The best gift I have ever received was from my dog!

I’m so happy, I have to share. After 10 long months of stress, hope, sadness, feeling guilty, feeling blessed for one more day, feeling gratitude for the support of strangers, our little (not so little) pup has been given the medicine free health clearance. We weaned (painstakingly slowly) off her meds and 2 weeks after her final pill, got the latest blood work that shows she is maintaining perfect numbers even without meds. We said goodbye to her the week of this past Christmas after they told us she wasn’t going to make it. Throughout our fight We had been told she was rat poisoned and had us convinced she some how gotten into rat poison that we didn’t even own. We were told she had lymphoma and I joined every lymphoma Facebook group looking for answers. We were told she most likely had a rare fungus, or tick born illness. I became an “expert” on all of it and urged specialists and doctors to keep searching.  I created a facebook page Naya’s Enigma, to seek advise.  People from all over the country gave suggestions and ideas or offered support, well wishes and prayers. Finally doctors came to what I always felt was the true cause…something in her spay caused her to get sick.

Being the type of person who needs answers and specifics, this was such a difficult journey. For the past 10 months we have had no concrete answers or reasoning as to why she was sick, only theories  that were tested and disproven. She has been my biggest lesson so far in life. Sometimes you don’t get the answers you want, or any at all, but being given time is such a better gift. We were told we would lose her December 19th. She came home on Christmas Eve and I was so grateful to spend one Christmas with her. Then she made it to her first birthday in Feb and while we still weren’t nearly out of the woods I was so appreciative of being able to have her for at least one birthday.  She made it to my birthday which marked a year from the day we met. Another gift of time that 6 months before, I thought I wouldn’t have.  Here we are, just 2 months shy of when she became ill and her blood work shows she is completely healthy.  We still don’t have answers as to what exactly caused it, or what this means for her in the future, and rather than focusing on the what if’s and worrying about what can possibly happen, I feel gratitude and complete appreciation that today she is 100% healthy.  We will most likely see more than just one birthday, spend more than just one holiday together, and have quite a bit more time receiving her kisses, and sharing her story with so many others.  Instead of worrying about what may cause her to get ill again, I make plans to make her a therapy dog so her miracle and fun loving spirit can be shared with others who struggle either with an illness or with worry and anxiety.  She truly is a miracle and has while she was once the best birthday… and christmas gift I have ever received, she now herself gives me an even greater gift which is living in the present and gratitude for what I have right now.

As we start National Pet Wellness month, remember to make sure your pets visit a vet regularly, and be confident with what you know about your pet.  If you feel that something is off, or you dont agree with what you have been told, get several opinions.  I was told that because one vet office hadnt seen her condition caused by a particular known cause, then it must not be the reason behind her illness.  Vets are well trained doctors and have a wealth of knowledge, but seek the opinion of several.  It can make a difference in whether your pet lives or dies!