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Bela's Story, as told by Holly
One year ago today I kissed the softest dog head my lips had ever touched one last time and placed my forehead against his for one final moment of his favorite game...bull. I knew he had probably left me before we ever reached the vet office that night, but I pleaded with him to hang on, not sure what I meant in saying that, other than I wasn't ready. I hadn't prepared. Two weeks post splenectomy, I clutched him close and whispered into the most velvety ear my hands ever touched words my heart was not prepared to say, "I love you more than you'll ever know and I hope I made you proud. You made me a better person and I'll see you soon."
One year ago today, my heart and the hearts of those his life had touched were robbed when Hemangiosarcoma claimed the life of my beloved companion, Béla.
For months after his passing I began to realize just how many hearts had been broken, stolen, cheated, and robbed by not only the loss of Béla, but by their OWN losses of wonderful companions to this horrific cancer. It hits without warning, it hits hard, doesn't discriminate, and takes prisoners. All the researching I did seemed to point to one ending. Dogs + Hemangiosarcoma = Death. His prognosis was 6 weeks to 6 months. I got 2 weeks. Robbed.
Enter Kimberly. Kim has painted my dogs for years and of the "older" dogs in my home, Béla was the only one who had yet to grace her easel. It took me many email drafts to ask her to take this on after his passing, but something about Bela that always frustrated me, was he HATED to have his picture taken. The photo I asked her to paint was one of the best photos of him I had ever taken. It was taken shortly before his diagnosis and I can see his tail wag in his eyes. Every time I look at it, I can remember his kindness, his soul, and his life instead of memories of a splenectomy, weight loss, no appetite, and cancer.
Instead of reliving the moments of immense sadness and pain today, watching him come to life today on Kim's easel is a lovely rebirth of his spirit that will grace our home.
One thing Kim has always done when painting my dogs is make a donation on their sale, to the Vizsla Club of America Welfare Foundation for health research. One thing I have learned about Hemangio is that the ONLY way we can do our part towards getting a cure or earlier diagnosis, is through research! So instead of Kim making her donation, I am asking YOU...to make a donation to the study for Hemangio research below. Do it in memory of your lost dog to Hemangio, in honor of your dog that is living after Hemangio, in memory of someone who loved dogs, or do it in memory of Bela. This study is supported by MANY breed clubs.
If you can, please donate $5, $10, $20...so we can stop being robbed of lives with our dogs and become better advocates for their health.
CH Keystone RedRvr Czinister Minister RN "Béla" May 19, 2003 - June 9, 2014
I miss him more than he'll ever know.
Back to Kim:
I think that he knows, Holly.
Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork,
Warmly, Kim
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