Hello, everyone! It’s Cooper again! My mom has allowed me take over the blog today and share with you how my February was for me! My February was really good, and most of it was about my chemo and fighting back my pancreatic cancer. If you want to read how chemo was for me in February, please click for more.
In the beginning of February, I had my first chemotherapy session. My mom was relieved that I was getting chemo because it took longer than she had hoped to find a suitable chemo treatment for me. Since I have kidney disease, my doctor wanted to find a treatment that would not compromise my kidneys. She found one that I could tolerate. I get a chemo session once a week for 5 weeks. After that, my doctor will do an ultrasound to see if the chemo is helping to reduce the size of the tumor in my pancreas. If the chemo is working, I will get 5 more chemo sessions.
I did not know what to expect from having chemotherapy, but it turns out it is not that bad. My doctor told my mom that I may lose my appetite 2 to 3 days after each session. She was right. But they have some pills to give me to help bring back my appetite. Those pills worked really good. I ate better than I have in a long time.
My mom did notice that I did no like the water in my water fountain or water bowl soon after my first chemo session. I just wanted to drink tons of water from the sink. I was so thirsty. I kept asking my mom to pick me up so I could drink more water out of the sink. She was a little cranky that I was asking for water in the middle of the night, but she never let me go thirsty. My mom told one night that taking care of me is never an inconvenience, but maybe try to drink more water before we go to bed. I did, but I still was getting thirsty. She told my doctor about my water issue, and my doctor did some lab work on me. It turns out that I had become anemic. My anemia could be caused from the cancer or the chemo. After a week of medication to help increase my red blood cells, my doctor checked my levels and said I was building back the red blood cells. After 2 weeks, I was no longer anemic. I was feeling a lot better, and I started liking water from my water fountain and water bowl again! But I still like my mom to pick up sometimes so I can drink water from the sink!
Each week I went for a chemo session. I stay at the vet all day, but the chemo session alone does not take very long. My doctor makes sure I am comfortable, so she gives me something to help me sleep while they give me the chemo. I am pretty tired after a day at the vet, but I don’t feel tired or bad from the chemo. I don’t get sick at all. I heard that people lose their hair sometimes from chemo, but I did not. The only hair I lose is from where the techs shave my back legs where I get the IV each week.
I found out that there are a lot of cats and dogs that get chemo at my vet. It is not that scary after all. Sometimes cats or dogs can’t even get chemo, or the chemo is too hard on their bodies. I am happy that I could get treatment and my doctor worked really hard to find one for me. I am still feeling great these days, and I know my mom wants to give me as much of a great life as I can have. I really have loved my life, and I want to stay with my family as long as I can. I was never much of a cuddle kitty, but these days I really enjoy snuggling up next to my mom and dad at night. I am keeping my paws crossed that the chemo is working so I have even more snuggle time with my mom and dad.
So, that is my February in a nutshell. I hope you all have a great March!
Love,
Cooper
Dayna is a food blogger and pet parent to Cooper the cat! 
