I am a loyal reader of The Sports Guy's column on ESPN.com. He always has the perfect way to integrate a pop culture reference to a sports story he is writing. If you're not a fan, I recommend you check him out, especially if you're a sports fan (Bostonians will especially love him).
This morning, I read his most recent column. Prepared for a laugh about something likely related to the Super Bowl, I was surprised to read about his dog, Daisy, affectionately known as "The Dooze" in his family. My usual laughs - actual "LOL" moments, not fake LOL when you don't even audibly laugh but simply type the letters LOL - were replaced with tears. Real ones.
I'm sharing it because it really touched me...how cancer can touch our lives through people, and in this case, with the furry four legged members of our families.
It reminded me of when I was diagnosed with lymphoma. Nearly two years ago...wow, how time flies. My version of The Dooze was 5.5 lbs of pure puppy joy, my sweet 6 month old Maltese, Riley (pictured below, today - age 2 years old). Just like Sports Guy's other dog, Rufus, my fluffy little bunny, Riley just knew. She had been needier than usual, always wanting to be close to me. I thought I had just gotten an especially loving dog. When I came home from the doctor's office on that fateful day, I finally fell apart, crying. There was Riley, perfectly content just being cozy with me and licking my hands as they had my salty tears on them. She wasn't being a frisky puppy that day. She was calm, sweet, and exactly the friend I needed that day, that moment, and now in that memory.
Mickey Rourke recently thanked his dogs in his Golden Globe acceptance speech for Best Actor. It's true that sometimes dogs become exactly what you need at the moment you need them the most.
Here's to all of our pups...with us, and those that are on the moon, with The Dooze.
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