Saturday was Derby Day in Louisville, the fastest two minutes in sports!  Two minutes don’t seem long, but two minutes can change your life.  Ask the teams of Maximum Security and Country House if you don’t think so!  Arabella has had a number of two minute episodes since she was diagnosed in August 2016.  

As Derby Week went on without us, Arabella’s life continued to change in two minute increments.
The biggest development is that she was diagnosed with PTLD, a rare lymphoma affecting about 2% of kidney transplant patients.  She had her first chemo infusion on Thursday and will return for weekly infusions for three more weeks.  They’ve put her on high dose steroids and lowered her immunosuppression meds to give her body a chance to fight.  We are hopeful that this will be all the treatment needed, but no one can tell us the odds as we are awaiting final pathology.  

In odds making, a two percent risk seems like pretty good odds, until you’re in the 2 percent.  
So as the Derby fades, we find ourselves running a different race than we expected, but we will run with perseverance because it’s the course set out for us.  No one can give us guarantees in this life and, at times, the odds seem stacked against my sweet girl, but she will overcome!

On the day before the Derby, a race called The Oaks is run and the garland given to the winner is known as the Lillies for the Fillies.  Oaks is an all filly field.  Today’s picture features a lilly that was part of a beautiful arrangement Arabella received yesterday from Jeff’s friends.  The flowers smelled amazing and reminded my filly that she will win this race, whatever the odds!