They just know...

I have always loved animals. The furry kind, with cute ears, paws and sometimes tails. I am not into reptiles or fish. Growing up we had a black miniature poodle named Pepe for a while. I always loved the idea of having pets. They give us unconditional love. My pets over the years have been and still are very special to me.

When Evan was almost 5, he had severely broken his foot (4 bones across the arch) in a freak accident at his grandparents’ house. Because the swelling was so severe, he could not be casted for two weeks, and was couch bound with ice every 4-6 hours. Then the cast came on, and my little guy was walking around with a mini walker, so not to put too much weight on it (he looked like a little old man, it was quite funny). He was such a trooper about the whole process, until…….. it was time to take off the cast. There we were, in the exam room with Nana and Grandpa. The Dr. took out the cast cutting saw and, well, Evan freaked. He totally refused to let the Dr. anywhere near him with the saw, crying and fighting… He was petrified. So Nana offered him a new this, a new that if he would let the Dr. take the cast off. NO, NO and NO! Then I whispered something in his ear, and the tears left, a big smile came on his face and the casted foot went on the Dr.’s lap for him to saw off. I told him I would get him a puppy.  J

The very next day, we went to North Shore Animal League (NSAL), Sammi was the first puppy he saw, and he wanted her. He didn’t want to look at any others, he wanted Sammi. So, Sammi came home with us, and the next several months were crazy!! Evan and I (I was separated from his dad by that time) lived in a 2^nd floor garden apartment, with a door that went right into our backyard for her to go to the bathroom. Sammi was a smart girl, and easily trainable. She also had a lot of energy like puppies do and would run circles around the apartment like a nut! Evan and I really enjoyed this new life in our home. She turned into a great dog. She was such a sweet and loving animal. Several years later, when Frank met her, she all of a sudden turned into a BIG MOOCH!!! We hadn’t fed her human food before. Frank felt otherwise, and oooops, the hotdog “fell” off the BBQ, and the rest was history.

When I was first diagnosed, operated on and went through my chemo, Sammi was extra sweet and loving towards me. She wasn’t able to jump on the bed any longer due to her getting up there in years and having severe hip dysplasia, so she come over to my side of the bed, and put her nose up to my face, and check on me and lay on the floor next to me. During the weeks I had treatment, my sugar levels would fluctuate drastically. Sammi actually woke me up a few times from a deep sleep, when my sugar level was dangerously low and I needed to get sugar into my system. She just knew. She stayed by me all of the time when I was down from the chemo. My baby knew.

The kids and I always wanted a second dog, but Frank was adamant about only having one, because we had a cat also. Muffin was his cat from his previous marriage. In her younger years she was a mean girl, but when she was with us, she was old and had simmered down. She and Sammi were never the best of friends, but they respected each other and were able to coexist.

One day in April of 2009, I was having a really bad morning. When I got to my office my boss said I would feel better if I went next door. Eric, who’s office was next door has 2 adorable kids, who I adore, so I said “Why? Are the kids here?” David said “just go there, you will feel better.” Jokingly, I said “what? Is there a puppy there?” Again, he said “just go!”

When I went in there, an adorable Golden Retriever puppy came running over to me. Oh, he was so sweet and I felt so much better! I was in love! As it turned out that there were 3 more of his littermates needing homes from this litter of 11, and all the owners wanted was the cost of the shots the pups had already received. I was thinking, don’t tell me this, I can’t have one, Frank would never go for it, oh, I can’t believe this is happening to me?!!!  I went back to my office, and sat there and thought about it. I decided to ask Frank anyway, because one just never really knows, does one!?? I am so glad I did ask, because before I even finished asking, Frank said “go ahead!” I couldn’t believe my ears, and I questioned him on it. He said “You have been through so much, and this will make you happy. You deserve to be happy, so go for it!!”  I thanked him up and down. I couldn’t believe it!

I called the owners, and met with them on my way home from work. I wanted all 3 puppies, but that was out of the question. So, I picked the one that seemed to be the leader, yet was a lovey dove. On the way home, he threw up all over the back seat of the car. Wonderful, just what I needed. I called ahead to Evan, to please meet me outside and help me bring in packages (ha ha, no packages, just a puppy). The look on Evan’s face was priceless when he saw the pup. And, the first 2 things out of his mouth were: “Is he ours?” and “Does Frank know about this?” LOL!! Frank came home later, and the three of us were in love. Sammi was very accepting to him; Muffin on the other hand, wanted no part of him or anything to about him! We couldn’t post anything about him (still nameless at this point) on Facebook, because we wanted to surprise Brittany the next night when she visited with us. And, surprised she was! When she saw him she let out such a loud scream of excitement, she scared the pup half out of his mind!  Then, as a family, we decided to name him “Harley.”

Harley was 4 months old at the time, and as he grew we saw every day just how smart he is. A real indicator was when he was with us about a week or so and was thirsty. The water bowl was empty. So he picked it up and dropped it in Franks lap. Smart doggie!

When my cancer came back in January of 2010, Harley was just over a year old. But, just like Sammi, during the weeks I had my chemo treatments, there he was, by my side. But he was on the bed, with his head on my belly. It amazed me how sensitive he was at such a young age. So with each treatment, I knew when I got home, my babies would be waiting to stay with me and love me. I was followed from the bed to the kitchen, to the living room, the dining room and even to the bathroom (it was a bit crowded in there!), and back to the bedroom. I must admit, as much as I had before I got ill, my love and admiration for each of them grew, because I never thought of them as them taking care of me, it was me (the mommy) who took care of them.

Sammi passed away on June 16^th of 2011. I miss her every day. She was with us for 12 wonderful years, and never gave us an ounce of trouble. As I am writing this, I am crying from missing her. Her sweetness and unconditional love are deep in my heart and soul forever. Harley was very sad when Sammi left us. In essence, she became his mommy, and they were very close.  

Four weeks later, we went back to NSAL, and adopted Bailey, an 11 week old mutt. She is adorable, fun, energetic and mischievous, and she brings us much happiness and laughter every day. She and Harley bonded beautifully, and has helped him come around from losing Sammi, but she can never take our Sammi’s place, yet, we have lots of love and room in our hearts to love her as much as her own individual.

When I come home from my chemo treatments now, I still have my two babies waiting to stay with me and love me, only now it is Harley and Bailey. They just know.