Resiliency Lessons From My 3-Legged Dog
"It's osteosarcoma," my husband says.
"That doesn't sound good," I respond.
I immediately Google the word, and as I read the description, my stomach tightens. The prognosis for a dog with osteosarcoma looks grim. In my mind, it's a death sentence - that he will die swiftly unless we take serious action - to amputate his hind leg.
I'm freaked out. Our beautiful 12-year-old Wheaton Terrier, Bueller, of show dog beauty, would not be whole.
I cry, I rage, I question.
After much deliberation, we take action and have his leg removed.
The surgery is successful. He gets better and stronger every day — running, jumping, barking, all the wonderful dog stuff. And every day, I grow to love him more. The prognosis is good; he is clean from cancer after a few months of chemotherapy. We are even planning his bark-mitzvah :)
Our concerns about his ability to bounce back, while understandable, were unfounded. Bueller, our incredible, life-affirming, now-three-legged dog, teaches us lessons in resiliency every day. Here are a few select ones I'd like to share with you:
Don't focus on what was - focus on what is.
Stay in the present - there are lots of flowers to sniff, and pizza scraps to eat. Don't miss out by focusing on yesterday.
You still have three legs - take stock of what you have.
Accept love - there are lots of people around who love you and want you to thrive.
Fall down, get back up - falling down is a natural part of life, and getting back up demonstrates courage and resilience.
Take lots of naps - you've been through a lot, its okay to relax.
Take it slow and ask for what you need - it’s not a weakness to ask for help. Whether you have three legs, two, or four.
Have fun - some days suck, and things don't always go your way. That doesn't mean you can't still take some time to run, jump, and play.
Belly rubs make everything better - no matter how bad it gets, a belly rub will always lift your spirits (ask permission first, when possible)!
Be a badass - no matter what, keep going. You are awesome.
What lessons have you learned through adversity?