Whether you have a diabetes alert dog or you have one (two, or more) that just like being in the home, there is something to be said about our family members with four paws, isn’t there?
I am not quite sure how they do it, but on more than one occasion when one of us is feeling a bit down, sad, or even ill; one of these two—if not, both—will jump up and sit with someone for hours. I swear they know. Maybe they don’t know WHAT is ailing us but they sense something that makes them know what their job is and no one does it better than a pet.
My dogs are Dusty and Jessie named after two movie stars who appeared in one my favorite films of all time; Tootsie. Many call this movie a comedy, and although funny in many parts of it—I think it’s more of an incredible love story than anything else. I’m NOT a dog person. Well…….I wasn’t always a dog person. I am highly allergic and let it be known and clear; (to me) there is no such thing as a dog that is completely hypoallergenic. These two are certainly close but even still, I have to be careful with how close and for how long I’m with them.
But let there also be no mistake about it…..I love these little munchkins. They are brother and sister from two different litters and we were never going to own one of them, much less two.
Dusty is the oldest (black and white). All the dogs were given away from the litter and Rob really wanted this black and white one that remained, for his birthday. We were visiting my brother-in-law (he owned the parents) and they put this little ball of fur in my hands and I bought him up to my face and said; “Give me one reason why I should ever bring you home?” As if almost on queue, Dusty licked my nose. And I was hooked.
That was years ago and the joy these two have added to our home with their antics and their unconditional love (well, a treat is needed from time to time) is beyond measure. I am, to this day, absolutely astounded by the times they sense who is going through something tougher than normal and just nuzzle right up as if to say, “We’re here for you.”
And with everything we all go through in life, having a friend do that every now and again……….well that ain’t such a bad thing at all, is it? Tell us about your family member with four paws.
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One reply on “My Life………Has Gone to the Dogs…..Has Yours????”
Tom, I enjoyed reading your family story about Dusty and Jessie. Since you requested stories about “family members with four paws.” I wanted to share about our son, Joshua and his cat, “Luke Skywalker” and the true-live experiences in my book “Purr-fect Pals: A Kid, A Cat & Diabetes.” Because of our experience with Joshua’s diagnosis, I was able to quickly diagnose “Luke Skywalker”. To quote my book… “Cat: One night, after Mom finished brushing thistle seeds out of my coat, she said, “Sky, you look really skinny.” I couldn’t tell Mom I was always thirsty and drinking lots of water, which made me pee all the time; so I peed in her laundry basket—she got the point!”
I immediately called the our vet and told Dr. Hinkle that we had another family member who had diabetes. Our, real-life and literary, son and cat not only taught us about T1D, they offered us educational opportunities to learn more about diabetes and how to offer comfort, encouragement, and care to everyone in our family! Thank you for another thoughtful post. Sheila