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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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. ♥
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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

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.