Laney's Battle With Oral Melanoma

by Lisa Freeman

Laney came to me about 6 years ago through a friend who bred Pekingese. I had lost a 17-year-old dog earlier that year and my friend knew I had an empty place in my heart... so since she had 3 other Pekingese, she graciously gave me Laney.. and oh did we bond on the very first day!

This little girl is my heart and soul. 

Each day a joy, to wake up by being licked on the nose, and then seeing that cute little face, knowing all she wants is to be snuggled. What a gift she has been to me. She is the one constant in my life that keeps me grounded.

In January I noticed a small lump in her mouth, on the upper side, so I took her to our vet. 

She was having little trouble eating and she was yawning a lot, like trying to stretch her jaws..

The vet determined that this could be cancer so they opted to remove the mass. When they got into the mouth and saw where it was attached, they also noticed the deterioration of teeth and a little bone. So they took out 12 teeth.

The outcome looked fairly good. 

Laney bounced back in a few short days and started acting her old (she is only 9) self again.. running and jumping and enjoying life...

Then, a few weeks ago I noticed that her eye was starting to bulge out and that she had started her yawing again, only this time she was tilting her head way over to the side.

I checked her mouth, and the tumor had come back. 

I immediately took her to the vet again, who sent me to an oncologist in a different town, who basically gave Laney no chance of a future and said to take her home and make her comfortable. Not a chance!

So I asked for a referral and drove to yet another town the same day to see a second oncologist. She not only gave me hope, she worked up a plan of action.

So, a week later Laney went back into surgery with a diagnosis of aggressive oral melanoma and right eye protrusion. 

We knew there was a secondary infection behind the eye and thought that was why the eye was now starting to tilt and that the tumor was localized in the mouth, but the surgeon called me once he got Laney under, and explained her situation, which was the melanoma in the mouth, but it had progressed behind the eye, and the eye was shot.

I thought my baby was going to go in and have a tumor removed from her mouth, but what the oncologist was telling me was that if she had any chance at all, they would have to do the radical surgery to take her right eye and also her right upper jaw bone.

I asked him to give me about 10 min., I needed to think about this choice... so... as nutty as it may sound, I closed my eyes, focused on Laney and connected with her on a spiritual level, like you do in prayer, and I asked her what she wanted to do... and you know that little voice we all have in our head? Mine said she wanted to live.

So I called her surgeon back and asked a few more questions to get my mind wrapped around what was happening, and then I gave the go for the completion of the surgery. 

They kept Laney 5 days because of the extent of the surgery, and each day someone from that animal hospital called me to tell me how amazing Laney was doing! With her being out of town and a 2-hour drive one way, I was not able to make that trip back and forth.. so I waited until the day I could go bring her home.

I was mentally prepared for what I would see...

.. we are never as emotionally strong as we would like to be, however, I did not allow myself to pass on a sad emotion to Laney. 

Animals are so very energy sensitive... I brought her home, knowing that she would be better every single day, but that now we were looking at very expensive chemo injections to rid her of all cancer.

The surgeon gave her a 98% clean margin but said that 2% dirty margin could be a problem. 

Laney and I have not come this far to quit now. I will find the funding to pay for her medical expenses. She is my baby. She truly is my inspiration. She has been with me through my brother dying, my being laid off, and my being hit by a drunk driver, all in the past 2 years. I am 53 years YOUNG because of her!

She is my rock and she is my best friend. 

I will not fail her. I am going to give her every opportunity to beat this thing! Laney is quickly becoming a Facebook icon ...she has so many prayers coming to her direction ... and she and I are truly blessed but ...

I have used all of my own funds and have hit the bottom of my piggy bank.

As per a request from someone on Facebook, I have put up a Little Laney Fund donation button on my personal website, and I am hoping that people will help her... because she loves life so much, and I need her.

Laney is doing very, very well at this point but in order to get her totally clean, she is going to have to follow up this surgery with a chemo type injection, 6 times. 

I am assured this is not painful and will add to the longevity of her life. This is very expensive and we need some help so Laney can continue on her journey and get this treatment. Any form of donation would be greatly appreciated, by Laney and by me.... and we both thank you in advance for your help in giving her quality and quantity of life!

In the light, Lisa