Alivia was recently diagnosed with Cushing's - Alivia has passed

Animals can sense when other animals are friendly and dogs somehow know to be careful around kittens. Daisy was the same way when we brought Gracie home. Daisy hadn't lived with a cat before.

The Humane Society tested Bella with a cat and she was fine and has been great with them since we brought her home. Somehow those that don't consider cats prey just know to be careful :)

I've had deep tissue massage and it is agonizing but oh do you feel so much better afterward! I'm so glad that it's working for you!

Happy New Year Mary Beth!

I hope you, Maxwell and Opal are fine. How are things going with your recovery? I'm hoping you are walking just fine now.

We are fine and Koko continues to be my sweetheart just like Maxwell is yours. Unless Opal is his new bff :)

Koko has to remain an only child. I may allow him to get a goldfish:D

Love ya

My Dear Cushing's Friends,

It has been awhile since I have been here; sometimes it is just too hard. On this, the first anniversary of my sweet Alivia's death, with tears streaming down my face, I needed to be here. I miss her so much.

I was sorting through some stuff today and quite by accident I came across the two tiny envelopes the funeral home gave me with tufts of Ali's fur. One is a piece of the longer fur that always grew on her neck and the other is the tiny black dot she had on her back that I always called her beauty mark. The envelopes are taped shut and I have never been able to bring myself to open them. It seemed so strange to come across them today of all days. Maybe it was Ali's way of saying hello to me. Unfortunately, all the memories of that final day came back. That little dog has a part of my heart and always will. She will always be my special Valentine.

Max is doing good. Showing his age a bit, but overall very healthy. He will be 15 in a few months. He is too nice to Opal and lets her get away with anything. She will eat his food and he sits back and lets her. She is company for him, though. My daughter said he needed another bossy female. It is very strange that Opal seems to have some of Ali's characteristics. Maybe that is why I was drawn to her and why Max is so tolerant of her.

I am still going to PT for my knee but I am doing really good. Pain has DRAMATICALLY improved. They are still breaking up scar tissue, but it isn't nearly as painful now. I am walking well and the range of motion continues to improve.

I hope everyone here is well and staying warm! It is BITTER cold in Pittsburgh this weekend. Currently the wind chill is -10 and we've had snow off and on all day.

Hi Mary Beth,

Firsts are hard, I too keep finding reminders of Zoe throughout our house, one year later.

My thoughts are with you on this hard anniversary. I'm so glad darling Maxwell is doing just fine and that Opal is well too.

Thank goodness your pain has improved. With all the horrible weather this winter, I am relieved your knee is better. Think Spring, it has to come soon.

I iimagine our girls are flashing their beautiful eyes all over heaven.
They both had such lovely, big black rimmed eyes, I can clearly see my favorite photo of Alivia in my mind's eye.

With much love, special memories and always a place in my heart, Mary Beth. I am so glad you came back to check in as hard as it was to do.

Thinking of you, MaryBeth. I know so well what you mean about those little surprises we find. Bittersweet treasures for sure.

I am so glad the knee is better and pray it continues to improve steadily.
Take care of yourself!

Hey Mary Beth, I hope the sadness somehow changes to happy memories of Alivia.
Take care.

Mary Beth so good to hear from you. Gads. It is already a year. :(. The anniversary so seem to be so hard. Just devastating really. It was one year after losing my Tasha that I finally found our Molly. I don't know why that particular anniversary became the right time. Maybe it just took that long to say good bye. Strange how the anniversaries can mean so. Much to our hearts.

Awww so glad max is doing well. I can totally see little miss opal ruling the house.

Wonderful that the pain has finally decreased and you have gotten so a lot of your mobility back. Knees and hips. They are a rule bugger as we get older. Sigh.

Take care of yourself.
Hugs

Thank you all.

I know that here is a place that everyone understands the loss all too well.

Most of the time I am okay. So happy that I had nearly 16 years with such an amazing little dog that came into my life quite by accident. I learned a lot from her and she changed me in many ways. I'd like to think I am a better person, in part, because of the love of Alivia. I was lucky we had that time together.

Opal has been good company for Max. He looks at her like she is crazy and does not understand her antics. But, she is good company and I love that when I come home from work they are laying together. She seems to be his ears now that he is almost deaf. She mothers him, like Ali did, by cleaning his ears and licking his face. I think that comforts him...and has kept him from eating her when she is being a brat and eating his food or jumping on his back. :)

It has been a rough year emotionally and physically. I am getting better, though. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Jeez...how much stronger can one get?!