This morning we drove to Texas A&M for Dior’s 9:45 AM appointment to aspirate one of his lymph nodes. They’re checking for metastasis – whether the cancer has spread beyond his leg – and we won’t have results until tomorrow or Thursday.
While we sat in the lobby, something unexpected and oddly comforting happened. I looked up and saw Bailey and Jacob—Butler the Dane’s parents. If you’re in the Great Dane world, you probably know Butler’s story. It was surreal to meet them in person after following their journey on Instagram for years. We shared stories, well wishes, and that silent understanding you only get when you’re walking similar paths. It was one of those moments that reminded me we’re not doing this alone.
As for the appointment itself—Dr. Voss told us the lymph node doesn’t look overly concerning. He said there’s about a 3% chance of spread, which is encouraging, but waiting on those results is excruciating. If the cancer has spread, Dior’s prognosis becomes significantly more complicated. But for now, we’re holding on to hope and choosing to lean into the prayers, good vibes, and encouragement this community keeps sending our way.
If the lymph node comes back “boring” (his exact words 😂), we’ll move forward with surgery next week. That gives us just a few days to finalize care plan and raise the remaining funds. Surgery alone is estimated at $7,000.
Right now, I’m emailing back and forth with several clinics and trial coordinators. TAMU has been supportive, but they only offer surgery and chemotherapy—no immunotherapy options, and they’ve been fairly reserved about our desire to explore those alternatives. Their head oncologist is currently on vacation in Spain (which I completely respect—they deserve a break too), but it’s meant that we’ve had to wait even longer for concrete answers.
I did find a clinical trial nearby that I’m reaching out to tonight, and I’ve also contacted Colorado State University’s veterinary oncology department. They’re one of the most advanced in the country and offer several clinical trials, but we’d likely have to relocate to Colorado for 60+ days to participate. That’s not an easy move, especially with running my business out of our home here in Texas. Still, I’m keeping every door open while we wait.
As for Dior—he had to be sedated (and shaved 😞) for the aspiration procedure. He was pretty loopy on the drive home and has been sleeping ever since we got back. He’s gone outside to potty a couple of times, but he hasn’t shown much interest in food or water yet. I’ll keep offering it, just in case he perks up. Update: he perked up and ate before I could even finish typing this… 😆
Every vet and tech who passed by had something sweet to say about him. “He’s getting all the love and attention back there!” one said. Another added, “Everyone loves your Dior—he’s such a good boy!”
When the radiologist brought him back out to us, she smiled and asked if he always prances around on his tippy toes, or if that was just the anesthesia. She was pleasantly surprised when I looked and her and said, “That’s just Dior. That’s who he is.”
He has no idea we’re fighting this hard behind the scenes… and honestly, I want to keep it that way. 🖤
We’ve now sold 17 of our 1,400 fundraiser t-shirts!! I am feeling so incredibly grateful to call you all part of my village. Every share, every kind message, every order—it all adds up. And we are so deeply grateful.
I’ll keep you all updated as soon as we get the cytology report. In the meantime, I’ve got a few more emails to send tonight and a to-do list a mile long… but for now, I’m just going to sit with Dior and soak in this moment while we still can.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for caring.
— Haley, Dior & Family 🐾
[…] • May 20th, 2025 – The Waiting Game• May 19th, 2025 – One Step Forward, Three Steps Back• May 18th, 2025 – Searching for Hope• May 17th, 2025 – Processing, Planning & Listening to Dior• May 14th, 2025 – Good News From Dior’s CT Scan• May 13th, 2025 – Headed To College Station!• May 12th, 2025 – First Oncology Appointment• May 6th, 2025 – The Dreaded Diagnosis […]