inspirational

“Frank’s Friends” Help Him Fight Cancer

Posted by Barbara Techel

I met Frank in 2008 at my book launch for Frankie, the Walk ‘N Roll Dog.

We have kept in touch ever since then via email.  Most recently he named Frankie an official “Frank’s Friend” with a special certificate (Download Frankie).  I was quite honored and very touched.  I wanted to share Frank’s story with all of you becasue his story is a great example of how dogs are helping him through some tough times.

This is Frank’s story.

Four years ago the company Frank was a shop supervisor for was bought out, which meant a restructuring of the company and a lay off for Frank.  It just so happened that this coincided with an operation he needed to have.  One week after being laid off, Frank had his surgery and was laid up for a week.

The diagnosis was prostate cancer that had metastasized to his lymph nodes.  He was not given a bright prognosis and decided his life needed a new direction.

Frank’s new journey lead him to becoming a Forestry Technician for the State of Wisconsin and working outdoors on the Emerald Bore Ash Borer Survey in an eight county area in northwest, Wisconsin.

The bonus to this new position was the many dogs he would begin to meet.  These dogs would in turn help him take his focus off his illness and give him a reason to appreciate being alive.

Lucy, Sadie, Trix, Pete, Sam and Abby are just some of the guardian angels he has met along the way.  Frank does not always know all the names of the dogs because at times the owners may not be around for him to find this out, but they are all his friends.

“I realized the dogs were teaching me that a smile or friendly greeting, and friendship is perhaps the most important healing component in one’s life” Frank said. This works both ways in giving and receiving of friendship.  “The dogs also remind me that it is healthy to act like a kid now and then!”

All his life Frank has been a dog lover.  When he was small he would visit his grandfather’s farm where he fell in love with the farm dogs.  Because his parents both worked full time he couldn’t have a dog, so spending time on his grandfather’s farm were some of the greatest times of his life.

Frank’s dad was a fireman and would bring the firehouse dog, Sparky the Dalmatian home on his days off.  “On those special days I was in heaven” Frank said.

“Dad taught Sparky to find a burning cigarette in the grass.”  All of the neighborhood kids would come over and Frank’s Dad would re-enact the trick for them. Life was good.”

The experience of his youth with the dogs in his life to today with the many dogs he meets has taught Frank the importance of dogs in our lives.  He said, “They teach us compassion, how to communicate without words, give us a sense of comfort and belonging, and provide relaxation with a good friend.  They are the best medicine available!”

As Frank has been traveling for his job he has met new friends over the past four years.  That is how he learned of the plight of puppy mills in Wisconsin.  Frank’s “bucket list” now includes doing what he can to promote the adoption of effective legislation to remedy the puppy mill cancer.  He said, “This again has redirected my attention away from my illness and have given me another good reason to be alive.”

Meeting so many wonderful dogs around Wisconsin also lead Frank to starting a collection of what he calls, “Frank’s Friends.”  These are dogs who have greeted him with vigor and happiness that Frank says he finds difficult to describe.  Many of the dogs he has photographed as they placed their front paws on the edge of his open window to say “hello.”  Most recently Frank made an official certificate for the prestigious honor of being a friend of Frank’s.  I am delighted to say Frankie, the Walk ‘N Roll Dog now has a “Frank’s Friend” certificate.  It means so much to me and Frankie.

Frank said, “The qualifications a dog must have to receive a certificate are that they must be themselves, give a smile, and exemplify the qualities of a good happy dog.”  Reggie, a 9-year old lab/malamute is Frank’s best buddy & top dog honoree who he adopted when he was four months old. Lucky dog.

The impact of what dogs teach us is evident in Frank’s story.  Life can throw us some pretty tough challenges.  We can give up and feel sorry for ourselves, or we can open our eyes and our hearts to what is in front of us and live each moment with appreciation and joy.  When we do, not only do we impact our own life, but we give back in such a positive way to those around us.  Frank is a wonderful, shining example of just that, and I for one, feel blessed to know him.

This is a video of all Frank’s Friends.  I thought it touching that it is silent, because as Frank said, “Dogs can communicate without words.”  And also below are some photo’s he has taken of his friends…

 

 

A Tribute to Matthew

Posted by Barbara Techel

July 6, 1990-August 28, 2006

Even though Matthew (Matt), has been gone for almost three years now, his mom, Marsha wrote to me and shared pictures of her sweet dog.  Like Frankie, he suffered a spinal injury at the age of five, but was able to walk again. 

Marsha, a retired police officer loved her little Matt with all her heart.  When he went down it was a difficult thing to adjust to.  Marsha said, “My whole life changed and it just evolved around Matt and his care.”  Marsha was single and lived alone.  As a police officer she worked midnights on the road.

Marsha luckily had a lieutenant with a big heart.  He offered Marsha the opportunity to work the front desk and told her she could bring Matt to work with her.  “It was a dream come true,” Marsha said.

Initially when Matt was in the hospital recovering, which was 45 miles from Marsha’s home, her lieutenant sent an officer every night to sit with her at the vet’s office and keep her company.  Marsha said, “Then one night an officer arrived with a card and $250 they collected to go towards the vet bills.”  Marsha said she cried like a baby and will remember that moment for the rest of her life.

When Matt was well enough to go home, every evening after that Marsha would pack him in a clothes basket and was able to do his physical therapy right on her desk while at work.  Marsha said, “I never left him for a moment.  Not even to take a break or get something to eat.”  She was so lucky and had a team of officers who helped her out.  They would come into the office and offer her a break so she could get a bike to eat.  “I’d come back from my break and would find the guys with Matt on his back doing the bicycle movement on his legs just like I did for him during his physical therapy.”  She went on to say, “Matt was the Kendell Station mascot and everyone pitched in to help the little dachshund who was so hard to resist. 

Matt had a great attitude during his whole ordeal, and never gave up hope, even though Marsha did at one point.  Marsha read through the paperwork to order a dog cart for Matt.  But she never had to because Matt decided he wanted to walk, and walk he did.

It wasn’t an easy road for Matt, but his super-hero attitude is what made him so determined.  Marsha said, “He never flinched at anything and acted like he was the same as the rest of the dogs.”  Matt had lost a lot of muscle tone in his rear legs and he would sometimes fall to one side when attempting to walk.  Ramps were put up around the house, but Matt was determined to climb the little step, just like the rest and did not want any special help.

Every year Matt participated in helping raise money through “Walk for the Animals.”  Marsha said, “The walk was too far for him, so we pushed him along in a stroller.”  No doubt he brought smiles to many.

“I know this is a traumatic thing to most people, as it was to me,” Marsha said. “It’s a hard decision to make because not everyone can afford or have the time to take care of a dog with this injury.  But if they come through this with no pain, you can still help them live a quality life.” 

Just like I have learned through Frankie, Marsha learned from Matt, to never give up and to have the courage to make the best of a difficult situation.  Marsha said, “You know, before Matt, I would always be negative and think of the glass half empty, but now I think of it as always full.”

In August 2007 Marsha met a woman at her local vets office whose dachshund, named Goldie was in a dog cart and just had surgery.  She asked the woman if she could take Goldie home for three months and see if she could help her walk again.  The woman did not know how to care for Goldie, so she was relieved and grateful for the help.  Marsha hung Goldie’s dog cart in the garage and after three months returned Goldie to the woman walking again.  What a testament to the lessons Matt taught Marsha, and she in turn, paid it forward.

I have no doubt Matt looks down from heaven with immense love for Marsha and is her constant guide.  Another beautiful example of how dogs can impact our lives profoundly.  Sweet dreams little Matt…

Book Review: Maggie, the dog who changed my life

Posted by Barbara Techel

As I turned the pages of Maggie, the dog who changed my life, I felt a powerful kindred spirit connection with Dawn and Maggie.  Their story is so similar to my own, and the path I am now on because of my own lab, Cassie Jo, who I lost to cancer in 2005.

What I love about Dawn Kairn is the fact that she opens her heart wide to the world in sharing Maggie’s story and their journey. She took an extremely difficult situation of realizing she should have followed her intuition, turned it into a positive, and now shares her truth in this deeply profound book.

We can probably all say that at least once in our life we have wished we followed our own intuition.  Dawn’s intuition of cancer in Maggie, along with her vivid dreams, which she recalled and wrote in exquisite detail after each dream, brought to light what her gut was telling her all along.

Even though there was a time Dawn could not forgive herself for not trusting what she believed was wrong with Maggie, she took a tough life changing lesson and turned into a blessing.  The blessing of helping others understand that if our intuition is telling us something about our beloved animal, to follow it, no matter what anyone else says.  She also takes all the heartache (and much joy) of her life with Maggie and shares it in this deeply moving memoir that I found very hard to put down. 

I laughed, reminisced, forgave myself for my own guilt with Cassie Jo, and cried for the loss of Maggie, who was a beautiful, knowing soul.  At times I felt as if Maggie and Cassie Jo were twins because of the amazing spiritual lessons they taught Dawn and I.

Dawn captures the essence and spirituality of dogs, as well as, eloquently gives us her heart by sharing Maggie with all of us, and I for one, am a better person for reading their story.

To learn more about Dawn and Maggie and to purchase a copy of her book visit her on her website