PAWS: Animal Tales

Bailey

My PAWS dog, Bailey, saves my life everyday. The last nine months have been extremely difficult.

On November 21, 2003, I lost my career. The reason I'm saying "career" instead of "job" is that I teach Computer Programming and because this country is sending those good-paying jobs overseas, I am now obsolete. I have been in the business for 30 years and I am too old to be hired for anything else and too young to retire.

My husband, Joe, died unexpectedly on November 22, 2003 and left me some money but many, many more bills. But he was a great guy with a huge personality and I miss him so much that I can barely stand living each day without him.

I had breast cancer surgery in January 2004 and landed in the hospital again this week because of a painfully infected pancreas.

Suddenly, my upper middle class self, has no husband, no job, no insurance, and bills.

But every morning my darling, Bailey, zooms into my bedroom and wakes me up with her big smile and wagging body, as she alternately does her barking, whining, "get up" talk while she dances round and round my room! She is so excited every morning and so happy to be alive that she makes me bound out of bed to take her out. Bailey is part Lab and part English Pointer. She is 68 pounds of total joy.

When Joe died, Bailey started sleeping with me. That was odd because she never slept on the bed before. I was going to command, "Get down" but I found her presence comforting and I let her stay. Last month, Bailey must have decided that I was better and she went back to sleeping in her own bed.

Every day Bailey forces me out to enjoy life! I meet so many people because Bailey just brings people out to pet her and talk to me. She is a force of life and I love her more each day.

I thank God for my PAWS dog Bailey. I wouldn't be alive without her.

Cheryl

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