[on-ramp]

thank you for your comments and your sympathies. I normally do not post personal stuff but i have noticed this board has a very reliable way of being helpful in times of need. without sounding too sappy, time is the best thing you can give to those you love, and sometimes you don't really know how much you love them until you're suddenly faced with the realization that it might be coming to an end.

red ufo,

you're right about vets, you have to be careful and ask a lot of questions....this had been an on-going event of vomiting weight-loss and it was not until yesterday that our local vet here in town found the tumour.
I decided to get a second opinion and on on the same day rushed him in to the best animal hospital i could find within a 60 mile radius(emergency visit). they have a big faciliity there, full of specialists, surgeons, etc...about 7 people working behind the front desk, clean and big with good equipment, not like my local vet which is one of those house-transformed-into-a-vet-clinic type of deals...so anyway, they found nothing on the X-rays, normal, blood tests normal, temperature normal. They confirmed the "abdominal mass" and the weight loss. he's down to 7.1 lbs from 8.5 lbs....we're bringing him back tomorow to do ultra-sound and the surgery on tuesday which appears likely. ($2500 by the way).

at this point, i just pray they do a good job and everything turns out alright....although i dont normally ask for anything at Christmas time, this time around the only thing i want is to have him here... that would be the best gift.
thanks again for your thoughts...i appreciate them.