A canine is a lady’s finest good friend.
At the least, Chevy was Katie’s finest good friend for a season. Somebody who confirmed up when life was at its worst. Once I had not seen her smile in weeks, Chevy introduced her smile again.
At the moment, Katie had lately relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma which was exhibiting itself to be unresponsive to remedy. She had lately been flown from WV to Cincinnati in grave situation. After a pair weeks of intense administration, she was now awakening to life as a teen residing in a hospital with an unknown prognosis. Oh, and he or she was dropping her hair. Once more. It’s actually no marvel the smile had disappeared.
Chevy and Katie Meet
At their first assembly, Chevy peed within the hallway. Katie walked out of her hospital room on weak and unsteady legs to sit down in a chair and throw a ball to him. Her eyes obtained as massive as her smile and all of us simply laughed when he hiked that leg up! (Please observe – he doesn’t usually try this, however Chevy works 40 hours every week and it had been an extended day for the pup!)
He launched her to the outside playground on the fifth flooring as a result of finest pals share secrets and techniques. She taught him methods and gave him treats as a result of, effectively, pals try this, too.
He visited the ICU when he wasn’t alleged to. On arduous days when there actually have been no phrases to share, Chevy simply laid there, as a result of generally pals don’t have to speak.
He additionally confirmed up on days when life was good – just like the day she was discharged from the hospital. Along with his naturally crimped ears and snazzy bow tie, he’s fairly the charmer. I swear that canine may even smile!
Chevy supported Katie by way of radiation
He despatched encouraging notes when she was going by way of outpatient radiation. What Chevy was not in a position to do together with his personal two paws, his handler managed for him. His handler is a youngster life therapist at Cincinnati Kids’s, additionally named Katie, who liked on our household in ways in which went effectively past no matter paycheck she acquired. She knew our Katie’s persona, what she preferred, what would upset her, the best way to assist her by way of procedures, her favourite meals, what employees she associated to finest and who she loved the least. 
It’s possible you’ll hear me often seek advice from graces so quiet that only a few folks even discover them. I’ve discovered to search for these. To hear for them. To seek out them hidden in actually ugly locations. There are lots of graces hidden in that hospital.
Katie went residence for 3 actually nice months. Apart from the baseball cap protecting her head, it will have been troublesome to see her as a most cancers affected person. She smiled and laughed and liked life to the utmost. Common journeys to Cincinnati for infusions discovered her searching for Chevy. On multiple event, we’d linger in his favourite locations earlier than making the lengthy drive residence, hoping to sit down within the foyer rubbing his stomach for just some minutes. It might not have been fortunate, however his furry ears have been significantly better than any rabbit’s foot.
Sadly, as a lot we wished to consider that Katie’s inner therapeutic matched her exterior countenance, it simply didn’t. She smiled increasingly as her most cancers obtained worse and worse, regardless of each ounce of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation we used in opposition to it. Her final week was spent in Hawaii on a Make-A-Want journey with us and her 4 siblings. The journey was unbelievable, full of laughter amidst ache and uncertainty. A lot like Katie’s life. And, in related vogue, the journey was lower brief.
Chevy and Katie’s final go to
Chevy hung out with Katie on her final day. He was sitting beside my children within the little convention room when Chad and I informed them their sister was going to die. Having him there in that second was nothing lower than God’s quiet, lovely grace.
So final Friday, Chad and I went to Cincinnati handy ship a donation to Chevy and to provide him a very good stomach rub. Our native little league in our hometown, by way of a baseball/softball event in Katie’s reminiscence, raised a big amount of cash which they wished to provide towards one thing Katie believed in. Among the cash went to different organizations, and a few of it went to the Animal Assisted Remedy Program inside the Division of Little one Life at Cincinnati Kids’s. I knew pet remedy existed earlier than we went there, however I actually had no thought how priceless it may very well be in a baby’s therapeutic.
It was great to see all of Katie’s workforce that day. Dr. Norris, Dr. Ben, Molly (our social employee), and Meg (one in every of our favourite nurses). All of them hugged us as household. However Chevy and Katie have been the rationale we went. As a result of when no physician, no nurse, no radiation, no fashionable medication might heal her, Chevy might do what nobody else might. He might simply be along with her. As finest pals do.
Editor’s observe: This submit initially appeared on Sarah Cobb’s weblog, Brave Katie.
