if only temporarily, from squirrels and pee where others have peed before
• 9:30ish Bedtime #1
• 11:45 Wake and eat dinner (plus second dose of antibiotic)
• 11:50 Outside and back
• 12:00 Bedtime #2

I cannot say enough about all the love and encouragement we have received from friends old and new. I find it truly amazing how “Willa’s People” have rallied around her and support her from afar. MJ and I want you all to know that your kind words of encouragement and love shore us up, and fill us with pride. We know Willa is a great dog, and it would appear that you all do too, thanks for letting us know that.

Mary Jane, Matthew, Willa and Ruby

Grace Under Fire

Willa made it through her first day of radiation therapy. She bounded out of the hospital and was ready to chase squirrels when she got back to Grandma’s. (She does not know she’s sick, I hope to keep it that way.)

There appears to be only one obvious side effect, the number of crosses on her head has multiplied. She now sports 3 targets, one in blue and two in green. I think we’re going to have to create some kind of toupee when we get finished.

I am shifting her feeding schedule so she eats as soon as she get’s home and again just before midnight since I am not supposed to feed her breakfast before she has treatment.

Thanks to everyone who has written, called, and prayed. Willa’s spirit is strong and even though she trembles with fear when I drop her off the nurses say she does very well once she is out of my sight.

We’re Meant to be Here

Willa slept very well last night and will go to LSU this morning for her first full day of treatment. I just spoke to the nurse who will admit Willa and “today is the last long day”. Tuesday through Friday I’ll be able to wait while she is treated.

It is not lost on me that there is a reason for everything. Seemingly unrelated events, one after another, that, in time, reveal a pattern that, in the 20/20 vision of hindsight, make perfect sense.

Consider Willa’s life involving Louisiana:

• Raised by Mary Jane an amazing, loving LSU graduate (Geaux Tigers!)
• Aunt Cheryl, also an LSU grad, lives in Slidell, LA (St. Tammany Parish)
• Trained as a Search Dog
• Advanced Search Dog Training in St. Tammany Parish by LASAR Dogs. (Still THE single coolest event I have ever attended.)
• Responded to Slidell, LA following Hurricane Katrina to assist in the search for victims
• Returns to Slidell, LA to teach the kids about SAR Dogs and volunteering in 2007 and again in 2011
• Contracts cancer and needs the best available treatment, LSU Cancer Treatment Unit is ready for us

We’re in good hands.

Off to LSU

The team at Heart of Texas Veterinary Specialty Center (we call them HOT Vets) has been over-the-top communicative about the progress and options for Willa’s treatment. Deanna, Willa’s Oncology Tech, has been keeping us apprised of the availability of the radiation treatment machine at Texas A & M Vet School. They are installing a new one, and the installation is not going well.

On our second visit to the HOT Vets for Willa’s vaccine and a checkup, we decided to pursue options other than TAMU. We needed to get Willa's treatment started. Mary Jane has family in Baton Rouge, so it has always been in the back of our minds that LSU Vet School was an option. LSU has the latest technology for treating Willa’s kind of tumor.

From the LSU Vet School Web site:

Radiation oncologists use radiation to kill cancer cells locally. This allows cancers that cannot be cured with surgery alone to be treated effectively. With the incorporation of radiation it is often possible to perform a less aggressive surgery than would otherwise be necessary, while still achieving a high chance of cure. The radiation oncology service of the CTU uses a linear accelerator to deliver a high energy beam of radiation to the tumor. The LSU CTU is one of the only veterinary school in the country that uses a multileaf collimator to perform intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). This technology allows the radiation beam to be tightly conformed to the tumor contour, sparing normal tissues in the radiation area. This permits precise delivery of a high dose of radiation to the tumor, while sparing critical normal tissues.

All we needed was an appointment to get started. Deanna was on it.

Just another Thursday Morning

Following a great morning of Agility with Willa and Ruby, we got a call from LSU Veterinary Oncology that they could take Willa immediately for her CT scan and then prepare her for 5 days of radiation treatment. They just needed to know when we could get there, suggesting Monday. MJ did not hesitate to ask “How about tomorrow?”. 

MJ packed herself and Willa, and I prepped the truck, they were off in under 90 minutes. We go to Baton Rouge all the time to visit family, so we know the routine. Willa LOVES “grandma’s house” (except for this one grey squirrel). MJ’s mom and step-father did not hesitate when we let them know Willa was coming. Many of you know from our videos that MJ’s sister lives in Slidell, LA. I gave her a call to let her know that MJ and Willa were on the way and she made plans for she and Jaci (MJ’s niece) to spend the night to help MJ and Willa in any way. That’s how great everyone has been. No hesitation, no problem, just “What do you need?”

Friar Willa

The first step in the process is for LSU to get a clear picture of the extent of the tumor. Mary Jane took Willa for her CT Scan so that the Oncologist can determine the course of treatment. This will also be the most definitive look at the tumor for us, so we can really KNOW what we’re up against. The results of the scan will also help the technicians pin point precisely where to point the beam. They take careful measurements from a reference point on Willa’s head, the top of her head…right…..about…..there!

It Takes a Village

If ever I wished I could talk to animals it’s now. I wish I could comfort her and tell her this is so she’ll have a great quality of life, so she’ll get to go swimming and chase squirrels for a few more years. We, thankfully, have the comfort of family, and so does Willa. Where words fail, a gentle caress, scratching that o-so-special spot (5th rib, right side, that makes her back leg twitch), and the love of Willa’s “special people” like her “cousin” Jaci. Jaci has known Willa her whole life. Willa (dubbed “Willa Jean” by Cheryl) was so excited to see Cheryl and Jaci at Grandmas house. They greeted Willa with open arms and a new “giraffe-looking” toy immediately dubbed Geoffrey.

Groggy Doggy

Every visit, every conversation with the vets and technicians involves a flood of information for you to process and make decisions about. Cheryl and Jaci attended the initial consultation and follow-up with MJ to be an extra set of ears, to help MJ process all the information. All of the info was relayed back to me in Austin. Great caring people at LSU, lots of things to be hopeful about. Just need to get the test results.

The first CT scan results came back with encouraging news. The tumor is not invading the jaw bone and appears localized to the tissue of her palate. This is great news for treatment. MJ, Cheryl and Jaci picked up Willa, still groggy from anesthesia, and brought her back to Grandma’s house to sleep off the day’s treatment and get the meal that she had to skip because of the anesthesia.

MJ is back in Austin with Willa now, tomorrow I’ll pack up and head back to Grandma’s house for the week of daily radiation treatments.