About that lump mentioned near the end of the March 23rd post . . .

The picture above was taken soon after I met Lewis. At the time, the lump was big, but nowhere near the size it would eventually become. The lump above was the size of half of a volleyball; later it would swell to be the size of a watermelon, a rather large watermelon. A trip to the vet resulted in tests that confirmed that the lump was benign, even as it continued to grow. Removing the lump was not seriously considered, nor was it even suggested. Since Lewis clearly did not acknowledge the lump, and it did not appear to be causing any other health problems, there seemed to be no reason to intervene. While Lewis ignored the lump, it did eventually affect his ability to jump up on the bed, which distressed him greatly. However, even before the lump increased his weight by an estimated 15%, Lewis was much too big a dog to lift up onto the bed, so there was nothing we could do to relieve his stress. The couch, being much lower to the ground, remained accessible, much to the dismay of Those With Whom He Abided.