I will never forget the day I met faith and she met me. When I first saw faith our Labrador, she was not interested in what the other puppies were doing. She did what she wanted to, investigated what she wanted to. I was not able to put a pink collar on her when I chose her as when I went back another female puppy had a pink one on so I chose a man city blue collar. My wife’s a Manchester city fan. Our life as dog owners started when she was 8 weeks old, we were not able to take her out properly for another 4 weeks. I was amazed at how quickly me and our puppy Faith bonded, she followed me everywhere. Her space was a cage that I gave to a friend when he got his dog. She loved her crate and although we locked it at night. She was able to freely Go in and out as she pleased. Faith did not have many accidents as we took her out into the garden every 2 hours. Saying the words Pee pee when she did it. She soon associated the words with being good doing it outside. When she made a mistake inside we just took her out not saying anything.
I guess looking back it was my first go at parenting in a way, I know that sounds silly if you don’t own a dog. However I don’t have a son or a daughter so I am not able to compare. Faith has come everywhere with me and us, we taught her how to come towards us by using a ball. Every time she ran towards me or my wife we said our call word “come” she got it very quickly. Faith has been to Cornwall on holiday, Northumberland, to many friends homes and to many pubs. She has been awesome, she nearly died when she ate a bone so we have banned all bone eating now. I jarred her upside down front and rear until she sicked up the bone. That was a close one and I am just so pleased I thought to do that for her. This is what came out.
Sometimes she comes in our little TVR, she perches on the back shelf and rests her head on my shoulder.
We learnt in our journey with faith that, we did not need to spend much on toys for her to be entertained.
Well it’s been brilliant and I have enjoyed every moment with her. I have never actually wanted to be a parent, that is until today. Not properly, I have thought about it but never saw it as a possibility especially as having chemo has possibly rendered me infertile. So there I was today having a walk with our dog and we stopped for a coffee, there opposite was a couple with a dog and a baby. As we got chatting I found out the dad was my age, I did not ask how old his wife was but I assumed about my wife’s age. Of course I cannot say what that is. But as we left and indeed ever since I have been thinking about being a dad, thinking the JC words “How hard can it be” would I make as good a dad as I do a doggie parent. Could I actually make something we thought impossible happen.
Yea I know it’s all private stuff this but I am on a journey telling you guys how things are, I have shared my most inter ate moments in my cancer journey with you, so I guess I am going to do that for the rest of my life really arnt I. You have read about me, how cancer nearly beat me, now you will read about our new journey. How WE create a special gift, a legacy as my wife puts it. I am ready, our home is almost ready. Our Faithy would love a baby I know it, and my wife is ready. So here we start our journey to create our son or daughter. All because we went to Rufford hall today and met a most fantastic couple of parents. I said I would beat cancer, I did. I am now going to procreate and ask that be it Gods will that our miracle happens. Maybe you will pray for us to. Our life is for a purpose right, my Faithy has been a great grounding in the last 4 years, giving me the slightest inkling of what being a parent may entail.
So this is our Marley and me. That we call, Faithy and me. I hope you enjoy reading about our journey that I will share with you.
Fonz
Follow me on Twitter
@fonzmark
Email – fonzicloud@icloud.com
Our support group on our FB
Cancer stories (people helping people through experience)
It’s a group where people’s experiences are used to encourage others.
Everything you read are based on my own experience and my own opinions. I express them here to encourage you. Please share with others, if it meant something to you it will to someone else. All images are from a Google search. Or my own, taken whilst creating memories.
Copyright © 2016
fonzandcancer blogging to encourage. 