Dog Days

Ever wonder where you'd end up if you took your dog for a walk and never once pulled back on the leash?  

                                                                               ~Robert Brault

So, here's the thing:  If you are not a "dog person," you might want to stop reading now. I know, I know, you came to the blog for an update about Sheri, and I promise I will get to that.  But I thought today we could begin with a little shout-out to one of Sheri's most favorite friends in the entire world:  her sweet beast, Holly.

And I mean, come on.  What's not to love?

If you don't melt into a puddle when you look at the above picture, with exclamations of tender affection caroling from your mouth, then you are troubled, my friend.  Really, really deficient . . .   oh goodness. Just kidding, of course.  Hey, you're just missing the "dog chip"  . . . and therefore are stunted as a human, but not necessarily a bad person. Or maybe bad but not terrible.  Oops, there I go again! Did that sound judgmental?  So sorry.  Of course you could look at that adorable face and feel absolutely nothing and still be totally fine.  I am almost sure.

There is just nothing like having the unbridled, always enthusiastic, incredibly forgiving affection that dogs inevitably bring to the table (they do LOVE the table, typically.  Don't leave that burger lying around unattended!!).  Want a little unconditional love in your life? Get a pooch.  And the cool part is, as with most things in life, what goes around comes around.  For all the chaos they can bring, their sweet demeanor does improve the overall tone in a place.  An unknown author once said My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am.  Yes! For sure.

No doubt Holly would have been a constant companion for Sheri in her current fight, regardless of her own circumstances, because that's how these dear creatures roll.  But there is something else that connects these two -- and that is cancer.  Holly has osteosarcoma (scapula) and is on the same treatment regimen as Sheri, receiving carbo every 3 weeks! She is doing better and is back to chewing on Keith's shirts and smiling. I mean, Holly.  Sheri never stopped chewing on Keith's shirts and her smiles have been in abundance over the past months, more so than it might have been fair to expect.  But that is Sheri.

Sheri texted this picture recently (the caption is hers - classic!):

The two cancer bitches watching football!

Those two look FABULOUS!  And Sheri said that after her treatment last Wednesday she was feeling "pretty damn fabulous" [thank you, thank you, thank you! insert prayers of gratitude here]. This week she has the carbo treatment that makes her tired and more nauseated, so that will be tougher.  But Sheri has said that with good drugs, popsicles, and Graeter's ice cream it's all good.  

Maybe Holly will get a little scoop in her bowl, too.



~Bess