7 years with Asha...a little late

It has become a tradition of mine to write a blog post every year on the anniversary of Asha's adoption date. July marked year 7. Since we moved to Ohio 4 years ago, my blogging slowed way down. If you look back, I've really only written on special days, anniversaries with Asha, deaths, the big move. I honestly can't say why I haven't been blogging. So before we get too close to year 8, here's year 7....

This year was the most quiet of Asha's life, but the most eventful for our family. It is impossible to believe that more than 7 years ago, this blind, deaf puppy came into my world and changed everything.  Now and then I wonder what would have happened to her and to us if we never adopted her. I wonder more what would have happened to her and to us if we had returned her. During those early days she shattered our world and at one point, taking her back was a conversation. We chose to keep her, honor the commitment we made when we adopted her and figure things out. If you have been keeping up with us all these years, you know what we have been through. If you are new to the story, read the previous year's posts and get caught up.

1 year with Asha
2 years with Asha
3 years with Asha
4 years with Asha 
5 years with Asha
6 years with Asha

At the end of the 6 years with Asha post I talked about her seizures. She had gone years without one and then in August & September of 2017 Asha started having them again. She has epilepsy and so they weren't a huge surprise. We added some additional medicine and that seemed to do the trick. Fingers crossed, it has been over a year since her last seizure, hopefully it stays that way.

In the Summer and Fall of 2017, Asha and I were still volunteering a couple times a month at Aultman Hospital where we were a therapy dog team. We occasionally would help with the training of new volunteer teams and we loved it. Asha had her favorite people there and we would spend a couple hours walking the floors of that place, bringing joy to those going through a tough time and allowing Asha the chance to experience people (her favorite thing!).

2018 has been a year of changes in our life. As always Asha seemed to be the most intuitive. She sat a little closer to me, climbed up into bed more often and would lick my face anytime she could. I have always said this dog in my soul living outside my body and that has not changed. I have been surrounded by love this year, starting at home with Asha and the others.

We have gone a long time struggling to get Asha to sleep through the night. This year she has done a lot better with that. She still wakes up a time or two every night and also goes through cycles where she doesn't sleep, but she is much more calm and settled than ever before.

My job situation changed this year, causing my schedule to be different. We are establishing a new normal, its just taking some time. Hell, who am I kidding...we are not normal, we never have been or will be normal and that is just fine by me.  My time commitments are different and that has affected our routine. It has been a little more chaotic than usual, but somehow I have a house full of animals who really just want to be with me and in the end, do whatever needs done, tolerate whatever needs tolerated and just love me no matter what.

Asha and I haven't been to Aultman to visit at all in 2018. I know she misses it, I do too. In March we renewed our therapy dog team certification for another two years. We can go visit if we want, there just has not been time. The certification test was an adventure in itself. I always love when a new group of people can see Asha's uniqueness and special ability to connect.

My parents were here in April and Asha kept a close eye on my dad. She LOVES my parents.

I've had ever intention on putting this year down into words for a while now and one of my friends told me to do it, not waste anymore time. So here it is. I don't know where the time goes. I really don't. I remember bringing Asha home as if it was yesterday. I remember every challenge, worry, stressor, tear cried, doctor consulted and crisis averted as if they were yesterday. There were years when I just wanted time to pass. I wanted Asha to get older and things to get easier. As that happens, I find myself wanting time to slow down.

Asha's vet always says to me "we know Asha isn't a normal dog". And that is so true. If she has a problem or a medical issue, its a 1 in a million. If there is a side effect on a drug that only shows up in  .0001 percent of patients, she'll have it. I guess that is how her life has always been. The chances that she survived her puppyhood, when her brothers and sisters were all killed for their deaf and blindness, the chances that she ended up at Oregon Humane Society and found a foster home that would take her, the chances that we would adopt her, the chances that we were able to find all the help we found to minimize her many issues...all those things were one in million as well.

Asha has been lucky, I have been lucky, to spend these 7 years together. Right now she is asleep under the table with her head on my foot. No matter what happens in year 8 or any years we are blessed to have after that, I know she has changed me. I know she changes me every single day. I love her more than ever, I want the days to go slow so I get as much time with her and all the others as possible. I try to be present and appreciate her love (its hard when she's barking at 2am).

Just today I had some people at the house delivering something and of course, Asha had to meet them. Watching them light up when Asha got excited to see them once again reminded me how precious she is and how fortunate I am to have her light up my world. Every day.

Here's to another year, to many more years of love and lessons from the most perfect gift the Universe ever gave me. Stay tuned, surely there is more to come...