Meredith Yayanos

Pupdate from K: "Da boi is doing so, so good, he's been extra jazzy this last week, sorta seems to be adjusting to a 3 legged situation. Absolute lust for life!!!" These courses of chemo Dalf's been doing are 100% the right call. Also, they're hella expensive and the algorithm ain't been kind to this page since the goal amount was retoggled to include the cost of at least five courses, so please do keep sharing this link and donate if you are moved to! Oh, and I keep meaning to mention this... if you're local, or you're gonna be in town any time soon, consider swinging by Davey Jones' Deli for one of the best sandwiches you'll ever eat. Some crowd favorites: the Grandpa (tender slow-roasted brisket loaded up with melted cheese, onions, deliciously savory homemade sauces), the Vulcan Wrap (house-made hummus, avocado, quinoa, almonds, and "the Twerks" veggie crunch medley of arugula, spinach, carrots, radish, cukes, roasted garlic, and red bell pepper sauce, all of it packed tight inside a spinach tortilla), and Dave's legendary turkey pesto melt (which involves a pile of pipin' hot fresh roasted turkey carved right off the spit in front of you, white cheddar, and tangy almond pesto doled generously between thick slices of Dutch crunch bread). Maybe you'll even get to give Dave a high five from loving friends too far away to give him one right now. Thanks, all! Happy Halloween season!

Dave: “Wagging. Partying. Barking for pizza. Getting around good enough! He’s definitely happy.“ Kristine: “We tried the wheelchair with some success (just need some adjustments to see if it will indeed work for the boi). Gandalf is doing GREAT after chemotherapy and isn’t acting any different.” Whatever nausea he might be experiencing isn’t preventing him from eating or bouncing around on three legs. Currently, Kristine is figuring out how to balance her intense class load at UC Berkeley with everything that’s going on. Dave is truckin’ along at the deli and keeping busy with catering gigs. The cost of sweet Gandalf’s chemo is substantial. Please do keep sharing this page and chipping in if you can! Wishing everyone a serene and joyful weekend.

Hello, beautiful people! BIG pupdate today. Late last week, Gandalf's oncologist got in touch about his biopsy results. VERY encouraging! Tests have confirmed the cancer was caught early enough that Dalf has even more life-extending/improving options than previously thought. Based on the new data, Kristine & Dave have opted to do some rounds of chemotherapy. With continuing proper care and a little luck, taking this route will gift Gandalf several additional months to years with his family. Doing doggie chemo (which is less taxing on the recipient than human chemo tends to be) will also ensure that Gandalf is a lot more comfortable for whatever span of time he has left. Less pain. Less ache. It's $1K per round. Kristine says they're looking at an additinal $3K to $4K in expenses, depending on how many rounds Gandalf needs. (Between four and six.) "After consulting with the doctors, it felt right to do it. He's worth it to me." DANG RIGHT HE IS. Gandalf bravely endured his first round today! I'll be sure to update again soon to let you know how his recovery goes. Meantime, here's a sweet little moment of bliss for everyone: Gandalf, already up and at 'em on three legs, enjoying the salty breeze in the park with his beloved family. Thanks again for all your support. Please keep sharing this Go Fund Me page. If you feel moved to do so, and you are in a position to be able to swing it, keep those small donations coming in. Lotsa love, all.

Pupdate: K says they’re all hanging in there. “Gandalf is so ready to be stitches-free. His wheels have arrived!” They’re waiting until after his stitches come out and they get the green light from the vet on Monday before taking his new-fangled skedaddling aid out for a test drive. “I feel like we have one shot at getting him into [the harness].” If they try to hoist him into it too soon and he experiences more pain, “he’ll forever refuse to have anything to do with it.” The next couple of weeks are going to be a big adjustment for all three of ‘em. Kristine is about to start a new semester at UC Berkeley and Dave’s leaning into late summer catering work alongside his full-time job at the deli. Keep em in your thoughts and check in on them if you’re local! More soon!