Jane is going to the doctor this morning to have her ears checked,  I believe she has an ear infection.  Because of her allergies, she has a lot of medical issues.  Between her skin rashes, itching skin, inflammation and her yeast infections she is pretty miserable the majority of the time or, at least would be, if it were not for her daily medications.  She takes two prescription medications on a daily basis and one twice a week when she is doing well and extra meds when she is ill.  I spend more on her than I ever did my kids or myself. I know it is not the rational thing to do, especially with my limited income but she is my companion and friend. Never while I was younger would I have invested my money, time and emotion in an animal like I have her.  I  have, in fact, become a person I  used to say I could not understand.  After all, an animal is just an animal, not a person.  Wrong!  She fills my days with pleasure and love.  Her devotion is beyond measure and her companionship priceless. The older I get the more wrapped up in her I become.

Jane Doe shares every waking and sleeping moment with me.  I think everything she does is cute and wonderful.  My adult kids think kinder of me than I did of people like me when I was their age.  ( I thought old people that doted on their pets were nuts. )  They tolerate my stinky, yes, stinky dog and her irritating bark when we are together.  She is not yappy but can be vocal when she wants something, " Its time to go home,  NOW "  or, when I ask her something, " Are you hungry? "  " Do you need your itchy pill? "   She is a dachshund beagle mix and has the vocal capabilities of both breeds.  I try not to rile her up.  When the doorbell rings all hell breaks loose. She keeps me safe. No one will enter the house with a mad dog in it.