I wanted to start by saying Sally and Happy Hannah, here’s your sketch:
I really hope that you approve!! I will mail it to you next week, email me your address! 🙂
I titled this post Our Inspawration, because as I drew Happy Hannah, I was thinking about how much of an inspiration she was to me in this journey. *[I also can’t forget to add that Sassy, another big Rottie girl, was an inspiration.] My first vet told me that she did not recommend amputation for Athena, and when I asked her if she was your dog, would you amputate? She said ‘NO’. Yes, Athena has arthritis everywhere (on her chest xray, you could even see a big arthritic spot on her spine), and hip displasia, and has damaged cartilidge in her back knees. She was also considered overweight and was 108 pounds at the time of diagnosis. I was so devastated wondering just how would Athena be able to cope after amputation… everything seemed stacked against her. But, I didn’t give up on Athena, and seeing that OTHER big dogs could do it, gave me a bit of hope. (And, I found another vet!)Â Well little did I know!!! Less than ONE WEEK after amputation, she was going up and down the three steps to get to the backyard all by herself! She heard a delivery truck go down the neighbors driveway and she RAN across the yard, barking like crazy. I thought, well Athena won’t be able to scratch on the door anymore to let me know that she wants to come back in the house. Imagine my surprize just a few days ago when I hear a loud scratch on the door! I still don’t know how she does it, but she will give a scratch at the door when she wants to come back inside.
I guess what I want to say is that I hope that one day, Athena can be an inspiration for someone else the way that so many others around the Tripawds community have been for me.
EVERY Tripawd who joins our family here IS an inspiration!
Beautiful art work.
Karen
I agree! ALL DOGS in this community are an inspiration!
Beautiful work. I am so glad we could be an inspiration to you & Athena. I agree every dog in their own special way is an inspiration to us all.
Yay Sally & Happy Hannah.
Michelle & Sassy
Ohhhhhhhh. Myyyyyyyyy. Goooooooooodness!! I cannot believe this!! I cannot believe this!!!!!
YOU Jessica are an absolute talent…..off the charts talent…….!!
I am silly with tears right ow!! I have a person all portrait…..a forever, eternal portrait of my beautiful sweet happy, full of life girl!!!
Yea indeed, every human soul and every dog soul I spire us everyday to live, not only in the moment, but to live a life of love and o and nappiness.
You spoke so eloquently of your Athena. She is a treasure to have in your life….and you are a treasure to her!
I love how she amazes you everyday doing things you thought were no longer possible. Isn’t that the magic of all the lessons they teach us? Follow their lead and we can soar to ew heights everyday UST by having the “belief systems” of our dogs!!
Oh Jessica, I am so touched, so eternally touched. I am so proud to be on this journey with my Halt Hannah and with each and everyone here.
To be a recipient of this gift….your special gift….well, it’s just started me crying all over again.
You captured every aspect of who she is. I’ll be studying this for hours, once I quite hugging her picture through the computer!
I’m sooooooo honored, so very honored.
With so much gratitude and love, Sally and Happy Hannah
Wonderful picture of Hannah!
So happy to hear how great Athena is doing.
Just tried to send you email….please let me know when you get it…stupid machine acting up..
Were you able to find the OE of Kermit I mentioned…or even abetter one?
I just can’t say enough about oow honored
I am to have such a beautiful portrait of my Happy Hannah.
You captured her gentleness, her sweetness….you really captured it with each stroke.
I guess most people have “family portraits” on the walls….now my walls will no longer be empty….I will have a family portrait hanging smack dab in the center of every wall in this old house!!!
I could never have made it without the support of all the human Nero’s and dog and cat heros on this site. Ad this photo will always remind me that my Happy Hannah is ALWAYS with me and the love I feel for my extended tripawd family will also always be with me.
Words will never be able to express what this means to me.
When someone is able to give as selflessly as you while you have your own challenges…..that is a strength of character that inspires us all..Thank you Jessica and Athena for being our inspiration by showing us how to turn adversity into generosity.
What a great artist you are!
BRAVO!!!
OMD you drew this? This is amazing! You are an incredibly talented artist, thank you so much for sharing this with us.
And can I just say one thing? Athena already IS an inspiration to a lot of folks here, more than you can ever image. Thank you so much for being here to share her story and help others who find themselves in that very scary place that you were also in.
Hugs, hugs and more hugs!