Let's just begin again!

First of all, thanks to everyone for the support regarding Kira. It has been a really great week despite a really rough start so I wanted to update you on how God is working in our family through this hard time. His peace has been with all of us and really ALL praise to Him!

We have decided not to pursue any further treatment of the cancer, but that's not to say we don't have great plans in mind for our Bella Mozzerella! (don'tcha just love that nickname?!)

In our minds Kira has been healed, the surgery was a very very RARE success as I've been told by three different vets so far. God blessed us with easy access to one of the best veterinarian facilities in the northeast and a surgeon who I have come to find out is one of the best in the country. How cool is that? While we have declined chemo because it is very expensive ($3500) and only results in a few extra months of life (6-9 by the medical standard), we are actively treating Kira with nutrition, supplements, homeopathy and chiropractic. Did ya know they have chiropractors for animals??? NorthStar staff has been so incredibly caring and accepting of our choice and are ready to help us give Kira the best life, no matter how long that is! In my mind, the cancer has been removed.

Of course, the optimist in me (read: stubborn, bull-headed, red-haired fiery flame of determination) is out to prove that treating the whole person and not just the disease CAN result in an astonishing life! And while Kira and I share the same fighting spirit, we also share the simple fact that we are medical anomalies. We're just cool that way.

Kira is so blessed in so many ways. She has a mama who is always here, a daddy who melts into a puddle when he sees her (and subsequently lets her sleep in bed with us!), three doting kids who constantly seek her out to see if she's ok, and of course a sister and two brothers who I find alternately surrounding her when sleeping and bugging her when she's awake.

Let me be clear about one thing: Kira is a naughty dog. She has recovered from her surgery SO WELL that she's back to chasing squirrels, barking at the doorbell, begging for food all the livelong day and just generally being a stinker -- I love it!

We're ready to begin again, to refocus our sights on just living each day to the fullest and to remember that no one, not even doctors, can predict life. And Kira is pretty busy these days doing just that. Stay tuned for more miracle news!