May 19, 2025 – One Step Forward, Three Steps Back

@haleyandthedane

I’m not ready to say goodbye… Dior came into our life shortly after we tragically lost our first Great Dane, Dymond. Dymond and I were attacked by another dog at a local reservoir. The other dog’s owner fled the scene – hitting a parked car on the way out – and was never found, despite being featured on our local news station. But that’s when Dior found us. A woman reached out after seeing our story and told me she had one puppy left – and that puppy was Dior. Since then, Dior has been with me through nursing school, deployment, moving cross-country, starting @DymondsCo - jammies for dogs , rescuing Dolce, and helping me navigate PTSD and severe anxiety. He’s truly the best thing that’s ever happened to me.. And I refuse to let this be the end. I’ve created two resources on my website to help other pet parents understand osteosarcoma (OSA) and access every possible treatment option—from cutting-edge therapies to free clinical trials. You can find those resources and ways to support Dior’s fight at the link in my bio. Thank you for standing with us. 🐾 HaleyAndTheDane.com #greatdane #dogmom #greatdanemom #montgomerycounty #conroetx #dogmomlife #dogfluencer #dogblogger #greatdanejammies #fightingchance #osteosarcoma #bonecancer #caninecancer

♬ Storytelling – Adriel

We have an appointment tomorrow at Texas A&M to aspirate Dior’s lymph node, and I’ll be honest – my heart feels like it’s going to break into a million pieces.

We’ve spent the last several months doing everything right: tests, second opinions, consults, research, more research… and now we’re here, on the edge of one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.

After receiving today’s update from TAMU Oncology, I’m feeling incredibly overwhelmed and disheartened. They’ve made it clear that they don’t offer or strongly support immunotherapy options like Torigen, Ardent, or Immunocidin. Even ELIAS isn’t on the table with them. They aren’t wrong for sticking with what they know—but for a dog who means everything to me, it’s hard to hear “no” when I’m looking for every possible way to fight.

We’ll still attend the appointment tomorrow to sample Dior’s lymph node. They told us that if it has metastasized, his prognosis could drop to 1–2 months. I can’t put into words how that makes me feel.

In the meantime, I’ve also reached out to Colorado State University – a couple hours away from where my parents live – to explore the possibility of relocating Dior’s care. CSU is known for being on the leading edge of veterinary oncology, and at this point, I need to know we’re leaving no stone unturned.

I don’t know where this road leads. But I do know we’re still walking it – one day at a time. Dior’s still eating, playing, snuggling, barking when he wants treats, and balancing on three legs like he owns the block. He’s not ready to give up. And I’m not either.

Thank you for holding us up when we feel like falling. 💔
—Haley, Dior & Family🐾