As part of my research I have been interviewing owners whose dogs have been affected by cancer. The more people I interview the more I respect each and every person who is experiencing the battle with canine cancer. Each time I hear or read the responses of an owner it brings tears to my eyes to hear their heart breaking stories and tough struggles. I could never even imagine myself being in their shoes.
I know that if I ever discovered that my baby, a 7 year old chihuahua named Chloe, had cancer my whole world would crash down. As I have previously posted, half of all dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer. I can't help but to ask myself "will my dog be part of that half?" If she happens to be, I now know how to deal with it through my research for this project. However, actually dealing with it is a completely different story. I feel that most owners who first discover their dog has cancer go into a shock like state of mind. When I imagine my dogs vet telling me "Chloe has blah-blah cancer that is spreading to the blah and is already at stage blah. She may only survive for about blah more weeks" I see myself staring blankly at the vet in disbelief. I hear myself denying the vets diagnosis despite how trained he is. I see myself beginning to cry as the vet proves to me his diagnosis is in fact correct. I feel my heart sinking into my stomach; feeling more like a 10 ton weight being thrown at me, knocking me down so hard that I think I won't be able to move for a few days. I feel like I wouldn't be able to entirely move for a few days...that I would shuffle around school with my head down and never say a word to anyone in fear that if I open my mouth the only thing that would come out would be the tears running out of my eyes. Being a curious person who lives by the quote "nothing is impossible, the word itself is I'm possible" I know for a fact I would search for every possible thing I could do to help my dog. But also being a person who easily shuts down when being put down I could see myself coming up with all of these things to do but them becoming discouraged and never actually doing them.
Throughout my journey so far with my project I have discovered that the best possible thing you can do for your dog is to never lose sight of hope. Hope is the bee to your suffering flower. Hope is the key to the locked door. Hope is the biggest underlying part of canine cancer. You cannot, no matter what, let that hope slip out of your hands. Every morning when you wake up next to your dog think of the hope and allow yourself to smile. When your dog becomes a cancer dog don't let that title discourage you, think of the hope and accept the title as an honor. If your dog passes or is euthanized as a result of cancer, still do not lose that hope. Your dog may no longer be with you, but it's time is through and it's purpose is fulfilled. Now you can help and support others going through what you experienced in the battle with canine cancer. Above all, never lose hope.
I may stumble, but I will not fall
Things may be hard, but for you I will conquer all
I promise you the one thing I can
I'll never lose hope as long as I stand
I know that if I ever discovered that my baby, a 7 year old chihuahua named Chloe, had cancer my whole world would crash down. As I have previously posted, half of all dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer. I can't help but to ask myself "will my dog be part of that half?" If she happens to be, I now know how to deal with it through my research for this project. However, actually dealing with it is a completely different story. I feel that most owners who first discover their dog has cancer go into a shock like state of mind. When I imagine my dogs vet telling me "Chloe has blah-blah cancer that is spreading to the blah and is already at stage blah. She may only survive for about blah more weeks" I see myself staring blankly at the vet in disbelief. I hear myself denying the vets diagnosis despite how trained he is. I see myself beginning to cry as the vet proves to me his diagnosis is in fact correct. I feel my heart sinking into my stomach; feeling more like a 10 ton weight being thrown at me, knocking me down so hard that I think I won't be able to move for a few days. I feel like I wouldn't be able to entirely move for a few days...that I would shuffle around school with my head down and never say a word to anyone in fear that if I open my mouth the only thing that would come out would be the tears running out of my eyes. Being a curious person who lives by the quote "nothing is impossible, the word itself is I'm possible" I know for a fact I would search for every possible thing I could do to help my dog. But also being a person who easily shuts down when being put down I could see myself coming up with all of these things to do but them becoming discouraged and never actually doing them.
Throughout my journey so far with my project I have discovered that the best possible thing you can do for your dog is to never lose sight of hope. Hope is the bee to your suffering flower. Hope is the key to the locked door. Hope is the biggest underlying part of canine cancer. You cannot, no matter what, let that hope slip out of your hands. Every morning when you wake up next to your dog think of the hope and allow yourself to smile. When your dog becomes a cancer dog don't let that title discourage you, think of the hope and accept the title as an honor. If your dog passes or is euthanized as a result of cancer, still do not lose that hope. Your dog may no longer be with you, but it's time is through and it's purpose is fulfilled. Now you can help and support others going through what you experienced in the battle with canine cancer. Above all, never lose hope.
I may stumble, but I will not fall
Things may be hard, but for you I will conquer all
I promise you the one thing I can
I'll never lose hope as long as I stand
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