It’s been a couple of months since Milo finished his fourth (modified) CHOP/CEOP protocol, and he’s been able to enjoy the summer without any vet visits[1].

We’d been hoping for a nice long remission like last year, but that wasn’t to be. A scan at the start of this week found a lesion on his duodenum, and the advice was to restart chemotherapy.

Our local vets The Mewes continue to be amazing, and they were able to get him in for vincristine the following day.

Ordering cholrambucil online from Weldricks went much smoother this time too, perhaps because I knew that I needed to mail in the prescription. The pills are already sat in my fridge for next week (so no worries about Bank Holiday related delays).

The oncologist we normally see at North Downs Specialist Referals (NDSR) was on leave (it’s still school holidays) and won’t be back until next week, so it’s not entirely clear yet whether we’re sticking with epirubicin or possibly switching to (something like) mitoxantrone; but we have a few weeks to figure that out.

Both insurance claims (for the scan at the specialist’s and the chemo the next day) got paid same day, so I stay very happy with the service from ManyPets. The policy has just renewed, so there was a fresh excess to pay.

Note

[1] He was supposed to have his annual vaccinations in the middle of August and there were no slots available that week in the online booking system so I just grabbed one for when we returned from holiday. I’m now wishing that I’d called up to squeeze him in, as he now won’t be able to get his boosters until after the protocol is done.

Past parts:

1. diagnosis and initial treatment

2. first setback

3. back on track

4. second setback

5. easing the pace

6. counting the cost

7. fat boy

8. done CHOPping for now

9. scans

10. relapse

11. remission

12. complications

13. more H

14. three

15. scans (again)

16. relapse redux

17. remission redux

18. OK but delays

19. four

20. extended remission

21. CHOP #4

22. remission again

23. Five