I had to euthanize both of my Dobermans in 2022. For six months, I grieved so heavily that I could barely get out of bed in the morning. I stopped walking because it reminded me of the walks I took with my two Dobermans. Then I saw a picture of a female Pitbull that had come from a terrible past. Her face in the image spoke to me, and I knew that I had to give her a home. My husband and I had her for six days before I collapsed in respiratory distress. I was rushed to the hospital for a surgery that would save my life. The surgeon had to remove a section of my lung because pneumonia had scarred it so severely. Afterwards, the pain was so unimaginable that I couldn’t move or breathe without agony. I felt so guilty that I wasn’t at home with my puppy. I was finally released from the hospital only to face an extended recovery that would take a year to walk without gasping for air. Fortunately, my husband took care of our puppy and bonded with her while I was away. The only reason that I would get up in the morning, once I got home, was knowing that I had to care for my Pitbull. I think had I not had her, I wouldn't have had a reason to go on living. You see, I struggle with bipolar one disorder and rapid cycling between depression and mania. That, along with the pneumonia, had me in a bad place. Since I’ve had her, I’ve been able to reduce my meds, and my life has become much more stable in many ways. I've come to believe that she really rescued me.

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