When I brought home my dachshund, Frankie, as a pup in November 1999 I had no clue of a disease that the breed is prone to called Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD). I knew they had back issues, but didn’t take the time to educate myself on exactly what that meant.
On Easter Sunday 2006 I would come to learn exactly what it meant. While vacationing in Florida, I got a call that Frankie had fallen and ruptured a disc in her back while at the kennel she was staying at. She needed to be rushed into surgery as soon as possible. My sister-in-law was my emergency contact so she immediately whisked Frankie to a nearby animal clinic after having her at my vet who diagnosed her with IVDD. Being so far away from Frankie was hard, but I knew she was in good hands. Frankie was given a 10-30% chance of walking even with the surgery. The odds were not great. The fact I was uneducated about IVDD left me feeling very fearful of what her life would look like if she didn’t walk again. I almost made the terrible mistake of having her put to sleep.
Fortunately with the help of the surgeon, my mom (who I was staying with) and my husband, John, I went ahead and gave my consent for the surgery. I was assured that if Frankie did not gain full use of her hind legs after the surgery and healing, she could be fitted for a dog wheelchair and resume a happy, healthy, quality life. Dog wheelchairs were new to me also. But once it was explained to me how they worked I was hopeful that no matter what, Frankie would live a long, good life.
The surgery was not successful in helping Frankie walk on her own again so she was custom-fitted for a dog wheelchair from Eddie’s Wheels in the summer of 2006. Watching Frankie never feel sorry for herself through her ordeal, as well as persevere despite now having wheels as hind legs, I knew I was being given an opportunity to educate others about IVDD. Since 2007 it has become a passionate mission of mine to share Frankie’s story with others and give other pet owners hope whose dogs are diagnosed with IVDD.
Too often dogs are put to sleep because owners were not educated about the options available. IVDD is not a death sentence and dogs can, and do, live quality lives if given a chance. Frankie, as well as many others, are shining examples of this.
I truly believe that if we look for the blessings in our challenges our life will take on new meaning and we can make a positive difference in the world. I realized as I started taking Frankie out in my little town of 1,100 residents that people were fascinated by her and wanted to know her story. Even more amazing was how children responded to her in such a positive way.
One big blessing from all of this is that I’ve been able to share Frankie’s story with thousands of children through a book series I wrote about Frankie called, Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog. To date we have done over 325 personal appearances to classrooms and libraries, as well as visits via Skype. Our message to children is, “Always be positive, make a difference, and keep on rolling.”
In 2008 Frankie became a registered therapy dog with Therapy Dogs Incorporated after a third grade teacher noticed how well Frankie is around children. She encouraged us to become a therapy dog team. For over three years, Frankie and I regularly volunteer at Libby’s House, Senior Assisted Living (which the second book in my series is about) as well as Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice.
When Frankie was first diagnosed with IVDD, I couldn’t imagine how I would take care of a special needs pet. I went through a period of feeling sorry for myself and having a big pity party. But some of my greatest life lessons have come from observing Frankie go on with her life, living it to the fullest. She is my biggest inspiration!
She has taught me to be more patient and compassionate. She has also helped build my confidence in myself. I always used worry what others thought of me and the choices I made, but that no longer gets in my way of living the life that is right for me. She has also taught me that we always have choices—and choosing to live positive despite our challenges will open doors to opportunities we never expected enriching our lives in ways we could have never dreamed of.
Frankie and Barbara have been featured in Woman’s World, The American Dog Magazine, Doxie Digest, USA Today and AOL Paw Nation. They are also featured in three books: Dogs and the Women Who Love Them, recommended by Oprah’s O Magazine, Animals and the Kids Who Love Them, and Every Dog Has a Gift. Barbara is currently working on her first adult nonfiction book about her journey with Frankie titled, Through the Eyes of Frankie, Lessons Learned from a Dachshund on Wheels. Be sure to watch her blog for updates and release date.
To learn more about Frankie and Barbara, their books, and their mission, you can find them several places on the internet:
http://www.joyfulpaws.com/
http://www.frankiethewalknrolldog.com/
http://www.facebook.com/frankiethewalknrolldog
http://www.facebook.com/barbaratechel
http://www.twitter.com/joyfulpaws
http://www.twitter.com/walknrolldog
http://www.youtube.com/user/barbtechel?feature=mhee
One lucky Pet Blogs United winner will receive a set of Frankie magnets pictured below:
We'd like to thank Barbara & Frankie for sharing this inspiring story with us.
0 comments:
Post a Comment