March 2021

I want to give a Shoutout to all for the loving and comforting support in the loss of our doggie Bo.

Today is both a day of joy and sadness. Joy as I celebrate 34 years of recovery on this date and sadness in grieving Bo and the loss of two dear Hospice friends.

Loss, grief, and recovery cut across addictions, chronic illness, and loss of loved ones in similar ways. We experience first Denial (This is not happening!), and then Shock (This cannot be happening!). For some, denial never really ends.  Once the shock wears off, the sheer force of emotions can hit like a tsunami. It is NECESSARY to experience these emotions so healing can begin.  

In addictions, illness, and loss of loved ones, we can lose ourselves. In healing and recovery, we can find ourselves in new and different ways.

For me in addiction, it was the spiritual programs of 12 step groups that saved me. For some, it can be through Celebrate Recovery, for others, Smart Recovery.  For some, it is an individual journey.  

I suffer from chronic pain due to arthritis and some other conditions.  

Support groups abound for almost any chronic illness both in person and online, and the support of others with similar conditions can be so helpful.  I also have friends with chronic illness that find healing through the art of gardening.  One friend with a chronic illness has her whole family participating in planting, raising, harvesting, and eating the products of their  gardening.  The same was true in my family!   

 In nursing school, I was introduced to Norman Cousins who helped heal his connective tissue disease through watching comedic movies and Candid Camera! 

In the loss of loved ones, many things help us heal.  As I held Bo in his last moments, I suddenly felt the pain in my shoulders, neck, and head release.  Just like Bo, I was letting go.  I also have been going on our car rides with rock and roll music blaring to help me heal. 

Reminiscence, storytelling, life review is another way to help heal our grief.  I especially love to recall the lives of and with my parents which is so precious.

Support groups for bereavement can be invaluable in healing grief.

Via Facebook, I get invaluable enjoyment and support through groups such as Traveling Back to the Old Days ’40s-’80s and Mastering the Tides Recovery Consciousness (for those in various stages of recovery from addictions).

Whatever works for you, whatever is right for your healing, is the path for you to follow!

Blessings,

Carolyn   

Little did I know that the day after my last blog we would lose our rescue Boy Bo the next day. Here is his story with Donn and me.

You already know the beginning from last week.  What I did not share was that I initially did not tell Donn about getting him because he was not ready for another dog.  But when I told him, he said, “Just bring him home!” All we knew about Bo was that he was 5 years old, weighed only 68#, was part Black Lab and ?, had been picked up in South Phoenix on Hallowe’en, and was friendly.

Bo the Runner:  Just as I got him out of the shelter, he got away from me and bounded.  Fortunately, I had a fast foot and stepped firmly on his leash!  When he first met Daddy, he dived for me in the front seat of the car.  Daddy was able to coax him out of the car, and within an hour, they were totally bonded!  

We had to watch him closely because he was always ready to go for the open spaces in the first year.  One day he got away from me and joyfully bounded across 3 lanes of traffic; he only stopped because a woman had stopped and reached out for him with me close behind.  The next time he ran, he bounded across 6 lanes of traffic at 6:30 pm in rush hour! It was as if the Red Sea parted and he was not hit!  He finally went up to a friendly guy who grabbed his collar till, out of breath and hearts in our throats, we got him. 

It took him a long time to fully bond with us.  We discovered he had PTSD as he would absolutely PANIC with any loud noise, or growl and jump if approached unexpectedly. When we took him on a 1900 mile car trip with us to Wyoming, his unconditional love for us finally grew and grew.

Riding in the car was his MOST FAVORITE ACTIVITY with Mommy. He also LOVED to look at Christmas lights!  When Covid hit in March 2020, we would go for rides at least 3x a week.  Then, after I had my concussion in May 2020, and could do nothing for months, we hung out together, and he became my best bud.  

The last few months of his life, he just wanted to be with us all the time.  He would dive-bomb his daddy joyously and follow me everywhere.  Proof that to me that animals always know when it is about time they have to go.  He was only unwell for about 2 weeks, and we were going to the wonderful Norterra Animal Hospital.  But on March 15, the Ides of March, he could suddenly not breathe, and I rushed him to 1st Pet Vet North Valley.  It was found he had a mass near his lower tummy. He Rallied, much to our surprise/relief, but then suddenly declined and the decision you never want to make had to be made.  

He had the most wonderful care and love at Ist Pet, and I was able to sing him The Angel Song and Precious Lord and hold him.  He had what we called in hospice a good death.  He crossed the Rainbow Bridge with our Baron to guide him.  Daddy said “We were a little family unit,” and that, “Bo did it right, going so fast with little suffering.”  Bo also visited my bestie Janie to let her know how much he loved us, did not want to go, and another doggie would come soon.  This was so comforting.  Yes, I believe in After-Death Communication with our loved ones!  

We love you FOREVER BO!  And we will be together again!  

Love Your Daddy and Mommy

Bo’s first visit to our vet – 2017

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Bo with Daddy

Bo at Christmas with Matt

Bo doing his favorite thing with his mom: A ride in the car!

Bo’s favorite ride

Bo’s paw print

Today you will meet Bo and me, and dear friends Cathy Carroll (Horse Woman), and Angela Ogden.

Bo came into our lives on 11/10/17.  Our beloved Baron had crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Memorial Day that year. We were broken-hearted even 6 months later.  Molly who you met last week contacted me about a rescue.  At first, I said “No” but Baron and God came to me with, “Go see that dog!”  So Molly met me at the shelter and of course, that is all she wrote! See Bodhi (BO) and Mom below!

Cathy Carroll has been a horse lover forever.  She was practically born riding horses.  She currently has 5 horses!   Here are her rescues and their story in Cathy’s own words:

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“Vision is the bay with black mane and tail. She was almost 400lbs underweight when I got her. Shine is the paint that was given to me and she was crippled up and underweight but you can now ride her and Fiona was being sent to the kill lot.”  (Fiona was the horse who let me work on her leg wound).

Angela Ogden has been an animal lover her entire life. Her husband and she volunteered at Arizona’s oldest no-kill shelter preCovid where they got Naomi.  Here is what she says about Naomi (named after her) and Guinness (named after guess what😁):

“Guinness was found abandoned 4 years ago. Naomi, the dog was rescued 5 years ago. The first year & a half with Naomi was trying, full of learning experiences from baby gates, buying a carpet cleaner (lol), fixing holes in chairs… But she was so loving and protective. Naomi & Guinness get along great and play together as long as Guinness is in the mood.  They even sleep in each other’s beds!”

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I invite you to consider being a Rescue Mom…and Dad!  You will save the fur babies and they will save you! 

Dedicated to all fur baby rescuers

I have changed up my Blog for today after my own rescue furbaby got sick this past week. I was inspired to feature several of the Rescue Moms in my life this week and next.  Today, meet the Rian women!  

Janie, Mom Rian, is one of my BFF’S.  She is an AMAZING person!  

Here is Janie with her rescue Henry and what her daughter Emily said about this:  

“Happy Adoption Day, Henry! I took Jane Rian to one of the Arizona Humane Society locations yesterday and she fell in love with this sweet face. She came all the way down from Sedona this morning to adopt him and had me arrive ten minutes before the store opened to ensure no one else snagged him. Does this mean I can no longer send her pics of dogs to adopt?!”

Janie and Henry at Adoption

Henry now!

All three of Janie’s daughters are animal lovers.  Here is Molly with her rescued fur babies: 

Molly & Roscoe

Charlie

Stevie (who is blind) at adoption

Stevie with his pal today.

It is because of Molly that I became a Rescue Mom!  

And now here is youngest daughter Emily with two of her rescue babies:

Emily, girls, and biscuit at their adoption party.

Emily and her baby Foxy.

So, till next week when you meet more amazing fur baby Moms!  

Carolyn