Ionized Water

I am happy to report that Lucky and I had a much better week this week. After all our difficulty last week, I was even more appreciative of an easier, more peaceful week for the two of us.

Lucky's arms were working better and seemed to hurt less, my back barely hurt at all and her yeast infection is almost completely cleared up. No one threw up this week, or had any accidents and we both slept more soundly at night. Lucky has had more energy, has seemed more alert, and has definitely been more vocal, which always brings a smile to my face.

I don't know how much of that to attribute to the ionized water we're drinking, but it must have something to do with it because that's the only thing I can think of that we're doing differently. Well, I think the yeast infection cleared up because of the coconut oil that I decided to try rubbing on her tummy and thighs but all the other positives we experienced this week seem to be related to the ionized water. Our new friend George dropped off another 5 gallon bottle to us yesterday to keep us hydrated for another week. We're going to keep drinking it and see what else we notice.

Lucky is still going to water therapy several times a week to keep her body moving and to give her the cardio workout that she needs, since she isn't getting a whole lot of other exercise these days. She still enjoys it, even if she is more serious when she is in the water than most of the other dogs. I guess there is no way to turn off the "working dog" part of her and she takes her "work" in the pool very seriously, as she focuses hard on moving her body and getting as much out of it as possible. Here she is on Friday in between swims, enjoying some water and the scorching heat. (well, I don't know if she was enjoying the scorching heat, but she was at least tolerating it). :-)

This week was such a nice contrast to last week. We had more moments of levity, Lucky had a fantastic appetite so there was no stress involved in getting her to eat and she was interested in moving around the house a lot this week. We have a system worked out where when she wants to move, she sits up . . and after about a minute or so, if I haven't noticed that she is sitting up waiting for my assistance, she barks at me. I have promised her that as soon as she barks, I will respond. So, my job is to get over to her quickly, lift up her back end and hold it up while she walks to wherever she wants to walk. Well, my other job is to move as fast as she is, which lately has been very fast again, so I am grateful that my back is feeling better, as it makes it much easier to keep up with her. I've stopped questioning her choices because I realized it was silly to say "Why do you want to go here?" because the answer was always the equivalent of "Because I want to."

This is one of Lucky's new favorite places to sit . . . between the couch and the coffee table. It has always been where she lays when I am sitting on the couch eating dinner, which happens more often than I'd like to admit, but the truth is, most nights that is exactly where I eat dinner and Lucky always patiently waits for me to share some of what I am eating with her. The funny thing is, she has wanted to go there 4-5 times a day lately and I often feel compelled to get us something to eat, since that has always been our routine. It dawned on me the other day that I might end up gaining a whole lot of weight if I eat every time Lucky wants us to sit in front of the couch, so I am trying to find other things to do, like respond to emails or read a book when Lucky chooses that as her new location.

I think the important thing is that she is interested in being in different places around the house, whether she is after a change of scenery or likes the small bits of exercise or that she's just hoping we'll eat again. I am happy to help her move any time she wants and since I am out of pain now, it is a joy to assist her.

Lately, some people have questioned Lucky's "quality of life" . . . wondering if it's "fair" to her to keep her here if she needs so much help getting around, etc . . . suggesting that maybe I was keeping her here for me but I can say with a high degree of confidence that Lucky does still want to be here and she doesn't seem to have any issue with her quality of life. I know that I am in tune with her enough that I will know when she doesn't want to be here anymore.

It brings up another belief of mine, which people may or may not share, but I believe that animals come into our lives for a purpose and only they know for sure when their 'purpose' is complete. I personally believe that we should allow our animals every opportunity to live, given that we don't know what they are in the process of accomplishing, what gifts they are in the process of bestowing on those around them.

This point hit home with me earlier this week when I met a really nice woman who has a 13 year old dog who has been blind since she was young dog. I can't remember the exact age that her dog went blind, but I want to say it was either age 3 or age 6. Anyway, the woman told me that many people questioned her decision to keep her dog all these years, given how much work it is for her to help her dog and be the "seeing-eye person" that assists her.

During our conversation, she relayed a story to me about the people they have encountered when they are out at a local lake. She told me how in awe people have been of her dog when they find out she is blind, because up until recently, she was still diving in the water to retrieve sticks. She told me about one person in particular who got really choked up and said that the experience of meeting them changed his life. He said that seeing her blind dog swim after sticks in the water inspired him to not be held back by his own challenges. He never told her what his particular challenges were, but she was left with the wonderful feeling of knowing that her sweet dog had changed that man's life.

If she had decided to put her dog to sleep all those years ago, because of a "quality of life" issue, she and her dog would have never had the opportunity to change that man's life. It makes me more firmly believe that maybe our animals have a mission here on earth that we need to just trust and support, regardless of whether or not we understand it. Has it been difficult for this woman to care for a blind dog all these years? Of course, it has presented her with many challenges and yet from talking to her, it was clear she wouldn't have wanted to miss out on all the years they have had together. She is honoring her dog and allowing her to have whatever impact she is meant to have on the world, whether that impact is on her immediate family or on the strangers that they meet at the lake.

It puts a whole new spin on the term "quality of life" for me. When are animals are compromised in some way, and we continue to love them, honor them and support them, who knows what the impact will be or how far reaching the lessons learned will extend. I continue to believe that animals are a blessing, that they are here to do important work and if we give them the space to do what they came here to do, we can bare witness to some awe inspiring outcomes. Since Lucky is still telling me she wants to be here, I can only guess that her mission here on earth isn't complete yet. I don't know if I am the one who has more to learn, or if her impact will be on friends of mine, or strangers that we meet. All I know is, I believe she still has a purpose and I am going to do everything I can to support her until her mission is complete.