my canine cALS

I want to tell you about Neptune: A dog who’s long since had its day and now, half blind and nearly toothless, can contentedly sleep on my lap for hours and then think nothing of biting me upon awakening.

We differ in many ways -- When sitting, he slowly sinks to the ground on arthritic legs, while I collapse into chairs, careening from one armrest to the other, and I never sit on floors unless planning to reside there semi-permanently. And despite having few teeth, Neptune manages to devour a full bowl of food before I’ve even arranged my fingers around a fork. But it’s Neptune who taught me how to live with ALS.

We’re both old and infirm, and our future is as shaky as our morning walks together. I’m more unsteady on my legs as I’ve only two, and I don’t stop to smell the roses, although I wait patiently while he does. But that’s not the life lesson Neptune has to impart. 

Neptune is neither brave warrior nor victim of cruel fate. He doesn’t deny his condition, become angered by it, or try bargaining it away. All dogs die, and none seems troubled by it. And that acceptance is what my Neptune taught me, and well worth a bite from him now and then.

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