Jill's Journey

I just needed to share what I saw  on Jill’s belly tonight. She has a little white fur patch on her belly and it made this purrfect heart shape tonight. So fitting….

OOPS!  I’m a day late!!!!!  I was so excited leading up to her one-year, I forgot we keep counting!

Well, happy 13 month ampuversary little Jilly Bean!  Things are going very well here.  We managed through the Polar Vortex quite well, lots of snuggles and hoodie wearing.  Jill is continuing to lose some whiskers, even though she hasn’t had any form of chemo since August.  I asked her oncologist about it who said her whiskers just may never be the same beautiful, strong whiskers they once were.  So maybe they’re just falling out now because they’re weaker – but you know what? If that’s all that’s happening now, I’LL TAKE IT!  She don’t need no stinkin’ whiskers!!  She’s just as beautiful and healthy without them!  Our apartment was very full for her 13 month ampuversary….Belle and Lucy were both visiting, so we had FOUR animals at one time.  Not sure Jill is too happy about this, but she still gets the bulk of my attention.  So onto month 14 we go! Xoxo

Snuggling during one of the really cold nights:

Me and Belle trying to facetime with our Mom………Jill had some other ideas:

Jill here.  It’s a POLAR VORTEX!  I don’t know about you, but that sounds like sum kinda holiday to me.  And you know in this house, Mom dresses us up on holidays! Here we are celebrating this vortex thing………

Fat Jack couldn’t fit in the hoody so he is just layin around on one……..

As we begin 2014 I wanted to put together a special tribute to our tripawd heroes.  I know for me, Jill has shown me the true meaning of being brave this past year.  This was the original song I wanted to use for her one year ampuversary video, however, she wanted to show off her boxing moves instead.  I feel it’s more fitting to use it to show our amazing community of fighters anyway!

Enjoy!

We would like to wish everyone a very very happy and healthy new year!  Many of us have been through rough years and for some you are just starting your tripawd journeys – may 2014 bring you lots of love, joy and health for you and your pups and kittens!  Here are some pics of Jack, Jill and Belle celebrating.  I apologize for Jack…….he didn’t get the memo that you don’t start drinking the champagne until Midnight………..

Merry Christmas and a belated Happy Hanukkah Everypawdy!!!  We want to wish you a joyful, happy and healthy holiday!  Hanukkah was quite early this year, so we celebrated a while back and I received the wonderful gift of being able to say Jill remains cancer free after one year.  But I will continue to count my blessings each and every day.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas for those of you who celebrate….being the good little jewish kitties we are, we will be eating chinese food and watching movies 🙂

Ho Ho Ho from our family to yours!!!

xoxo,

Erica, Jack & Jill (and BELLE!)

The two grinches:

Words are escaping me right now.  I’ve been thinking long and hard about this past year.  How do I put into words all the emotions I’ve felt over the last 365 days that are culminating in this one happy moment?  So many moments of fear, sadness, relief, joy and those are just to name a few.  We often call this journey a roller coaster ride and there really is no better way to describe it.  One year ago right now, I was on the way up, feeling the anticipation of what was to come.  Waiting for the phone call from Jill’s surgeon that she was out of surgery.  Eight hours later, I was zooming down, feeling the joy of the ride, when I visited her in the hospital and seeing with my very own eyes that she was Okay.

Up and down I would go for 12 months.  Easy recovery, Starting Chemotherapy, Low Neutrophil counts, No visible side effects from chemo, Mysterious peeing outside the litter box, Mysterious coughing fits, Mysterious weight loss and then gaining the weight back and X-Rays galore.   It was all one long, hard ride that got us here.  Here.  12 months later.  365 days later.  One year and I can type something I’ve been hoping I would be able to say since December 12, 2012, Jill has been CANCER FREE for ONE WHOLE YEAR.

There are so many people I have to thank for helping me and Jill get to this point.  Her wonderful Vet at Lincoln Square Vets, Dr. Tan and her amazing and talented Oncologists at The Animal Medical Center, Dr. Hohenhaus and Dr. Tegtmeyer.  Everyone here at Tripawds.com.  If it were not for this community, I would have been lost.  But most of all, my parents, Jill’s grandparents.  Their love and support has carried us through from day one.

My Jilly, I never in a million years thought I could love you anymore than I did the day I brought you home 9 years ago when you were 8 weeks old.  You have been such a little lovebug full of strength, resilience and courage this past year and never gave up.  Your first night home after your surgery, you only wanted to be up on the bed with me.  Every visit to the vet, you had hugs for everyone. After every chemo session, you didn’t feel like being left alone, you just wanted to your tummy rubbed.  And those will be the memories I will keep with me forever.  I love you little Jilly and am so proud of you.

Now onto the fun stuff.  I made the following video as a tribute to Jill’s prizewinning fight she has put up this year.  I hope you enjoy!

And here are some pictures….now, I don’t know what got into Jill and her brudda, but they were really not being their usual cooperative selves for this photo shoot.  Most likely, they’ve just had 365 days worth of ENOUGH ALREADY with me dressing them up 🙂

Jill deserved to be dressed up as a princess today – but um…I don’t think she was enjoying it very much:

My Super Girl:

Jack got to wear a Bow Tie for the occasion:

 

And finally, my princess in what she considers her princess pose….all is right with the world.

Jill’s one-year Ampuversary is this Thursday, 12/12, which meant it was time for her one-year check up!  Off we went this morning in the snow to the Animal Medical Center.  She was her usual self, hugging everyone…and I was my usual self, nervous and anxious.  This was a big check-up!  It would be her last one for a long time (hopefully!) so I made sure to voice any and all my concerns about any unusual behavior (belching, wheezing, tripping).  But when it really came down to it, they pronounced her A-OK, 100% healthy and happy!  We still have to wait for the radiologist department to read her chest x-ray, but her oncologist thinks they look crystal clear!  She is “just thrilled” with how Jill is doing and I am so happy about that.  We can now say with near certainty that as of Thursday, Jill is ONE YEAR CANCER FREE.  I can’t even begin to tell you what joy it brings me to type those words.

Here is a picture of her appointment sheet – I love that they put “one year ampuversary” as her appointment title! and a picture of Jill with her oncologist, Dr. Ann Hohenhaus.

Jill Here.  Hey Everybuddy.  Guess what.  Even though Brudda and Me just got lots of new presents for Hanukkah, Mom said we can still celebrate Christmas because I’ve been a really good kitty this year.  So today, she took me to meet SANTY CLAWS!!!!!!!  Oh boy, it was a lot of fun.  We went to this place called the pet store…I never been there before.  I made some new doggy friends and everyone was making a big fuss because I was the only kitty there to take my picture with Santy.  I wonder why?  What kitty wouldn’t want to meet SANTY!?

Jill Here.  Hey Everybuddy.  Guess what?  Mom is on VACATION!  She always takes this week and half off…last year it worked out nicely that I was having my amputation at the same time as her vacation, she says I am very siderate for doing that for her.  She says this year she has some plans for her vacation, to see friends and my grandmaw and grandpaw…….but……I am thinking she should probably stay with me and continue to do this….this looks like a way better vacation to me, what do you think?: