Tails from Rainbow Bridge: Greta and the Breast Cancer Pin

The summer and fall of 2007 was not a fun time for our family.  Something moved into our house that changed us in a profound way and not for the better.  That was Pocket coming to live with us.  That was also the year that Mommy got diagnosed with breast cancer.  You don’t so much get diagnosed with cancer as you get overwhelmed by cancer.  It goes with you wherever you go.  It sits in your living room, it eats at your table, it sleeps in your bed, it calls shotgun on car rides.  It is relentless and never leaves until the doctor tells you it is gone.

For poor Pocket this was her second time dealing with a parent who had cancer in her first three months.  Her breeder Dad also had cancer.  In fact Pocket was not meant to be created.  While her breeder Mom was taking care of her husband  Pocket’s parents got it on behind the shed and Pocket entered the world.  Unfortunately shortly after Pocket’s birth her breeder Dad passed away.  Then, shortly after coming to live with us Mommy got breast cancer.  We immediately began to wonder if this two pound dog caused cancer.  Thankfully through prayer, the grace of God, and my nursing skills Mommy was cured and has been cancer free since,  Like many survivors she has tried to make sure that someday no one will have the same disease and she likes supporting people who share those efforts.

The Mom at  http://idahopugranch.blogspot.com/ is one of those people.  When she lost Hazel, a very young pup, last year, she decided to take those two tragedies and try to make some good come from tragedy.  She made pins for survivors of breast cancer with Hazel’s picture on them.  This year my Mom was lucky enough to receive one and she wears it with pride as both a breast cancer survivor and a Rainbow Bridge Mom.  The least I can do to repay Hazel’s Mom for this kindness is tell her about how Greta is doing at the Bridge.

When you come to Rainbow Bridge as a puppy you are perpetually a puppy and perpetually a little handful.  Greta is all that and more.  She runs and runs and when she gets tired of that she runs some more.  Up in the mountains, down in the valley, along the river, that’ where you will find her, always chasing something.  We all watch over her because she is young and is bound to get in trouble, although there really isn’t any trouble to be found here.  When she is done running she curls into the cutest little ball and that is my favorite time to watch over her.   But as soon as their is a noise she is up and running again.  She misses her Mom, her Dad, and her siblings very much, and sometimes I think she is trying to outrun missing them, but she always has a smile a mile wide and her tail is always wagging as she stays a few steps ahead of sadness .

And don’t worry Mom.  We will always be watching over her.