On March 6, 1992 I met a bundle of joy who came into my home and as I bent down to greet her she jumped on top of me kissing me and putting her puppy self all over me. It is a day I will never forget. This was my new guide after losing my first one to cancer after only two years. I was aching to put my hands on my new dog and with the first touch it was love an instantaneous bond. I can't explain it but I felt it for her and from her.
Two months into our new relationship Blaze was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. I was asked if I wanted to give her back to the school. A firm "never" was my answer and we will deal with what we have to but she is mine no matter what comes our way.
Little did I know what was to come for this precious girl. Intermittent vomiting became part of the routine in our house. Repeated trips to the vet came up empty. Finally I insisted she be scoped and IBD was in our lives. I knew nothing about this disease but through research and an informative vet I began to learn. What an education this disease gives you and how fast we learn the magnitude of our dog's endurance.
Over the years I watched Blaze go through flare after flare of this ugly disease tense with worry each and every time watching the weight loss and constant monitoring of food, snacks being sure people were not slipping her food and all the while my Blaze who never gave up just looked up to be sure I was okay.
During all of this Blaze worked as my constant guide and companion guiding me safely and even though we sometimes had to take weeks off for her illnesses she came back each time never missing a beat. Somewhere in the midst of all this Blaze was walking along doing her job guiding me home and stepped on a metal plate that housed the electrical components to the light poles. It was wet and rainy and she got shocked because the box had a short circuit. When I knelt to her the shock hit me and I frantically pulled her out of the area. She suffered with some fluid in her lungs but came through it and only once tried to avoid the area. Needless to say the box was repaired immediately and thank goodness she was okay. Then she got sick from a toxin in a dog food that had been manufactured by a company who wound up burying tons of food due to this toxin caused from a fungus from too much rain. I thought the vomiting and diarrhea would never stop but eventually it did and she was back on track once again.
Then Blaze had diarrhea during a walk with a trainer. I assumed it was stress and put it out of my mind. The diarrhea continued and again vet visits and all the tests and boom she was hit again with another diagnosis of IBD of the colon. Need I say more? Anyone who has a dog with IBD knows the routine from here. Things got worse, they got better and up and down the roller coaster we went.
The next ordeal for Blaze was a tumor on her parathyroid gland which landed her in ICU for a week with surgery and weeks of every other day blood work to make sure her calcium levels were okay. Again this extraordinary dog with sheer determination came through. Two ACL tears and visits to specialists to repair a hip or a knee were in the works.
Then again another food hit with a similar fungus and she was terribly ill this time. A vet doing the wrong thing and a compromised immune system almost killed her but here comes Blaze back in the race again. Recovered and doing well the new food was a blessing for us all. Not once in Blaze's life had I seen her relieve as solid as this, good weight, happy healthy and going strong.
She was blessed with good health for nine months with no flares, no unusual visits to the vet and only going for a nail clip. I was so happy for her and wanted this to continue for a long time because it seemed we finally found the right combination that was working for her.
Then the bottom fell out on a miserable rainy day my little girl was hit with something that none of us understands. All her life she had been like the underdog in a prize fight going into the ring and fighting the fight of her life and winning each and every time gaining, gaining, gaining until the one fight she could not fight.
It took her not in the digestive tract, no not the disease that had held her hostage for so many years but in her brain. It took her dignity, it took her ability to stand, to do anything for herself. It even took away her ability to look up for that reassurance. She was there but she wasn't there the way she would have wanted to be. Her only thing in life was what she could do for me, selfless, loyal, dedication that I hope I was worthy of. These were the hard times for Blaze with the disease of IBD and her other medical issues.
As for the fun things in life Blaze was a guide dog who did her job every day without a fuss. She would walk into her harness and wag that happy tail ready to go. She was an everywhere dog who loved everyone and went everywhere. Blaze loved babies, loved them so much that during her working career she walked the streets and any baby that went by in a stroller got a kiss. Blaze never missed a step just kept walking with a smile on her face.
Just a few years ago she flew with me to Colorado to meet my daughter and off we went to the Grand Canyon. Coming out of our room one morning a deer was standing nearby. Blaze just looked and watched as we got closer to take pictures.
One of her favorite things to do was ride in the car. She could take corners like she was on a motorcycle leaning into them and never missing a beat, never missing a bark at a dog walking down the street or someone getting too close to our car. Oh she thought she was a tough guy in the car and she stood proud at those barks.
If anyone raised their voice at home Blaze was the first one to step between and start breaking it up kissing everyone and calming us down, always the love bug keeping the peace. She loved to sit outside and just watch the world go by resting while I groomed her or enjoying the sounds of morning.
She had a good life, many friends, family and visitors to always greet her, pet her and admire her beauty. Blaze never wanted for anything except maybe that extra biscuit now and then but she had it all in the way of comfort, toys, friends and love. She had an overabundance of love from all who knew her because she was irresistible.
Blaze covered so much ground over the years as a working dog it overwhelms at times to think of all she did and all the places she had been. She did this all with this insidious disease, walked tall and proud and never gave up. I retired Blaze not due to IBD but due to bad hips and knees but this little girl would have worked for me right to the end. She loved her work but she loved me more and there is no greater tribute than to have your dog love you that much.
In writing about Blaze I would just like everyone to know that these are only a few lines about our life together. Anyone who has a dog or has had a dog with IBD knows only too well the enormous struggle our dogs go through living with this disease. Given the opportunity I would write a book about my precious girl but hope these few lines paint a picture of strength, courage and dignity about her and her selfless love for me and why I loved her so much.
