Monty

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Monty couldn’t have had the surgery for his perforated bowel without you kind people who give to Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund. I don’t even want to think what would’ve happened without you. I have no words to describe how much it means to me. Thanks to you Monty will live a healthy and love-filled remainder of his prime years. And we will enjoy each other’s companionship and love for as long as possible. Thank you for giving me back my boy. Thank you for giving me back my life.
Monty’s Dad

Monty

How do I find the words to tell you what Monty means to me? Let’s start with today.  I’m a 56 year-old, disabled, single man battling pancreatic cancer. Some days after chemo, I’m so tired, sick and dizzy that I can’t even stand up. But there’s Monty, lying beside me, licking me, hugging me, talking to me, taking care of me. I’ve had dogs all my life, but never one like him. His unconditional love absolutely cascades over me.

And not just me. Monty loves kids! I have a grandniece who can’t swallow so she has to have a feeding tube. Monty sits quietly beside her when she’s being fed and pushes his soft fur against her hand. You can just see her relax.

I love German Shepherds. I decided, at some point, that I wanted to share my life with every color of Shepherd there is. My first was a traditional tan and black. My second, black. When he passed I started a 5 year search for a white one. When we met, 6 years ago, my boy was a 5 week old wiggly bundle of fur and kisses. At 9 weeks, he leapt into my heart and car to head for his furever home and never looked back.

He’s raced in circles around me and led me to the car ever since!  He’d like to drive if I’d let him. He settles right into the driver’s seat and puts his left paw on the steering wheel, ready to go. Good thing he hasn’t figured out how to reach the gas pedal yet.

It’s ironic that he loves to œgo, because he’s had a long history of problems with his hips and legs. He was born with hip dysplasia and at 5 months old, he luxated his hip while playing with a ball in the yard. He was too young to get it fixed and had to wait until he was 2 for a hip replacement. At 4, he was hit by a slow moving car. This past August, he had surgery  on his right knee. In spite of it all, nothing has kept him down.

Until recently. Last month, he started throwing up sometimes at night. It kept getting worse until eventually he stopped wanting to go places or even cuddle much with me. I was beyond worried.

Monty couldn’t have had the surgery for his perforated bowel without you kind people who give to Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund. I don’t even want to think what would’ve happened without you. I have no words to describe how much it means to me. Thanks to you Monty will live a healthy and love-filled remainder of his prime years. And we will enjoy each other’s companionship and love for as long as possible. Thank you for giving me back my boy. Thank you for giving me back my life.

Monty’s Dad