Felix

While our kids were growing, we brought three Labrador retrievers into our home as new family members.  Our first, was a red lab puppy we named Ruby, who we tragically lost one day when she was just over a year old.  Following that we rescued an eight-month-old yellow from a game farm named Holly and then, a short time later a friend of ours gifted us a yellow lab named Jade.  Jim is known for giving people and animals nicknames.  So, Holly's names were Holly Wolly, Doodle Bug, Doodles and Jade was called Potato, Po Po and Po.  Our dogs were wonderful additions to our family and great companions for the kids.  Before we knew it, Anthony, Liz and Melody matured into adults.  Doodle and Po went to heaven, and we became empty nesters.  We sold our home and moved into our new place.  Along with this transition, Jim and I agreed that we no longer had the desire, energy or lifestyle to make a commitment to a dog. 

Five months after our move, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.   At the time of my chemotherapy sessions, I noticed that our daughters, Liz and Melody were swapping photos with each other of adorable, adoptable cats and dogs that they were finding on adoption websites.  It was done in fun and not serious or so I thought.   As a fun way to build a bond with my girls, I started sending them some adoptable, dog photos, which triggered me to start thinking more deeply about the opportunity to bring a new fur baby into our lives. 

During one of my final chemo sessions, I was expressing to Liz that I had recently realized my infatuation with her friend's Papillion, Kirby and more specifically, the personality traits of that breed.  Minutes later, we were looking online for local pups. It seemed like we could only find papered, expensive puppies for sale by breeders and none that were up for adoption through individuals in the Midwest.    In our continued search of the Internet, we found a cute one that would be ready to leave his mom the end of June right about the time that I would be done with chemo infusions.  One challenge was that he was in Michigan.  After a week or two of pouring my heart out to Jim about my passion for this new puppy, he let me move ahead with the adoption.  Not long after, Liz offered to travel with a friend to bring this wonderful little being into our home. Before she returned, I was catching up with a close friend and shared about our new family member.  After sending a couple of photos she said, "…he is going to bring you so much joy…", so I decided to pick a name that meant joy.  The closest I found was Felix, which means happy.  He is a very joyful and loving dog.  He brightens up people's days wherever he goes.

While I know it was a big sacrifice for Jim to do this for me, Felix has been a positive influence in our life and in my healing.  He is a great companion who has brought us so much joy on some of our most difficult days.  His needs also presented me with an opportunity to be myself and not a patient.  Once a week for 4-5 weeks, at the time of my radiation treatments he and I would go to his puppy obedience class.  I quickly learned that Felix was not the one being trained…lol.  In summary, Felix is a blessing from up above and I am so thankful that he is in my life and that I can share his joyful spirit with others.