Bella

Bella is my great big beautiful dog. She's Border Collie and Great Pyrenees. I fell in love with her picture on the internet after my Margy died. The first time I was diagnosed with cancer, I cried exactly twice. I cried on Valentine's Day, when my hair started coming out in the shower in huge handfuls. It was much more traumatic than I expected it to be. The first time I cried was when we had to put Bella and Ben, Casey's dog, in the kennel while we went north for my surgery. I stayed home and sobbed while Casey took them. We rescued Bella from Woods, but she started out at the pound where her owner surrendered her. Although she is quite large and strong as an ox, she is easily frightened and insecure.  The kennel is, let's face it, doggie jail, no matter how often they are let out to play. All I can think while she's there is that she thinks we abandoned her, too. She can't stay home or stay with a friend because she is an escape artist. Apparently it's a characteristic of her breed - she just wants to wander and explore. She always comes home, but it's dangerous and it scares us. This time, Ben is going to stay with the Librizzi's because the last time he was a mess when we brought them home. The kennel traumatized him too much - he's old and set in his ways. This time, Bella won't even have Ben for comfort. I know she will be safe, I know she will be fine and this is just my emotional trip...but it's really the hardest part for me. I came home from the hospital two days earlier than my doctor advised in 2009 because I wanted her home so badly. This time, I am determined to stay the full five days. It's a whole lot easier to get out of a hospital bed after abdominal surgery!! When I woke up this morning, my girl was snuggled up against me. She's so big that when she does that her body is almost as long as mine! This is something she has started doing recently, and I hope she doesn't lose the habit while we're away.  I am a strange one - I am more excited about going to Power to the Peaceful than nervous about the surgery, and I'm more upset about kenneling Bella than I am about having cancer. What can I say? I love my dog.