But, But... I can JUMP!!!!

"Yes Rudy you CAN jump. And don't you do it well?" I told the big dirty Rottweiler that was pleading with me to jump on our bed with the freshly cleaned comforter.

Barking twice he again looked at me then at the bed, "Watch me. I can do it! I can jump on the bed. Just watch!" Not able to resist that big goofy face and those deep chocolate eyes, I give him the ok. After all what's a little dirt? Rudy joyously bounds on the bed, covering the comforter with HUGE muddy paw prints.

Considering just a little over a year ago we were contemplating whether we would be taking Rudy to the vet for one final time, dealing with a bit of dirt is nothing. I will gladly deal with dirt until the end of his life. Which I am grateful to say seems far into the future.

Rudy was diagnosed in the summer of 2004 with a neurological disorder by the name of
leukodystrophy. In these rare conditions, there is gradual or rapid loss of myelin in the white matter tracts in the nervous system (brain and/or spinal cord). Myelin, a fatty substance that coats nerve cells, serves as an electrical insulator and is crucial to the normal conduction of nerve impulses.

For about a year Rudy slowly deteriorated before our eyes. He stopped running, playing and would not even eat without assistance. He lay in the middle of the floor and struggled to climb up and down the front porch steps just to go out and take care of his business. Walking on linoleum was simply out of the question. He would slip and be completely unable to get up without aid by myself or my husband. Many nights I would lie on the floor stroking this giant beast while tears rolled down my face wondering when I would I have the courage to say goodbye. I never stopped praying; begging God to please give me just a bit more time with this amazing canine who brought me so much joy, so much happiness.

Then my prayers started to be answered. No it wasn't an instantaneous, "Look I am healed" kind of miracle, but the slow hopeful type.

I had decided Rudy would do his Physical Therapy whether he wanted to or not. PT included short walks to strengthen his muscles. We had walked to the end of our house when he fell down. His legs began shaking; he gave me the look, the one that says, "Go on leave me, save yourself." Buying into his pain, I nodded my head and said in a gentle voice, "Ok, Rudy let's go home." At this point Rudy leaped into the air and trotted home. It was at this moment I realized my Rottweiler was an professional grade drama queen .

Not long after, Rudy started making improvements. Day by day he got better. He is not a 100% and never will be.

But he can run.

And he can jump!!!

So, as he proudly stands on our bed covering the clean comforter with fresh mud, what is a little dirt so long as I get to spend a few more years with this very precious dog?