Reflections as Nana Begins her 15th Year!

Contributed by her Loving Forever Mom

Nana (CP Smyrna), wishing you a Happy New Year! 

As Nana started her journey into her 15^th year on February 1st, her Mom, aka former Foster Mom, revealed 14 things you may not know about this precious girl, one to honor her for each year...

14 things about Nana on her 14th Birthday!

1. Nana's "real" (aka registered AKC name) is “Princess Nahla” but her CP name was Smyrna.  Since both of these were too hard for Foster/Forever Mom to say quickly, she became Nana.  She wears the name proudly in honor of all the Nana's out there (human and Wendy's Nana as well!)

2. She was named by her First Mom after a character in the Lion King since she had such a thick "mane".

3. One of her nicknames before she came into rescue was "Gremlin”.  I LIKE it... and I UNDERSTAND it, LOL!

4. Nana was released to her First Mom by her breeder at 4 weeks because she was climbing out of the cage and disturbing the other puppies.  Trouble right from the start - that's My Girl!

5. Nana had 3 litters of puppies as a much loved pet dog.  Her daughter, CP Foster Hazel (AKC registered “Meana” aka “Mimi”) is from Nana’s 2nd litter.

6. Nana and Hazel were surrendered to CP by their loving First Mom of 12 and 10 years.  Hazel has never been apart from her Mom, Nana.  Although Nana swears she wouldn't mind if they were apart, I secretly don't believe her when I see them cuddling together.

7. Nana was diagnosed with a solitary, unilobar hepatic mass on 5/31/2011.  Removal of one liver lobe was the recommendation. If the mass was benign, she would have been cured - as in forever and ever; Unfortunately, it was malignant. Luckily, the median survival time following successful surgery is greater than 1460 days (that's over 4 years!). If she didn't have the surgery, her survival rate was less than 270 days.  I am blessed that she is still alive (and kicking) 21 months later.  I never questioned that she would survive and beat the odds.

8. Nana has two "metallic BB projectiles" in her body. Yikes!  One is located along the thoracic spine and one along the right underside of her chest cavity.  Although they are considered non-life threatening, you just know there HAS to be a story there...

Nana, looking at shadows!

9. Nana loves to watch videos on my laptop!  Actually, it's more that she loves to follow the cursor around the screen, but if I put on a video, she watches intently (she also loves staring at shadows - go figure!).  Her favorites are the flying Hamster from Deck the Bowls and "That's How You Know" from Enchanted (Mom's favorite as well).

10. Nana knows how to tell time.  Mom comes home from work:  it's TIME for a pill and a cookie!  Mom sleeps late: it's TIME for marshmallows (and Mom gets hot chocolate)! Nana is a very special time-piece, AND she makes much more noise than a cuckoo clock!

11. Last Summer we made the trek to the vet ER because Nana was in distress.  Doing a rectal exam, the vet said her digestive tract was full of sand???  I remembered I did see her and Hazel eating dirt that day - never considered that it might build up and not be pooped out...  We went out to the waiting room to pay and, next thing I know, a dog belly's worth of sand & dirt was suddenly "decorating" the lobby of the ER!  And Nana felt SO much better!  Exit quickly, apologizing profusely to the staff who have to clean it up…  That was the end of all dirt-eating at our house!

12. Nana and Hazel LOVE to eat snow - in addition to dirt - but at least it's safer: snow melts!  Watching them "snacking", I wonder how they survived 10 years living in the South and never seeing snow?  It must have been torture, all those days of sunshine and 70 degree weather...

13. One of Nana’s funniest habits is licking my lips - yes, mine, NOT hers.  Especially if I have just come from the kitchen.  It's her way to make sure I'm not concealing any possible treats in my mouth.  I rarely am...  but she doesn't believe it!

14. Finally - Nana IS love.  She exudes it with her every move and look!  She is my constant shadow and companion.  She lost her First Mom, and her home, and all she loved, but she never looked back and has made my life all the richer for being a part of it.

Aren't we lucky that dogs have such love and forgiveness in their hearts, and don't we all wish we could be more like them?

I know I do.

I can't even imagine how much their First Mom must still miss these wonderful Girls…  My heart broke for her at the time, and still does.  I hope you enjoyed these reflections on Nana, and may I be able to write 15 things about her at this time NEXT year - fingers crossed!