Not a Day Goes By. . .

So hard to believe it has been nearly 3 months since we lost our precious boy after an 8 month battle against bone cancer...not a day goes by that our hearts do not ache for you Taff...we miss you so much & will never forget you. How we wish that bump on your cheek a year ago had been just a bump.

Oh How I Treasure Photos. . .

Taffy would sit outside my window in Sydney until I let him inside…I think after starting out his life either chained to a block or wandering the streets, all he wanted to do was be with you, right by your side.

We Miss You Everyday Taff. . .

I've been teary the past couple of days as the trees start to change color...we will miss Taffy trudging thru the leaves that will soon line our streets.
There is not a day that goes by that we do not think of you Taff...we love you SO much & miss you more than you can imagine. The only thing that helps remotely, is knowing we will see you again one day in Heaven. Until then, have fun up there & we will try our best to have only smiles when we think of you.

To Honor Taffy's Life, We Rescued Kiah

Our little gift from God. . .meet Kiah: (youtube video)

A Gift from God. . .

It's truly amazing how God works in our lives. Just last week I started to think of what breeds would be similar to our beloved Taffy who was a New Zealand Huntaway/Kelpie & I thought of an Australian Cattle Dog. Well within the hour, out of the blue! a facebook friend posted on my wall asking if I would be interested in an Australian Cattle Dog puppy! I had not mentioned to ANYONE that I had been even thinking about getting another dog, much less a Cattle Dog! As it turns out, the puppy was due to go to a family in Portland, but the plans fell through. We weren't planning on getting another dog for some time, but felt this was really meant to be, and then looking at the photo above we were certain. The little puppy, who we have already named Kiah (an Aboriginal name meaning 'the beautiful place') has a rainbow leash in the photo, to us a sure sign from God & Taffy who is waiting at the 'Rainbow Bridge' for us, that this pup is meant to be ours. We are still grieving for Taffy, but before he passed away I told him in honor of his life we would rescue another dog, just like how we rescued him...and now Kiah is on her way to us this Tuesday! We will never, ever forget Taffy & have several photos and the painting I did of him all hanging up in our living room, but we know Kiah will help to mend our broken hearts and provide companionship for Jedha as well. So grateful to God for his compassion & love...we don't always understand why our loved ones are taken from us, but we have to believe there is a reason for everything and one day we will know.

He is gone. . .

Devastating News...

Went to the vet today & Taffy's tumor has grown & is now inside his mouth as well as his face. He was given a super strong chemo drug today & we will know this week if it works. If it does he will have 6 treatments in hopes that it saves his life...this is his last chance. Please pray for God's mercy. I haven't prayed harder for anything in my entire life.

God's mercy & compassion...

Painting a Pup a Day:

Painting a Pup a Day:: Summer Commissions & Update on Taffy

Painting a Pup a Day:: Summer Commissions & Update on Taffy

Painting a Pup a Day:: What a Difference 24 hours Makes!!

Painting a Pup a Day:: What a Difference 24 hours Makes!! :))

Painting a Pup a Day:: A Trip to the ER :(

Painting a Pup a Day:: A Trip to the ER :(

Painting a Pup a Day:: He's home...

Painting a Pup a Day:: He's home...

Painting a Pup a Day:: Vinny the Schnauzer & an Update on Taffy

Painting a Pup a Day:: Vinny the Schnauzer & an Update on Taffy

Painting a Pup a Day:: Westie with Pink Spode & Update on Taffy

Painting a Pup a Day:: Westie with Pink Spode & Update on Taffy

A Vintage Touch

Update on Taffy: A Vintage Touch

Painting a Pup a Day:: Fighting Cancer Isn't Pretty. . .

Painting a Pup a Day:: Fighting Cancer Isn't Pretty. . .

Destroying the Tumor & Saving Taffy's Life...

We went to the Oncologist today & they injected the bone with Neoplasene and the tumor some more...it ruptured this afternoon which is good! It will continue to drain & eventually fall off & only leave healthy tissue behind. Praying his eye will be ok...but praying more that his life will be saved! God, we need a miracle.

We Have Hope!. . .Taffy's Battle with Osteosarcoma

Back from the Oncologist and feeling SO hopeful! She injected Taffy's tumor with something called Neoplasene which is from a bloodroot plant. It will destroy the cancer cells and leave the good cells alone. Next week she will also implant some into the bone itself, where the cancer originated from. A dog that had worse bone cancer than Taffy survived by using this treatment! You can read the article here: Oral Cancer in Dogs So grateful to Dr. Greear and Advanced Veterinary Care Group for everything they have done in giving Taffy a fighting chance! :))
P.S. You can see how this stuff works here, it's kinda fascinating! : http://www.buckmountainbotanicals.net/pdf/clinical_guide.pdf 

In a Fight for His Life. . .

We met with the Oncologist & we are not going to do surgery, Taffy  would lose 1/2 his face, but we are going to try some alternative medicine, supplements, possible chemo, & a real meat diet. If Taffy  starts to show other symptoms and/or his pain increases then we know we will have to let him go...but right now we are going to try & give him a fighting chance. ♥
Help spread the news by sharing this widget on your blogs, etc.:http://www.chipin.com/mywidgets/id/6318b47febca590e

Not good news...

Devastated & heartbroken :(( Taffy has Osteosarcoma an aggressive bone cancer...we are meeting with the Oncologist tomorrow morning, but statistics show even with treatment the prognosis is only a year or less.

Painting a Pup a Day:: Getting a 2nd (3rd/4th?) Opinion on Taffy

Painting a Pup a Day:: Getting a 2nd (3rd/4th?) Opinion on Taffy

Help Us Save Our Dog Taffy

Visit Taffy's ChipIn Page

Getting a 2nd Opinion....Still May be Cancer :((

 So the meds have not worked...our Vet is recommending we get a 2nd opinion with the Cancer Center in Canton, MI...he had actually sent the biopsy to a lab in California. He felt the x-rays suggested cancer so we still may have a battle ahead of us. Praying we are not running out of time...hate this roller coaster of emotions :(( ♥

Biopsy Came Back! NO Cancer!! :))

 The results came back! NO cancer! :))...our Vet believes he did a very good biopsy, so we are going to trust that he is right. He wants to put Taffy on a different antibiotic to see if that will stop the growth from growing...if not, we are hoping surgery would be an option. Thank you everyone for your prayers! It feels like we've been given a little bit of a miracle today! ♥

Biopsy today...it looks like Cancer :((

Taffy had a biopsy today...it looks like cancer :((...we will know for sure early next week as our Vet is sending the biopsy to a cancer specialist. Please pray we can get the money together in time to save his life. If he has cancer I will be starting a fundraiser very soon. I am prepared to sell my wedding ring, camera, whatever it takes to save him...we love him so much. My husband and I do not yet have children...he is our 'boy'. He was rescued off the streets by my husband in Australia, now living here in Michigan with us...he deserves a full life.

Biopsy this Wednesday...Prayers welcome

 Back from the vet with a broken heart...Taffy needs to have a biopsy this Wednesday...that alone could be close to $1000...if it is cancer the surgery could be $3000 plus the cost of chemo...not sure what we will do. All I could try & do is raise funds thru my art....trying to stay positive & hopeful. Taffy is only 7 & has so much life to still live....please God don't take him yet.

Praying it's not Cancer...

 Taffy goes into the vet tomorrow to see if the growth under his left eye (right in the photo) is cancer :((...the antibiotic did nothing. Hoping it is anything other than cancer...I just don't know what we will do if it is.

Infection or Cancer...

Barely even have had time to grieve for our loss of Pepper & now our Taffy may have cancer :((...praying the lump under his left eye (right eye in the photo) is just an infection. We will know in a couple of days if the antibiotic clears it up.

She is Gone...

 Pepper, my parents Black Lab left to join her sister, Cassie, in Heaven this evening...she will be so greatly missed. We love you Pepper-Pot!

Still Holding Our Breath...

(Update): Evening 2 of Pepper to the Vet for subcutaneous fluid injections, to rid her kidneys of the toxin. About 20 minutes and then she comes running down the hallway, and 'Let's head home'! One more treatment, then bloodwork to see if the 25% kidney function has improved. I force feed her a couple bites of food a day, along with her meds. I feel so sad for her to have gone 9 days now without eating.

Still Holding On...

So the latest with Pepper is that my parents are bringing her in for iv fluids the next 2 days (they did yesterday) & trying to feed her tablespoons of food...she did have 4 Tbsp. today & has gone for a walk in the woods so staying cautiously hopeful. Thank you for your continued prayers. ♥

She's Slipping Away From Us....

The vet called & seemed to be upset that the other vet we saw gave us possibly false hope w/Pepper...my step-dad though is still not ready to give up...he's joined a Canine Kidney group online to see what might still be done to save her (which breaks our hearts even more)...our vet said to decrease some of her meds & see if this helps any...but if she doesn't start eating soon we have to let her go. :(( ♥

Still Holding Our Breath...

 Still Holding Our Breath...

Holding Our Breath...

 Holding our breath for blood work to come back tomorrow...if it comes back normal Pepper has about 6 months before she may not be able to walk any longer...she has an infection but also the worse case of spinal arthritis the vet has ever seen...so it will be a question of 'quality of life' if the blood work is ok. Staying hopeful & prayerful ♥

Not Ready to Say Goodbye...

My parents Black Lab, Pepper hasn't been eating the past few days & has been getting quite thin. She's been sleeping most of the day as she is 12 now, but I just cannot even 'go there'...none of us are ready to say goodbye to her...we've had her since she was a puppy...I remember the night we got her. She came through the front door like a bullet...so full of life & energy. Our Golden Retriever, Cassie was not at all thrilled that night, but eventually grew to tolerate Pepper & in time they became the best of buddies. We lost Cassie a few years back & our hearts still ache for her...how will we ever let go of our Pepper-pot?...I hate that big dogs don't last as long as the little ones...Small dogs seem to live forever...life just isn't fair. She's been such a good ol' girl. 
  
(from my Mom): As I lay down beside her, our eyes met w/a special understanding of what our time together has meant. A pup, 4x given away, (no one would give her the ♥ & patience she required), to the strong, bright companion I knew she could become...our lives intertwined. I stroked her head, her tail thumped against the floor,& then she placed her outstretched leg on my shoulder & my eyes welled with tears.

Keep Your Friends Close. . .

Taffy aka 'Top Man' with one of his 

6 Ultra Chuck It Balls always nearby.

Dream Big!.... & Carry a Big Stick ;))

We had lots of snows here in Michigan so I thought I'd share some photos of 'the boys' romping around at 'the cold beach'...remember they are a couple of Aussie boys...to them it's really cold sand! ;)

Meet 'Buck'...the Black Lab

 So thrilled with how this piece turned out & so is the customer so win-win for me! ;)) If you are interested in having a portrait done of your precious pup feel free to contact me or visit my website at studiolara.com

Poodle with Ball...entry for Art Show at the Dog Show 2011

This is one of 4 paintings I have entered into the upcoming Art Show at the Dog Show 2011 in Kansas. I will know in February if any have been accepted so stay tuned! If you are interested in having a portrait done of your precious pup, feel free to contact me and/or visit my website at www.studiolara.com.

Dalmation Pup on Red Vintage Suitcase...Entry for the 2011 Upcoming Art Show at the Dog Show

This is one of 4 paintings I have entered into the upcoming Art Show at the Dog Show 2011 in Kansas. I will know in February if any have been accepted so stay tuned! If you are interested in having a portrait done of your precious pup, feel free to contact me and/or visit my website at www.studiolara.com.