Nana’s story could have ended at Apple Valley Shelter, but in January Diane brought her home and changed everything that came after.
She knew Nana was an old dog with health problems and understood that she would need care. At 83 years old, she was willing to give it. She could not bear for Nana’s remaining days to be spent in a shelter when she could offer her a home, affection, and someone to belong to.

What she could not have known was how much Nana would soon need her.
Along with the congestion, vomiting, and diarrhea came a devastating loss of mobility. Nana became unable to walk on her back legs, and her front legs splayed beneath her when she tried to support herself. She could neither lift herself up nor hold herself upright.

When Diane reached out to me, I could hear how much she loved Nana and how overwhelmed she felt. At the vet, we learned Nana was also suffering from a urinary tract infection. Keeping her clean and comfortable when she could not move herself away from her own waste required constant care. Through Bella Bear’s, I could help pay to treat Nana’s medical conditions. But with so many elderly pets already depending on me, each with their own needs, I could not provide the constant physical care Nana required. She could neither stand nor lift herself, and the medication had not changed that. I had to be honest about what I could offer her.

Under those circumstances, taking over Nana’s care felt almost like robbing her of her dignity. I wish a world existed where a dog in Nana’s condition could have a good quality of life and not be able to walk. But for Nana, that world did not exist. We could treat an infection, bathe her, hold her, and love her. We could not give her back the ability to lift herself up or move her own body.

Diane had spent almost a year trying to make that world possible for her.
She bathed Nana every day. She cuddled her and gave her the treats she loved. She searched for harnesses and contraptions that might help her get up, hoping there was something she had not yet found that could make life easier for her girl.
Diane had opened her home to an old dog whose needs were already considerable. When those needs became far greater than she had imagined, she continued caring for her, day after day. Behind every bath, every search for another possible solution, and every cuddle was the same wish: a little more time together.

Eventually, Diane made the decision she had spent the year hoping she would never have to make. On Monday, we brought Nana to VCA to say goodbye.
Nana’s doctor is Dr. Lisa Savacool, and I am so grateful she was there.
My last few encounters with veterinary professionals had not been pleasant. When you are already frightened or grieving, a cold encounter stays with you. But Dr. Lisa’s presence is so warm. She brings a gentleness into the room that makes you feel you can let down your guard and be heartbroken.
I love her for that. For seeing Diane’s grief and asking if she could give her a hug. For understanding how much love had brought us to that room, and how much it hurt to be there.

She is very special. From now on, I will request Dr. Lisa for every pet in Bella Bear’s care. I honestly don’t care about the extra expense of VCA anymore, as long as she is the face we see and the voice we hear. This is emotional work, and her compassion means more to me than I can adequately explain.

Nana’s ending could have been so tragically different. Because of Diane, her final year was filled with affection, patience, and an abundance of love. When the time came, that love surrounded her still.
Diane changed the rest of Nana’s life the day she adopted her. She gave her someone to belong to and someone to love her til the very end. Rest in peace Nana. As Diane wrote to me afterward, "I know Gracie and Nana are winging their way to heaven".