Always Free February 2013 - Pets in the City Magazine

24 February 2013 Pets In The City Magazine
GOODBYE
SAYING
Millie: A Tribute to Friendship 1998 - 2012
When I was diagnosed with Stage 1B
breast cancer, a friend advised me
to walk daily. So, in Forrest Gump
fashion, I walked in our neighborhood
and others, through a canyon and by
rivers. Since March 2011, I’ve kept a
rough record of distances covered.
Incrementally, these days, weeks, and
months, plus the miles walked have
been my cancer journey.
Under the influence of chemo, I
walked with swollen legs, a veering
gait, numb feet and hands, anemia,
liver enzymes 3x normal (a sign of
the intended, yet indiscriminate cell
death), ringing ears, a mental fog,
and stiff and sore muscles and joints.
Without fail, I walked twice a day.
Our Northern breed dog, Millie, saw
to that.
Even when chemo ended, its side
effects began and recovery took over
a year, a function mostly of extended,
higher dosages. Medications for
breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer
treatments are known to be the
harshest of all the so-called dense
protocols.
And yet, during this time, I walked
on with my cell phone, a tissue for
my drippy nose (I’d lost my nasal hair
from chemo), and a few dog biscuits.
The biscuits were for Millie and other
canine friends we passed. I especially
enjoyed when I could toss a biscuit
from 20 feet away directly into a black
lab’s mouth. Years of softball paid off.
And then, after one final walk during
a beautiful snow, our 13 1/2 yearold
faithful friend, Millie, became
ill through the night. My husband
and I cried as we held her face in
our hands one last time as her vet
compassionately put her down. On
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Reader Submission Ginger Robinson
Veteran Owned
& Operated
In-Home Euthanasia
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