[Dailydrool] Tuesday's Calendar Hounds, Jackie and April

[Jane Lyons]

Hello all. Even with all that is going on I must remember Jackie and 
April's Calendar day of July 24th. That photo was taken last summer, 
about the time Jackie and April turned 14. They were still doing well at 
that time, although we knew that Jackie was in mid stages of Kidney 
failure. Jackie did well until during the winter when he was drinking 
and peeing more and more, and gradually lost his appetite. One of his 
last meals was steak right off the fork. We sadly had to let Jackie go 
to the bridge March 28. After Jackie, we were worried about April, (they 
were littermates), but she seemed to do well at first, even regaining a 
bit of her strength to enjoy long walks with the aid of a sling under 
her rear. April also took a sudden turn for the worse during the end of 
June and wouldn't eat or drink, and lost weight and strength alarmingly 
fast. We sent April to the bridge exactly 9 weeks after her brother 
Jackie. It was very sad to loose them both so close together, and we 
enjoy the calendar picture from last summer when they were both doing so 
well.

Things did take a turn for the better less than a week after we lost 
April, we contacted the breeders that April and Jackie were from 
(Topsfield) and adopted a 5- year old retired champion "Fendi" on June 
2nd. She is just wonderful in every way, and helped heal the loss we 
felt from losing Jackie and April. She is so sweet and lovable, we were 
in Hound Heaven!

However, fate was far from done with us. Shortly after adopting Fendi, 
my wife Jane began having what she thought was back pain. It grew worse 
very quickly, and in early July, Jane was diagnosed as having cancer 
that had metastasized from her lungs to her liver and bones. Jane has 
never been a smoker, and has none of the risk factors, however her 
father died from the same thing (adenocarsinoma) at age 36, so the 
doctors think it may be hereditary. At this moment, Jane is in the 
hospital receiving radiation and chemotherapy treatments. I have been 
visiting Jane daily. Fendi is sitting right next to me as I write this, 
and if it wasn't for her, I really don't know what I'd do. She gives me 
something to come home to after the days at the hospital, and I'm 
spending lots of time in the evenings snuggling with her and giving 
bellyrubs. I'm hoping that Jane can return home soon also to catch up on 
all the bellyrubs she is missing. I brought Jane a picture of Fendi to 
keep in her hospital room for now.

Reading this over, it seems like some bad fiction or something, and at 
times I still think it is a nightmare that I will somehow awake from... 
But of course it is real.

Right now we are trying to get things in order and at the same time hope 
for the best. I have to stay strong for Jane and Fendi.


Hug your hounds, and hug your fellow food slaves, because things can 
turn on a dime, and your entire lives be turned upside down in a moment.

And love to all those who have recently lost a beloved hound.

Trying my best to carry on,
Rob Lyons