Allie Baker

3/12/08
 

In June of 2006, we discovered that she had cancer of the anal glands.
They'd found that it had spread to the lymph nodes on either side of her bladder.
The vet specialists wanted to first remove her anal glands, then flip her over
and remove those lymph nodes, then put her in touch with their oncologists.
And they gave her six months.  I said I wouldn't do that.
If that was her fate, she belonged at home chasing lizards.  
I could not see putting her through all of that pain just to spend what time she had left recovering in pain.  

Instead, I took Allie to a homeopath, who gave her a remedy.  
Allie lasted 20 months instead of the 6 they had given her.  
She only had a few days when she felt "punk" (as my Mom would say).
She continued to play, chase lizards, cuddle, help me vacuum,
help me exercise in the morning and bark at anything that crawled on her fence.
The last week, she couldn't keep anything down except a few tablespoons of plain yogurt and water she licked from ice.
I had the vet take an x-ray to make sure.  She was just full of cancer.  We put her down that same day.

Once I clean all the leaves from the yard, I intend to scatter her ashes around the perimeter of the back yard fence,
which she patrolled for anything that didn't belong there.
Her aunts next door gave me some beautiful flowers to celebrate her life.
I have been collecting their falling blossoms.  They will be scattered on top of her ashes.

I'm counting on Rainbow Bridge to become a reality.  What a happy reunion it will be.

The only picture I have on my computer is the first one I ever saw of her, sent to me by BHRA before I ever met her.
I'll send that one, as that's how she should be remembered.  She was with me for 7 happy years.
And I can sum up her story using the e-mail I sent to you almost three years ago.