He was the apple of my eye – all 12 pounds of him. He was a purebred Shetland Sheepdog, but so small that people called him a mini-collie. He was a beautiful soul, and lived just to please me. In our younger years, we tackled the obedience ring and he was the top-scoring Sheltie in Novice A in 1997.

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1998, and acute microcytic anemia in 1999. Because he was a certified therapy dog, my infusion clinic allowed me to bring him with me when I had my iron infusions and blood transfusions. He’d snuggle up with me on the infusion chair and “hold court” with all the other patients who came over to visit him.

I fell backwards down a staircase in 2003, and could no longer work due to a spinal injury. I had spinal fusions in 2005 and 2007. While I was between surgeries, my husband of 23 years left me. I was wheelchair-bound at the time. Neechee and I had to move in with my parents, who are NOT dog people. But being the wonderful parents they are, they took us in, and walked Neechee for me.

During my five year stay with my parents, I had the two back surgeries and two knee replacements. Each time, I had to recover in a hospital bed in my parents’ dining room (my room was upstairs). Neechee was always there with me, cuddling up and just being a comfort by his presence.

He had a stroke the year before he died. I truly believe he felt he couldn’t leave me until he knew I could take the loss. Just three months after I married the great love of my life, Steve, the day came when Neechee left us. It was the Monday after Easter, 2010.

In June of 2011, a little over a year after Neechee’s death, I adopted a beautiful, petite five year old Sheltie girl, who had spent her life as a puppy mill mama. Her problems were bigger than mine – she had never been indoors and everything scared her. There’s not too much she’s scared of any more, and she seems to be able to predict my joint flares with amazing accuracy. A couple of days prior to a flare, she begins sniffing at the joint, then licking it. She’s amazing.

I hope you can see your way to getting another dog. They are such healing creatures!

Molly was so special! But especially attached to my husband. She sat in HIS chair every day, and NO ONE could go near her while on it except for him – she’d move over for him, and sit right next to him! We miss her dearly.

Now we have 5 chihuahuas! Yes FIVE! We recued 3 last year from a year of neglect and possible abuse. They are all our babies… I don’t know what I’d do without them. The kids are grown now… these 5 know which joints of mine hurt and since they are small, they curl up on those joints, keeping me warm!