Roller

ERDF funded Roller’s life-saving surgery to help him help the boy who needed him most.

A Letter from Roller’s Mom

SECTION 1

Corgi’s are amazing. When my husband and I got married, I had a corgi and he had a golden retriever, both wonderful dogs. We tragically lost both of them due to health conditions when our son was only 3 months old. We had expected our son to grow up with pets his entire life, but when you are managing 1st time parenthood with a newborn, it is not the time for a puppy. So, we waited. Shortly before Gavin turned 2, we could see how well Gavin responded to dogs. He was never phased by their rambunctiousness and showed a natural comfort with their presence. So, we knew that this boy needed a dog, and we began our search.

We found a wonderful breeder who had a 5 month old male puppy named Roller. I went to meet him, and his demeanor was exactly like our golden retriever that we lost, while having all the adorable features of a corgi that I love. We could have changed his name, but after only a couple of hours with him, I knew he was meant to be a œRoller. He was so calm for a puppy his age, he just œrolled with everything.

Shortly after we brought Roller home, our son was diagnosed with autism. We could not get him the care that he needed where we were, and just like that, we packed up and moved. 4 months later, we had a new house in a new city with 2 new jobs and full time therapy team. And again, Roller just rolled with it. No matter where Gavin napped, Roller planted himself outside the door. No matter how long they had to be apart during the transition, Roller was right by his side every second he could be. Gavin was prone to meltdowns and problem behavior early on, especially while we were still learning how to work with him. Unfortunately, Roller was sometimes the target of these outbursts. Roller never showed an ounce of aggression. He was so patient. He would just look at me and my husband with intense eyes, as if to say œcan you please get him off of me? We always immediately did. Roller trusted us to protect him, and he loved Gavin, and so he has never once felt the need to protect himself. He is a blessing.

There is a quote about autism that says œA child with autism is not ignoring you, they are waiting for you to enter their world. Anonymous. Roller and Gavin don’t interact like a traditional 3 year old and his dog. But when I watch them together, that quote resonates in my head. Roller is always there, ready to enter his world. Sometimes Gavin lets him in, and sometimes he just is there by his side. Regardless, Roller rolls with it and waits to be invited in.

Around the time that Gavin turned 3, we noticed that Roller had blood in his urine. We treated him for a bladder infection, but then it started again. Then more examinations and the discovery of bladder stones. Then surgery to remove 7 bladder stones, the largest nearly the size of a dime. Then abnormal liver readings, further testing, and the diagnosis that Roller had a liver shunt. We had already dipped significantly in to savings to pay for the veterinary bills to get us to the diagnosis. The cost of the next surgery was just too much. We were still so early in Gavin’s diagnosis, we couldn’t afford to invest any more.

At that point, we were so devastated. How would we ever find a dog so wonderful with Gavin? We needed such specific qualities, and Roller had all of them. He was meant to be with our family. He was meant for Gavin. I made the call to the vet to arrange to put Roller out of his discomfort, before it could have a chance to get worse. Then, we received a call back from the Vet. Roller had been approved for funding from Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund. After I wrapped my head around what the woman was saying, I was overjoyed. The Fund, and those who contribute to it, are all superhero’s. They swoop in and catch you when you’re falling. And just like that, you regain focus in your whole life and all that you have to be grateful for. They don’t just save a pet, they saved your family member, they saved your faith in humanity.