I’ve just gotta share this story about my friend Maruk, from Cincinnati, Ohio.
Last December, Maruk joined the Tripawd club because of bone cancer. He had chemo, and all was good until late February, when he let out a loud cough.
Sadly, X-rays showed “blurry flakes of snow on a gray and black background,” his Mama Karen said.
Karen says in her April 1st Forums post, “All we kept hearing was how quickly the cancer spreads once it is in the lungs. Panic set in. We didn’t want our buddy in pain, so we began discussing euthanasia.
Thank goodness we snapped out of panic mode! Occasionally, we hear “the Cough”, but he is nowhere near ready to give up on life.”
Maruk and I have never met before, but we share so much in common. Just because that dumb cancer keeps playing games with us, doesn’t mean we’re losing. Maruk and his girlfriend Pixie can tell you, life is good.
It just proves once again, that no matter what life tosses your way, it’s always best to keep on having a good time, playing every day and enjoying every second.
5/30/08 Update on Maruk:
Maruk’s Mamma, Karen, wrote to us this week and said:
“When Scott took Maruk to his chemo appointment yesterday, the doc biopsied the golfball sized tumor that Maruk developed in his lower right abdomen, just in front of his nubby. It too is cancerous, and the doc said that with the chemo and the pill medication, it should never have developed. That means Maruk’s cancer is extremely aggressive.
We have ceased chemo, but will continue to give him his pill med (Piroxycam), since it’s primary function is pain reduction. Basically, we just make him as comfortable as possible until we know he has given up or is ready to go.
This morning Maruk ate pretty well. He still wants to go outside…run…romp.play with Pixie…but, then he crashes on the couch. The time on the couch is becoming more frequent and for longer periods of time, but…he isn’t ready to “give up the ghost” just yet.
“A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.” A time for everything and everything in its time. It would seem that it’s almost time for Maruk to get a new assignment from the heavens…time for a new stage in our lives.”
Oh Maruk, you are our hero.
I gotta tell you, Maruk is absolutely incredible. I watch Maruk and Pixie when Karen and Scott go away (I’m his honorary Aunt). I just had them this weekend and he is amazing. You would never know he only had 3 legs and you certainly would never know he was still ‘sick’. He ran around my yard and played with my dog as well as if nothing was wrong. He got up on the couch and made himself comfortable. I too am very glad they got ‘out of panic mode’ in February. I love Maruk and Pixie as if they were my own and I’m not ready to lose him either. He has a zest for life that is inspiring.
Hi Lalla, Maruk is just over 5 years old. He’s much too young for you!
What a beautiful boy! How old is Maruk?