Page 1051 - Total War on PTSD

I really don't know what I would do without Duke. Duke is one of those million-in-one dogs who is there to love you when you're down and pick you up when you need it. I think about that all of the time because he is getting up in age, and I know that someday he will be gone and leave me here all alone. He is my baby. He knows my every thought and mood and all of my ups and downs. When we were younger, we had the world at our feet, but now we are both getting old and tired. I really do love looking back to think about all of the fun times we have had in our years together. From the moment I first held him in my arms as a newborn puppy, I knew he special. And he has been beside me every step of my journey. I just never thought when I first got him 14 years ago that he would become my savior. Just knowing that he is always there to wake me up from a bad nightmare or to make sure that I take my medication is a blessing. He is not only my best friend for life but also my life saver.
There was the time that Duke and I had to raise five baby kittens because their mother died shortly after giving birth. All I had to do was bottle-feed them, and Duke took care of the rest — cleaning them up after I fed them, keeping them safe and warm at night, and teaching them how to use the litter box. Another time, when my kids were little, they were playing in my daughters’ room, and they both gave big screams. Both dogs — Duchess our family German Shepard, and Duke — popped up and charged down the hallway to investigate. Duchess hit my daughter’s door first but nothing happened. Duke was right behind Duchess, and he used her as a springboard, hurtling himself into the top half of the bedroom door. Down it went! Both kids were just fine but everyone thought they were in trouble, including the dogs.
Duke and I, and now Sasha, look forward to the summers when we can take the camper and go camping with the grandkids for the weekend. It's great to see the kids playing outside without any television, and Duke loves being with them. It's a time when he can just be a dog and play ball, but I still know that he'd be there in a heartbeat if I need him. Duke and I have traveled a lot together. We went on a cruise for seven days. That trip was especially difficult with a big dog like Duke and there was a lot of paperwork necessary just to get a Service Dog on the ship. They had to have a special place for him to go to the bathroom, and they provided doggie pads for my room. Flying wasn't as difficult. Duke handling flying very well when he was younger, but since he's gotten older, I don't fly much with him anymore.
1051 of 1085