Happy “Fifteen-Months-Plus-One-Day”!!!

(Above: Our training video celebrating “Fifteen-Months-Plus-One-Day,” February 1, 2014.)

Previously: Happy “One-Year-Plus-One-Day!!!”

[From Jon: Here’s a brief introduction for those who may be coming to this site for the first time: Shayna was diagnosed with an incurable heart cancer on October 30, 2012, and was given one day to four months to live.  She underwent emergency heart surgery on May 29, 2013 to buy us some more time.  Learn more here and here.  I’ll let Shayna take it from here…]

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Happy “Fifteen-Months-Plus-One-Day”!!!

By Shayna

Hi!  I have lots to report since our last update, three months ago on November 1, 2013 (click the arrow at the end of each line to go there)!!!

I celebrated my 12th birthday on January 7th! >

I’ve now memorized the names of 54 toys! >

I’ve been learning “the shell game”! >

Daddy’s book about me went live on Amazon! >

Listen to some radio interviews Daddy did about my book – and to him read a part of a really important Life Lesson from it! >

See lots of pictures and videos since Nov. 1! >

Thanks to all the people who helped make it possible for me to enjoy Fifteen-Months-Plus-One-Day (listed here).  As you’ll see from the pictures and videos in this post, for the most part I am feeling really good, and am very happy and active. Daddy even made a special video that celebrates this fact, in the context of the medication intake log book he’s been keeping, in which he records every medication I take, side effects, etc., since the day I was diagnosed with this terrible disease (learn the details here).  Thank you again,

Love,
Shayna

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I celebrated my 12th birthday on January 7th!

I’m almost a teenager, at least in human years! In dog-years they say I’m about 75, but I don’t feel a day over 30!  Take a look at my svelte figure, and how active and agile I am in the video that Daddy shot of me doing my toy-training routine today, with my new toys, here (5:50).

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I’ve now memorized the names of 54 toys!

Daddy’s bought me quite a few new toys recently, between Christmas, Hannukah, New Year’s, and now my birthday!  I’m now up to 54 toys that I can retrieve and put away by name.  I put the regular ones in a box, stack my ring toys by name on a pole, and dunk my smaller ones in a hoop.  I’ve also mastered “counting” my tennis balls, and can retrieve one or two in my mouth, depending on the command that Daddy gives me.  We do these exercises between three and five times per day.  Here’s our latest video, from February 1, 2014:

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I’ve been learning “the shell game”!

I heard Daddy tell a friend that he thinks we should start working on a completely new trick, something that will require me to flex a new part of my brain.  So, he decided that we should start learning “the shell game.”  He puts one of my tennis balls under one of three/four cups, moves it around, and I have to keep track of, and identify where the ball is, on command.  I’m actually getting pretty good at it, as shown in this video, shot on Dec. 27!

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Daddy’s book about me went live on Amazon!

On December 19, 2013, the book that Daddy has been writing about me over the past six years, “Saved By Shayna: Life Lessons From A Miracle Dog,” went live at Amazon!!!!

Learn more about the book, and why Daddy calls me his “miracle dog,” here.

I’ve been getting some very nice emails from readers, and I hope that the book helps to do what Daddy wants – to help new and aspiring dog parents to see and think about how to more fully honor and develop our relationships.

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Listen to some radio interviews that Daddy did about my book – and to him read a part of a really important Life Lesson from it!

In late December, Daddy was interviewed on two local radio talk shows to describe me and his book, and why he loves me so much.  You can listen to or download the podcasts at these links:

December 24, 2013: Interview on “The Schilling Show” (WINA)

December 26, 2013: Interview on “Joe Thomas In The Morning” (WCHV)

Daddy also made an audio recording of him reading part of one of the really important Life Lessons from my book: “Life Lesson 8: Loving your dog means becoming a savvy consumer of dog-related products and services.”  In this audio file, Daddy describes some of the many things he’s learned about how to pick a good veterinarian – and how to know when you’ve got a bad one.  Listen below, or download the file here:

Jon Sutz reads part of Life Lesson 8 from “Saved By Shayna: Life Lessons From A Miracle Dog” by JonSutz

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Misc. pictures and videos since November 1, 2013

An assortment of pictures from over the past three months:

Here is a short (1:00) video from our visit to the Senior Center, December 10, 2013.  Watch how warmly I am greeted by the folks, and how I glow in their company. I really love visiting the Senior Center (see some of our earlier visits here):

 

Daddy likes to take pictures of our footprints in the snow (from January 31, 2014); see a video of our walk through the woods here:

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The people who’ve made it possible for us to celebrate “Fifteen-Months-Plus-One-Day”

As always, thank you to all those who’ve made this day possible:

• Donors to Shayna’s Health Fund, for your generosity.

• Our amazing medical team at Virginia Veterinary Specialists – Dr. Anna Paling, my cardiologist, and Dr. Kevin Stiffler, my surgeon – and your terrific support staff, for your dedication and kindness.

• Dr. Dani McVety of Lap Of Love Veterinary Hospice, for the unique insights, compassionate advice, and ongoing support you’ve provided to Daddy.

• All those who’ve said prayers for me, and who have be so spiritually supportive of Daddy, particularly his guardian angels, Gloria and Sarah.

MWAH!

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Filed in: Shayna's medical condition, The Blog