On Thursday night, we brought the light of our lives into the emergency pet hospital. Gorn is suffering from a ruptured mass on his spleen that is causing internal hemorrhaging. The doctors believe at this time, there is a 70% chance it is a malignant and aggressive cancer called hemangiosarcoma. They believe that without chemotherapy, it will claim his life within the next few months. They believe it has already spread to his liver and will continue to do so if it is indeed hemangiosarcoma.
The survival rate of hemangiosarcoma is 0%. Even with chemotherapy, it would only extend Gorn's life by a potential max of 8 months.
I have opted for Gorn to have surgery to remove the existing masses, but I am not sure if chemo will be necessary as it may prolong his suffering. The doctors will advise me on the best course of action after his surgery and see how he is recovering.
With that in mind, the current amount I have paid for this care is around $12,000. This does not include chemotherapy or after-surgery care.
While Gorn has pet insurance, it will only cover $8,000 maximum.
I plead that if you have ever known Gorn, and loved him, you consider donating to help his care and potential additional costs. Whether it be chemotherapy, or hospice/end of life care and euthanasia.
All of the money will go towards making the rest of Gorn's life as comfortable and peaceful as possible.
I have no words to express the grief that has flooded my world. Gorn is my everything. And I know he was deeply cared for and loved by so many of the people in our lives.
Thank you for loving him, and continuing to do so. Keep him in your hearts and prayers. If you know Gorn, you would know he doesn't want anyone to cry for him. There has never been a better boy in the history of the world.
UPDATE: 3/22, 9pm EST
Gorn came home today at 10am. Wearing a big cone around his head, he very wearily climbed the stairs to my apartment and has been happily and peacefully resting in his bed.
His pain is being managed well with medication and he is able to eat small meals.
His surgery was deemed successful in removing the spleen and stopping the bleeding. During the exploratory portion of the operation, the surgeons were pleased to discover that there was no visible masses, tumors, or abnormalities with Gorn's liver or anything else in his abdomen. While this does not confirm that the potential cancer has not already metastasized, this is a very good sign.
They believe there is a 30% chance that the mass is not hemangiosarcoma.
There is hope that Gorn has more time than we thought but the odds are stacked against him. Unfortunately, it is now a waiting game to see what the histopathology discovers from the splenic mass. We should be getting some conclusive answers in a week or two.
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has donated to help my sweet precious baby boy. He is truly a special dog and the contributions given are going to help us fight for his 9th birthday.
Gorn is giving it his best. The vets say he has a strong spirit inside the squishy lovey dog that he is. Please continue to share Gorn's story so that we can reach as many people as possible. This is his chance and we will keep fighting for it.
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FINAL UPDATE 3/28, 1:30pm EST
I received a phonecall Wednesday the 26th from the surgeon.
Histopathology has comeback and to all of our astonishment, Gorn is officially cancer free!
The numbers I was given had been abysmal. They believed there was an 80-90% chance he would not survive till next fall. Against all odds, Gorn took that little chance and became our little miracle boy.
They discovered that his spleen had been overproducing benigh blood vessel growth which had resulted in a large hematoma to form on his spleen, which is the mass that ruptured causing his hemorrage. With the completion of his splenectomy, after his long healing period, Gorn should live for years to come.
I want to thank each and every one of the people in our lives who so generously showed bottomless compassion for this miracle boy. I will be using the donations to pay off the large sum of medical debt this endeavor has put me in.
Thank you for your love, prayers, good energy, and healing thoughts. This is truly a blessing. Gorn is here to give each and everyone a yucky kiss.






