pet connection

I just decided — at almost the last minute — to fly down for the day on Saturday to the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, being held this weekend in Long Beach. Just booked the flights.

I’ll be looking for a story or two, as always, but I’m mostly going to cheer on a friend. Teresa Rodney will be running her dog Jazz in the agility invitational. She also owns Sprint, my girl McKenzie’s sister, which is pretty cool. Sprint just won a world event last month, kicking some serious border collie fanny.

But “family” aside, I’ll really be rooting for Teresa — her friends call her T-Rod — to do well with Jazz. I’m going to let T-Rod tell it:

Jazz was diagnosed with malignant hystiocytosis back in January, 2007. She went through a very invasive surgery with a very painful recovery. There was talk of her never being able to do agility again. She was out for 4 months recovering from that surgery. When I found out that Jazz had made the Invitational for agility, I had such a whirlwind of emotions. First, I was obviously thrilled. But, quite frankly, I was shocked that she was able to miss 4 months of the year and still be in the Top 5. But, the worst emotion of all was that of dread. Every doctor told me that Jazz had a maximum prognosis of 6-9 months. That would put her to September at the latest. So, as I reveled in the fact that she made the Invitational with that much time off, I cried at the fact that she wouldn’t still be alive to be there.

Well, here we are just a couple of days away and Jazz is still going strong. She is still undergoing chemo treatments and the doctors marvel at the fact that she is still with us 11 months after her diagnosis. She has slowed down some in agility and tires a bit easier, but she is also 8 1/2 now. So, that could simply be due to age and not have anything to do with the cancer or the chemo.

Bottom line - I am so very thankful to have Jazz with me. For all of you coming to the Invitational, please take a moment to just be thankful to have your wonderful companion with you and forget about the competition. Too many have lost their loved ones this past year and I am so very thankful to still be able to step to the line with Jazz - no matter what the outcome.

Are you all crying? I am. Go Jazz. Go T-Rod.

See you there.

Love, Auntie Gina.

Pictured: Jazz (CH MACH2 ADCH Folly’s Jazzin’ It Up CDX JH WC NAC NGC NJC TN-N, HOF), my own picture, taken in the fall of 2006.

P.S. In case anyone was following … yes, I’m picking up puppy Otter at the airport Friday and then I’ll be in Long Beach on Saturday. Fortunately, I have Auntie Judy, my neighbor who is a veterinarian’s daughter, long-time boarding kennel owner and groomer, and the breeder-owner-handler of top-winning Afghan hounds for 40 years. I had no idea she lived across the street when I bought my house and ever since I have had to thank the heavens for my good luck.