Weeks passed and no one even looked at her.  I took her out daily to play and get some sun. She should have been selected for euthanasia by me weeks before.  But I COULD NOT DO IT.

Finally, over a holiday weekend, I “broke her out.” “Just for the holiday,” I told myself. I’d take her back on Monday, I reasoned.

Twelve wonderful years later, she still fills my heart daily.

Happy birthday sweet girl.

Rest up. We have some shooting to do! Go to here for more information!

Through most of a year Candy remained happy and seemingly healthy as her treatments continued.  She had a syncopal, or fainting episode, on Christmas eve.  Though never truly explained by the emergency room doctors, it was felt that somehow the episode was tied in to her disease.  Throughout that year I followed Candy’s progress as all of her oncology visits were forwarded to my office to be kept with her health records.  Then I saw Candy for her “annual exam” just a few weeks ago.  She was still feeling good, according to Stephanie, but there were signs of slowing. I even took a second to snap a few images to put on our hospital Facebook page as Candy is a hospital favorite.

Only a few days later I received that dreaded update. The cardiology team had located a large, heart-based tumor – likely her primary cancer source and most likely the cause of that fainting episode at Christmas.  A week or so after that, Stephanie contacted me to see if we could come out and do a photo session with Candy.  I have to be  honest and say that after reading the reports from her specialists I expected to be greeted by a rather debilitated dog.  I should have known better.

Candy brought her “A” game to what we all knew would be an “end of life” photo session.  Still greatly inspired by her tennis ball, Candy romped the yard and woods around her family home with almost as much enthusiasm as the young healthy dog she was only several years ago.

That young and healthy dog came to be with her family 8 1/2 years ago at 1 1/2 years of age.  A rescue from the wonderful golden rescue group GRREAT, Candy had a special mission – to help her human Stephanie deal with and heal from breast cancer.  Stephanie told me her own cancer story and how much Candy meant to her healing way back in April of 2010 when we made that first dreaded discovery in Candy’s lungs.  I knew then that this family would do everything in their power to extend Candy’s life.  Because sometimes, when we think we’re “rescuing” a dog, the reality is that they’re rescuing us.

The family is making Candy’s last days comfortable and deliriously happy.  We extend our thoughts to them during this time, and our thanks for allowing us to care for and photograph this lovely golden girl.