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Shadow, Punkin Noodle

May 3rd 1989 I had a cat that had a litter of kittens with me present during the delivery. On May 31st of that year I might my future wife. She asked how the kittens where and I told her they where 3 weeks old today. She counted back and said wow that was my Birthday. I kept Shadow out of that litter. I lost the mother cat not really sure how.
Over the years we had many animals that came and went for what ever reason but Shadow was always there. My Mom was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 1994 and lived untill December 30th 2006. In the fall of 06 I felt soem lumps on shadows neck and made the comint to my wife that I was going to loose Shadow within months of my mom. Well in February of 07 shadow was starting to loose weight and I took her to the vet. He comfermed that she had Lymphoma and gave her some steroids and told me to take her home and when she stopped eating that would be really close to the end.
On April 13th as I was getting ready for work shadow had an accedint on the kitchen floor she had stopped eating several days earlier and for her to pee on the floor I knew the end was close. I made a bed for her in the utility room within two feet of the litter box. That afternoon I called the vet and told him I needed to bring her in. Well I got home and went straight to her she had not moved all day. She looked up at me as I reached down to bet her. She let out a very sad meow type noise as I picked her up and I felt a very faint perring. I walked out side on the back covered deck and sat down on a Church pew I had made for my mom and was now on our back porch. I held her in my arms as she slipped into her final rest. I would have to admit that this was the point when all the feelings I had about my mom and shadow came pouring out. I had shadow cremated and she sits on a shelf next to my mom’s ashes in our bedroom.
Well that started me searching for a small brown dog. I wanted what I called an old mans dog because a good custmer of mine had one and he was in his 80s. Well we looked all over at all the pounds and rescue places even looking on the internet. I just could not find the right dog.
One Sunday on our way to church we always parked off property and rode our church shuttle in. We where telling a friend about our searching and she mentioned that she had a female and her mother had a male both minuture Daschounds. She asked if we would be interested and we said ofcourse. On July 2nd I was diagnoised with a colon deasease called FAP, I had thousands of polyps pre-cancorus and my colon would have to be removed.
On July 5th the mother dog had one still born puppy and then the second one got stuck half in and half out. They russhed her to the vet who removed the second one which was still alive and not soon after that the third one was still born. Well they called and said that since we where the first to want one we got that one if we wanted her. I had to close my business down and we took a small family trip with the boys and three weeks later I had my surgery.
I spent a week in the hospital and then was sent home for several weeks of bed rest. I was unable to see the puppy but when they called and asked if I wanted her at first I was not sure but we aggreed to take her. My wife went and got her and sight un seen we bought her. I was never one to allow a animal to sleep in the bed with us, at the foot maybe but not on the sheets. Well Punkin Noodle as she would become stole my heart. She was so tiny and I was in such pau=in that having her curl up around my neck or right up against me waas just the thing I needed.
Well several weeks went by and I was back in the hospital for what would turn out to be a 28 day stay. after about a week I demanded my wife sheak her up to see me. She did and Noodle even stayed very still when the nurse supervisor came in toi check my wound site. the next day I found out what it would take to have her come up for visits. We filled out the paper work and Noodle was able to come stay with me for upto four hours a day. I went all over the place with her riding on the IV poles and machines I had to walk around with. She was the hit of the place, I had all the nurses checking on her.
After I got home and a few months had passed I was slowly starting to get out and look at or check on my employees and jobs. after several weeks I told my wife you know it’s Friday and Noodle has been with me everyday this week. She has turned out to be the best dog to have. I am a handyman and home remodeler and all but two custmers have allowed her in their house with me. She never does anything wrong in anybodys house. she will let me know when she is ready to get in the truck because she knows I will not leave her if she is in there. I have only left her home a couple of times and she pouts for several hours everytime. She will even go and stay in the truck for hours with our any issues, she just wants to be with her dad.
Albert from MS