Kula, Golden Retriever, Life with Her Cancer Part 3

Life is so precious.

My dog daughter Kula’s life has been very simple, but she enjoyed every day to the fullest even after her spleen cancer spread to lungs.

I asked her recently why she can be so patient and kind to everyone even after getting cancer…she said without any hesitation,

“Why? Because life is so precious, don’t you know mommy? Every day is never exactly the same. I love each day that the sun comes up in the morning, no matter what. Sometimes the sun is not showing the face, but I feel the existence of the sun every day, and the sunlight makes me feel so good. That’s why I really enjoyed you and papa Eric taking me to see the New Year sunrise in the mountains every year.

 

“I also love feeling the breeze coming into the room when you open the window first thing in the morning. I love fresh air so much. That’s why I love going to the beach whenever you were able to take me. After I stretch you take me out to the yard, and each time it smells different, believe it or not. I enjoy relaxing while you make breakfast with the music you play from your iTunes, YouTube or Spotify. I love your choice of music most of the time, but I love your singing even more and your dancing. My food is always freshly made and organic, and it smells so delicious and tastes super yummy. Since I got cancer you not just prepared a healing delicious food, but started to give me a body scrub and shiatsu massage which felt so good, then finishing up with Do-in excise which was fun and stimulating. You are the best caretaker, but you are of course my mommy! Also, please let papa Eric know that he was the best papa and his ukulele music heals my soul every time he played and I love him with all my heart and more than going to beach!”

 

“I love watching doves and hummingbirds in the yard after breakfast and taking naps whenever I want. I love you and papa Eric for taking care of me like I am the most precious dog in the world. Papa Eric carried me when I was not able to walk and cuddled with me when I was having a fever.”

“I love my animal family – My half sister Oro respects me so much as her big sister, so we never had an augment, and I will miss her a lot. Leo cares and worries with his eyes about me as Oro’s partner. Bubu is a great nephew who never bothered me and gave me space, but he was there for me always. Lumi, my niece and also my sister Dore in her previous her life, tries to play with me everyday and it’s fun playing with her, even though sometimes she is too frisky for my age. My great niece Happy who is so cute and beautiful, but she does not know how beautiful she is so she is insecure like I used to be. I appreciate TinTin the boy cat who comes to check on me and talks so much to me since I am a pretty quiet dog and therefore a good listener, and MaiMai the girl kitty sleeps in the same room every night when I have a fever and have to sleep in the back room with mommy. I never thought that I can be the leader of a family of eight, but after my big sister Dore was killed in a hit-and-run car accident, and my Kin mama was so sad that she left us 10 days after Dore, I had to learn to accept the role of leader of our pack quickly. It was not easy and I may not be a good leader like Kin mama, being around so many dog-and-cat-facilities. Thanks to mommy for taking animal communication classes so we were able to communicate better and papa Eric for taking his time to slow down and understand his animal family.”

 

“I also need to let you know how much I love road trips since you and papa Eric took me to Quebec and Nova Scotia when I was 8 weeks old. I remember my first and last experience chasing roosters in Eric papa’s uncle’s yard. It was so much fun! Since that trip, the car became my second home.”

 

 

Watch Kula’s amazing diving at Manzanita Lake on Youtube.

“Going to North Fork and swimming and diving at Manzanita lake was one of my most favorite things, as was going to Farmers Market and seeing all the children and adults who pet me; visiting Leyla the apple vendor, who always gave me my favorite Fuji apple; meeting people at Seed Kitchen; talking to people at the bookstore; going to the senior home to put a smile on the residents’ faces; hiking with mommy who was able to walk farther every time we went. On the last hike in March, she hiked faster than me – I thought I was getting too old, but I think I was getting sick already.”

 

 

 

“I can tell you more and more, but you kind of get the idea why I love my life so much and have no reason to complain.”

“Life is so precious, and true happiness is not about how much money you make or how famous or how popular you become, or how big a house your live in, or how many amazing places you travel to. I have a great family and loving home and just enjoy whatever comes because everything changes. I have learned it from you, mommy because you have limited mobility from the leg injury from the car crash, but you always find something in life to enjoy, and you taught me each day how precious life is.”

Dore(left – Kula’s sister), Kula and thrie mama Kin with me in my wheelchair

 

”I thank you and papa Eric so much for giving me such a wonderful life. I was born in this house in Santa Monica, and I know that I will depart from this house to go to heaven. Mommy, you helped me to arrive in this life and I know you are going to help me to depart also. I trust you, and I know you trust me so when the time is right I will be departing soon.”

“I will miss your hugs, kisses, and our conversations, but I will be always with you no matter what. I trust that we will see each other again.”

 

Kula was a big sweetheart, and she has been truly our angel. I thank her everyday for her life of 13 years. She always put her paws to my face or arm to be connected, and I showered her with kisses and hugs whenever she needed to sleep with me when she was lonely and tired.

 

This conversation with her made me cry. I thanked her again and told her to promise that when she wants to depart I will be there with her, as I always will be in her heart.

She got my message and she departed the next day, on Aug. 1, 2016, at 5:45pm in my arms, on her own will. After her departure, her face looked very peaceful, as though she was smiling. when I put her on her bed she looked like she was just sleeping. I put plumeria flowers next to her. Kula’s holistic vet. Dr. Lane and her husband Patric came to pick her up and she was cremated with her plumeria flowers at Los Angels Pet Memorial Park, SOHIE Kula was cremated on Aug. 3, 2016 at 9am.

Eric and I have been crying and missing her so much, but we are so grateful to have been her human parents and proud of everything she did and who she was for us and others.

I created a temporary altar to place her ashes when she comes home.

Kula’s altar waiting for her ashes to come back home

 

While  I was creating the altar, Lumi, who played with Kula everyday, just came and lay there like she knew that Kula’s spirit was there.

 

Then all the rest of Kula’s dog family came and sat there. They are so sad and missing Kula so much!

 

 

 

They miss Kula so much, but the same time feel her spirit! Now they are teaching me that Life is so precious!

 

Thank you for reading this blog, and please share it because life is so precious.

 

Love, Sanae 💖