A serious illness, heart-wrenching decisions, a miraculous recovery from a dog who chose life over death ...  Dr. Glass and I, along with many others, have decided to stand by Fluffy and do what is necessary to keep him alive and healthy.  While there have been those, both in the veterinary profession as well as guardians who do not understand our decision, our belief rests in acknowledging Fluffy's own will to survive.  As long as he has not given up on life, we will not give up on providing the means necessary to sustain him.

But, as with all decisions in life, they come with a cost.  Some have said that caring for a chronically ill animal would affect their own quality of life, not allowing them to travel, to buy things, or feel guilt-free if they chose to put an animal to sleep.  These are all considerations that I have had to evaluate, too.  As a medical student, there are demands on my time to study, to coordinate a very busy schedule with clinical rotations and family life, and to work at the animal clinic to earn some extra money.

But each night when I come home, I'm greeted at the door by three loving, enthusiastic dogs, and family which has stood by me through the most difficult of times.  When I had lost all hope and feared for Fluffy's life, I was reassured by others who believed in the sustaining power of love.

This commitment shown to me through a difficult period of time in my own life by the support shown to me through others is a gift that I will cherish (and a lesson learned) for the rest of my life.  But this gift is not one that I was meant to keep for myself.  How can I give back to the dozens of people that have provided emotional, psychological, and financial support to me? 

I've always thought that Fluffy's story should be shared - his story needs to be told so others may benefit from his life.  The question was how to do that in such a way that was both inspiring and helpful.  Seeing the generosity of strangers has encouraged me to consider alternate ways of helping (and thanking) many people.

Whatever I would do would be to help Fluffy.  This is a promise and a commitment that I made to him with the support of others.