First and foremost, Jake is home, resting, in a bit of pain, but is still his sweet, mellow self. I picked him up about 3 p.m. yesterday afternoon. He walked to the car and climbed in all by himself. I almost cried with relief. He came through the surgery in good shape and while we won’t know if that growth was cancerous or not for a few weeks, he’s home and for all intents and purposes, healthy.

This is one of my favorite Jake pics. He was sleeping hard on my bed doing a modified “dead cockroach” position. And yes, he was snoring.

This is a pic of him “on duty” as my service dog. Please note the long, fluffy tail. He’s a “stubby” now. The doctor wasn’t able to save his tail. There just wasn’t enough skin left to cover the open wound left by the tumor. I haven’t actually measured but I’m guessing he has about 8″ left. It’s more than enough. He goes back Friday to have his bandage and sutures checked. Because she had to take the tail, the vet was able to use some laser therapy which will help speed up healing. The main thing is, he is home, mostly comfortable–we have pain and anti-inflammatory meds for him, and life is settling back to a more normal routine. Not all the anxiety is gone–won’t be until the biopsy comes back–but I’m breathing a little easier and not prone to tearing up for no apparent reason. Thanks to all for the good thoughts and prayers.