Monday’s Mantra

Watching her enjoy the new found freedom her wheelchair offers makes my heart happy.

Watching the forecast of her future makes my heart break.

Welcome to Coffee Hour at Chicklit Power and Megan’s Monday Mantra with Trench Classes United.

My precious Kirby Girl started to show signs of canine Degenerative Myelopathy 18 months ago. It started with the dreaded sound of the intermittent dragging of her back left foot. Degenerative Myelopathy is a progressive, genetic disease of the spinal cord, similar to Lou Gehrig’s disease in humans. Its progression, over time, results in complete paralysis. The ultimate outcome of DM is death. There is no cure. The majority of dogs with DM require euthanasia long before reaching the final stages of this insidious disease. The one hidden blessing is that it is painless for the dog.

When I first detected the onset of the disease, I prayed and pleaded Kirby would be spared from it. But as I painfully watched the slight drag of a foot slowly and deliberately progress into complete rear end immobility, I knew escaping the consequences of this debilitating disease was not His will.

It is gut-wrenching to stand by and watch someone you love go through something that you cannot fix. No matter what you do, no matter how much love and quality of life you provide, you know, in the deep recesses of your heart, it will not change the eventual outcome. This feeling of helplessness can be so vastly overwhelming!

I am no stranger to this feeling and my prayers for Kirby have changed considerably as her disease forges onward. I have had to relinquish my control and remember who is really in charge!

I could write countless blogs on the lessons I’ve learned caring for my Kirby Girl, but I couldn’t begin to count all of the times the Lord has intervened … a fleeting moment, when a back foot is able to scratch an itchy ear … a squat, held just long enough to go potty, without falling over … or a donated wheelchair to resume walks in the park. The Lord continues to hold me up as I hold up Kirby. More significantly, He continues to fulfill my deepest heartfelt prayer, “please keep my Kirby Girl happy and comfortable and show me how to best care for her.” He has blessed Kirby and me with the resilience to face this season of our lives, resulting in an even deeper and more intense connection.

As I write this, I can hardly see through the swelling of my tears. I have no idea how or when her journey will come to an end, but I can see in her eyes, she has turned yet another corner in the progression of this disease. In spite of her condition, she continues to accept her circumstances unconditionally, with a bit of spunk and a few cherished licks to my cheek … most notably, she is happy and comfortable.

God is always with us.

He is with us when we feel Him and He’s with us when we don’t.

Focus on God’s presence.

He is near to all who call on Him.

God does answer prayer.

Your comments are always most welcome.

Lovingly in Christ,

Megan