LONG JOHN WIDGET

September 25, 2005

My hair finally grew back!  However one morning last June, my Dad
noticed that my eyes were cloudy.  He said they had been
fine the day before.  I tried to tell everyone that all of a sudden
I couldn't see anything. That same day, we went to Dawn's studio for a
photo shoot.  That was when everyone knew I couldn't see them, because
I didn't know where to look for the photos.

We went to our veterinarian's office and they said that
my DIABETES was making sugar collect
in my eyes, and was putting a white curtain over them. These
curtains are called CATARACTS (where do they come up
with these names?).  A few days later I had to have an
operation to have these removed, which wasn't so bad except
for a plastic cone I had to wear around my neck for a
few weeks. 

As soon as my eye doctor said I could travel, we took a trip
out West to visit my sisters Katie and Becky.  There were many
mountains there.

Here is a pic of Lily and Katie in California.

We visited a place called Lake Tahoe.

And we saw some very big trees.

The vacation was great except that I got an infection in my right
eye, which wouldn't go away. So once more I had to have an operation,
to have my eye removed.  It was very easy and I came home
that same day.

And that is how I became a pirate.
When you become a pirate, you can wear a pirate hat.

When you lose an eye, you can have an
eye patch!

So now, just call me Long John Widget.

As I write this, it has been 27 months since I was diagnosed with
 lymphoma.  I am no longer in remission, but I am having a great
time anyway.  I get to travel with my parents, I get to
to bother Lily all the time, and I can still play ball like a champ.
I have hoodwinked my Mom into giving me the yummiest foods
imagineable.  I get hugs and kisses ALL THE TIME.

I have just started a new set of
experimental chemo drugs, which I don't mind at all.  So
 thanks to love, prayers and great veterinary care, I am happy.

Thanks for the visit!

Mr. Widget (and Miss Lily)
 

Graphics courtesy of Small Paws Rescue