Taking this opportunity of August 26, 2023, International Dog Day, to take a breath from the intensive cortisol producing life of ours to blog about our girl, Lucky. Lucky came to us 12 years ago from the now defunct organization Golden Retriever Rescue of Central New York.
What's in a name?
I remember when Sophia named her, I groaned internally for the sweet girl who came to us as "Ella", after making the offer for her to name her since the formerly known as "Ella" arrived just one day shy of Sophia's 7th birthday. Despite naming privileges, the intent was to have Lucky be the more affordable alternative to a service dog for ZMan. This came after reading book after book about golden retrievers with kids with disabilities.
12 years later, and with death, departures, and other various tribulations, she has been my true constant, and now is in a predicament of her own. Lucky has been diagnosed not just with one, but TWO types of cancer.
While there are many important responsibilities and matters that I need to attend to (one seemingly as dire as the next), I have decided in lieu of professional therapy (that I can neither afford, nor physically attend, nor make the time commitment to) to write as often as I can muster about my dear girl and create what I hope is "The Year of Lucky": a year dedicated to honoring the fur girl who is by all intents and purposes both the sweetest and the most anxious pup that I have ever aspired to be like.
