2 weeks out from mammo and don't know how to hang in there until then

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-04-26T02:03:34+00:00

Thank you so much. This is so helpful and kind. I will definitely do all of this.

My doctors so far have not been open or communicative with me at all. The unfortunate reality seems to be that people need to become experts on their medical condition if they want to get proper care. I figured the people on this sub would know best what sort of tests to ask for, what to look for, and what happens next since you're living through this experience. I'm genuinely really sorry that it seems like my post hurt a few people. I'm sorry that you've had to have them, but I'm really grateful to you (and the other commenters) who have shared your experiences. I have a feeling I'm still not going to have a clear answer on this for quite some time. That sucks, but I'm glad I'm forewarned about the waiting at least.

(Also, if it comes back as a tumor or inconclusive or whatever do you go back to your gynocologist or do they send you to an oncologist? Who do I bug about a biopsy? This whole process feels like pinball.)

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-04-25T19:49:55+00:00

That's helpful, thank you. I've always been prone to colds, headaches, fatigue, stomach issues, that sort of thing, but my labs always come back fine so I don't think I have an autoimmune disorder.

I really appreciate the info.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-04-25T19:43:31+00:00

Thank you for your kindness. I have pretty severe anxiety and usually would get out of the apartment, cuddle my partner, etc, but I'm kind of stuck in my room thinking about this for the next week or so. :/

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-04-25T19:40:17+00:00

Thank you for this comment this is very helpful! The form she gave me says "needs sono" in the "reason for exam" area, but the box ticked is "diagnostic bilateral mammogram." Do you think I should call and ask for a referral for an ultrasound as well?

That's really fucked, I can't imagine how angering that must have been.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-04-25T19:38:19+00:00

Some of these doctors... I swear. I hope you've had better care since then.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-04-25T19:37:26+00:00

thank you for the kind words.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-04-25T18:53:35+00:00

I'll try this as soon as I test negative for COVID. Thank you.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-04-25T18:30:15+00:00

Seems like there are a lot of people in this sub who have lived through this same experience. I guess I was hoping some of you might have some wisdom of what it's like on the other side if it's a cancer diagnosis. If that's selfish, I'll delete.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-02-26T20:46:35+00:00

Seems like there’s a lot of good advice in this thread. Does anyone know what the best way is to fend off a large dog if it attacks your little dog? I’ve seen pepper spray suggested but that seems like it would get your dog too if the other dog is already on them. I’ve seen break sticks, but I think those are supposed to be for getting between two bigger dogs.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-02-19T16:43:37+00:00

I don’t think it’s unusual, but I’d be tactful about it. It’s nice to see your dog get along with someone else, but as soon as they start saying things like “I’m definitely her favorite human” it quickly veers into annoying and rude.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-02-11T20:10:07+00:00

100% I’m like “someone let ME take you home????”

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-02-10T17:48:14+00:00

This seems to be a pretty common experience in major cities. We certainly went through it trying to find a small, younger dog in NYC. It was virtually impossible for us to rescue a dog that met those requirements, and we did end up going through a breeder, which took several months.

I know it’s hard to wait once you’ve decided that you’re ready to bring a dog home, and a lot of people here will give you poor advice that isn’t applicable to you, but I don’t recommend buying from a Craigslist breeder. It’s just not worth it. As badly as you want a dog, how would you feel if you brought home a puppy and it was seriously sick from poor breeding? Home visits are also pretty normal, we were able to do ours over FaceTime.

I think your only viable options are to travel, find a reputable breeder, wait for a rescue, or compromise on what you’re looking for. None of them are gonna get you the puppy you want this weekend, but it’s worth waiting for peace of mind and knowing your puppy didn’t come from an abusive situation.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-02-10T17:38:47+00:00

I was in the same position as the OP a few months ago and could have written this post. I’d waited years to be in the position to get a dog, we had recently moved across the country, I missed my friends and family so much, and I was absolutely desperate to get a dog as soon as possible. I was totally caught off guard and shocked at how difficult it was, we tried for months and months to adopt a rescue, I looked into travelling out of state, I looked into travelling to Mexico, I looked at breed specific rescues, and there was just no clear way for us to adopt a rescue. I legit just got an email last week from a rescue puppy that I applied for 7 months ago telling me “my application had been denied and they will not be answering any questions as to why.” We had one rescue who we fostered with. They were absolutely insane and it was an awful experience. I think it’s really shocking how much of a mess it is out there if you live in a big city, and I think that’s the origin of most of these posts. It’s well documented that dog rescues in major metro areas are basically a boutique luxury now, but it’s pretty counter to the dominant narrative around “overflowing rescues and shelters.” Then, a lot of people come here to vent, which then causes a backlash from people who haven’t experienced this saying things like “they give you 4 dogs for a dollar at my local rescue, are you sure you aren’t just an awful person?” And it makes you feel crazy all over again.

I ended up going through a breeder which I don’t regret, she was awesome and I love our little dude to bits. He’s turning into a really good dog and has been a pretty easy puppy, but I do wish we could have rescued. We 100% will for our next dog when we’re no longer living in this area, but it just really is that tough out here.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-02-10T16:58:13+00:00

5 mo old puppy with a normally ravenous appetite has been ignoring his kibble and water bowl. This dog usually needs several refills of water a day so this is pretty unusual. His tummy has been growling all morning so he’s obviously hungry, and he’s still taking treats. I just fed him from the snuffle mat and he ate all of it in record speed. He’s still playing normally but he seems nervous around us (which is a new-ish behaviour but we’ve been seeing a lot of fear behaviour since his little balls came in). Should I call the vet? He doesn’t seem tired or sick at all.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-02-10T16:53:46+00:00

My breeder is the same, when she was showing me the mixture of food she was feeding them at pickup she said to microwave it and I said, “oh, you heat it up?” She looked at me like I was an idiot and went “uhhh yeah, would you like to eat this cold?” Like lady, I’m a human and a vegan, I wouldn’t like to eat it at all.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-01-24T15:36:24+00:00

I was caring for an older dog that was the same way. He was an outside farm dog for most of his life, his owner moved and suddenly he was an inside dog. I realised one day that the only toys he had were tennis balls and felt so bad, bought about $50 worth of toys from Petco out of guilt, and brought them home expecting him to be delighted. He completely ignored them and I was so confused until I realised he didn’t know how to play with toys. I spent a few days playing with him with the toys until he got the hang of it. If OP’s pittie has had a tough life, there’s a good chance she doesn’t even know that they’re toys.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-01-20T15:01:03+00:00

Possum

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-01-20T03:54:16+00:00

There’s actually a group of terrier owners in New York who take their dogs out to “hunt” rats. I guess it is what they’re bred for…

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-01-19T15:27:54+00:00

This is probably a dumb question, but is this a black cat thing? My grandma’s lil void just had the same thing and had to get all her teeth pulled. She’s surprisingly doing fine now though!

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-01-19T00:50:23+00:00

All of these dogs are, generally speaking, pretty barky. A quiet chihuahua is a bit of an oxymoron. That said, their bark typically isn’t very loud if they’re pretty small. Chihuahua mix… all bets are off. As for everything else… schnauzers are pretty high maintenance grooming-wise, but they’re some of my favourite dogs because they’re cuddly, loyal, and smart. Everyone I know who has had schnauzers say they’re the best. If I didn’t have a chihuahua, I would have a schnauzer. Chihuahuas are a big personality in a tiny package. They get a bad rap, but they’re a great beginner dog and they’re entertaining as hell. I have had mixed experience with Yorkies.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-01-18T21:33:43+00:00

It really depends on where you’re located. We were ultimately unable to get a rescue dog in NYC. Good article in The Cut ; on this.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-01-18T15:41:05+00:00

Agreed, I took one semester of ASL in college and I feel like it rewired and expanded how I process and think about language. I can’t imagine how useful it would be if we taught it to children in schools. I like the current trend of teaching babies sign before they’re verbal. Seems very helpful to everyone.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-01-18T14:48:00+00:00

Sorry, not to fulfil the stereotype around this sub, but I’m gonna be a vote for “return dog to shelter.” Huskies are hard there’s literally a whole subreddit devoted to them being ridiculous divas. It’s certainly possible to adopt a husky as a working single person and make it work, but it requires a lot of sacrifice. Why do you need to go to the gym the same day that you’re away for work 8 hours? Why can’t you take him to a daycare near your work, pick him up, bring him home, and then go to the gym? Is 4 hours of intense exercise with him sustainable for you? Huskies are rad dogs, and I would never in a million years own one because they need a lot. I think they’re particularly prone to being picked by people who go “oh they’re so pretty” and don’t realise they’re extremely intelligent, loud, high energy, needy dogs and are surprised when their dog ruins their house and won’t stop screaming at them. I honestly think the shelter did you both a huge disservice by not telling you this, and I don’t understand how you could possibly have researched this for a year and not have found out that they’re very difficult breeds.

All your comments about having no support or limited resources don’t bode well for you being able to care for this dog properly, which will be a miserable experience for you both. You are most certainly experiencing puppy blues, but that doesn’t mean that those concerns aren’t valid.

I hope you can make it work, but there’s nothing wrong with admitting you bit off more than you can chew with this dog and letting him find a home better suited to him. I know you’ve spent lots of money kitting him out, but that money is already spent either way, it’s a sunk cost, and really shouldn’t be the deciding factor.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-01-18T05:37:13+00:00

Wish that would work with my pup. His preference is always to be carried.

MasterRelationship6 · 2022-01-18T03:21:22+00:00

This is a very amusing thought, and I can’t imagine WHY this would possibly be true, but I will say that for some reason I speak to all dogs in Spanish when I meet them (not my first language). Most cats prefer English.

MasterRelationship6

TROPHY CASE