my cope runneth over

i thought this saying of my uncle's "my cope runneth over" was particularly funny today. leave it to aunt b to provide levity. i took doc to the oncologist today and he does, in fact, have lymphoma...which has spread to his liver and spleen already. the mega vet oncologist said the only treatment is chemotherapy. she said nothing will cure his lymphoma. he has up to 4 weeks without treatment and no longer than a year with chemotherapy. pet insurance, people. we don't have it. not that that would change our mind either way. i asked about other forms of treatment and she said that we would have to seek outside help if we were interested in holistic medicine - she isn't trained in alternative medicines. i asked if she had any information on how to speak to the boys about losing their pet...first she said that a 2 and 4 year old would have no concept of what was happening. ha! she clearly doesn't understand she is dealing with sweet pea and beans. the minute i walked in the door they were looking up at me asking, "mommy, what did the veterinarian say about doc? is he sick? is it God's turn to have him?" she said i should talk to a psychologist because she is not trained to deal with children's grief...i wonder if she was trained in bedside manner? does anyone else think a canine oncologist should have some experience in helping patients deal with the loss of a pet? we are weighing the options...we are considering our selfish grief and his need to chase the frisbee until he drops and the fact that he eats off and on, throws up, and has trouble breathing at night. he is such a good man.