Meet Frankie!

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Here we are - Frankie and me. We are still sitting in the van and it seemed a good time to take a picture. The date is March 20, 2004 - Frankie will be 5 months old the end of March. He now weighs a whopping 3 and a half lbs. "grins" But there's a lot of strength, courage and love in that little body.

It's strange how things happen. When I lost my Teddy, I was heartbroken and couldn't even think of getting another dog - besides no dog could ever replace him and the relationship we shared for nearly 10 years. Ted would have been 10 years old December 30th...but he had to leave. I would never permit him to suffer, so I let him go.

It happened in such a difficult period of my life. The past year had been so difficult, fighting the lymphedema along with other medical issues - but the lymphedema was the worse. Eventually I could walk for much of a distance, nor stand very long and so I had to get a power wheelchair. I had to have a hospital bed brought to the house, because I had to sleep raised up and had been doing that for 7 months in a recliner chair - but I needed a bed to sleep in. At times I felt so trapped, so dependent - but Ted was always by my side....he and I had an instant communication with one another.

But then I noticed changes in him too. At first, I thought it was that he was upset about what he sensed about me. In a very short period of time, and without warning, we learned Ted had cancer and now he was suffering, that was obvious. So, on December 5th, we put him to sleep.

I mourned him so much - those who love their animals understand this. It's like losing a child.

Then out of nowhere - at the urging of a friend to take a look in this publication called Uncle Henry - we found several listings for Pomerians. Some were very expensive - I had never paid for a dog in my life, except for Ted, and that was $100 - no papers, but I didn't care about papers, I just love the breed. But something drew me to this particular ad and I called. The price was not outrageous as some were - and my husband said, ask her if we pay her cash now, will she take $50 off and she did.

So, in a snowstorm, we headed out to a small town about an hour and half drive from where we live. When we arrived, we were greeting by 7 Pomerians - all females - with colors I had never seen before and all so sweet and friendly. Three of the females had litters within days of one another. When we walk inside the birthing room - my heart melted-these darling little fur balls - so tiny - I knew I would find mine that day. There were many to choose from - colors I I had never seen before - sable colors - brown and white - there were so many pups and each one I picked up, I loved, but there was a special one waiting for me. When I picked up Frankie - and we looked in one anoher's eyes, as he licked my face repeatedly - I knew he was the one for me.

The hardest part was the waiting. They were only 6 weeks old and I'd have to wait another 2 weeks before I could bring Frankie home - when he was 8 weeks old - but I'd did prefer he stay with his Mother another 2 weeks. He was the runt of the litter, his brothers and sisters were fat little balls of fur, so much bigger than Frankie.

It was a hard time waiting - but on December 30th we headed back there to pick him up. On December 30th, Teddy would have been 10 years old - so I know that this was his gift to me. New life, to help me with the overwhelming sadness I felt.

Here is Frankie at 9 weeks old - he weighed 2 lbs and had the cutest darn face.

On the return trip home, I put him under my soft shirt and he cuddled right up and went to sleep. With the cold weather, he needed a sweater or coat - so we stopped on the way home and bought him his little red sweater - we also got him a collar and of course, toys. lol It was almost like bringing a new baby home.

In this photo, if you look close you can see the image of a wolf - well, let me tell you - Frankie has the courage of a wolf.....nothing scares him. lol Our poor ole Beagle Buddy, has the patience of a saint - Frankie doesn't leave him along for a second - he follows behind him and bites his tail and his back legs - he's a real little stinker, but Bud puts up with it.

Here are two more photos of Frankie.

This was taken not long after Frankie came home....what a face huh?

This one was taken yesterday - he's a whopping 3 and half pounds now - full of energy and a joy to have in our lives. Even my husband has said repeately how much joy and new life Frankie has brought to us and our home.

He brought such comfort to me. From the first night, he never cried. He laid across my neck and we slept together like that for a long time - we still sleep together every night. I have a pouch, that whenever we do anywhere Frankie knows that when he's in his pouch it's time to work and behave himself. He has been designated a therapy dog for me and I have taken him everywhere I have gone - restaurants - the hospital, the hospital lab - the doctors' offices that I see - not once has he created a disturbance - he sleeps mostly- his warm litle body against my heart where I can hear his beating and I'm sure he can hear mine and he brings me such comfort.

The road has been quite bumpy lately - and Frankie has made it a lot easier for me.

I believe that dogs (and cats) are a gift given to us from Creator - their pure devoted love, to us, their loyalty - they want little in return - just food to survive, water and shelter. So little needed for them and they give us so much I couldn't even begin to list it all here.

We have an accessible van now - so I have freedom to go where I want - I can drive, Frankie sits on the seat next to me, buckled up, of course. When we arrive at our destination, all I have to do, is get into my whelchair and the lift does the rest.

And.....of course, Frankie is with me - close to my heart.