Cottonwood Summer Morning

Ahh, what a pleasurable early morning. Last year, all I longed for was to reach the summer, for a few sweet mornings when the air was warm, the water cool, and my favorite canine swimming buddy was by my side. I was afraid to hope too much for such a thing.
Today, the morning air was finally warm, the water cool and my favorite canine buddy still at my side. This turn of events is so beyond beating the odds that it simply has Nicholai's vet shaking his head. But I know what's keeping the old boy around, sniffing downed trees, collecting white cottonwood puffs on his graying face, plunging into the cold Columbia.

Number one: he's a tough old thing with something in his basic constitution that just keeps going.
Number two: he has the luxury of excellent real food, food with cancer fighting vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and anti-angiogenic factors, and plenty of exercise.
Number three: treatments prescribed by the vet work in harmony with the good diet and regular fun exercise.
Number four: his system hasn't been assaulted with toxic or overly difficult treatments that weakened his immune system.


Today, I rejoice to be reaching Summer Number 2 of living with cancer. Nicholai's lymphoma has not been defeated, still I laugh in the face of cancer and say - you gave me precious time with my old boy. Time I know is limited. Time I remember to pay attention every day. Time to hold precious and dear my dog, life and driftwood on a summer morning beach.