Yes, Max, There's A Home For You

A Home for me.

"Is there a home, a home for me?
Where the people stay until eternity?
Is there a road that winds up,
Underneath the big green tree?
Is there a home, a home for me?"
~ Stan Ridgway

Voice of Max

"This is my home. My grandpa built it. It is sturdy with R11 insulation in the roof and walls and floor. I have a dog door with a flap to keep the cold air and rain out. I have a light to keep warm in the winter and a fan to cool it off in the summer. Grandpa has gotten a small air conditioner and is working on plans to put it in for next summer. My home has a temperature gauge on the outside so my people can see if I'm comfortable. The walls are painted inside. I have a linoleum floor throughout. Inside there is an orthopedic foam mattress with fuzzy cover. I have a covered porch to sit on in the summer rain and my mom brings my food to me there if it rains. She gets wet but I can stay dry. I have lots of toys and chew bones. I get lots of treats. I get lots of scratches from my people and I get to play ball with them. I love to help them work in the yard and if anyone comes up when they are with me, I protect them. I don't like the lawnmower guy. I think I have the most wonderful home and am the luckiest dog in the world.

I wasn't always so lucky. My mom and sister person found me in bad shape. I was sick with heart worms and hungry and dirty and matted and my paws were infected. I don't know how long I was out in the cold and the rain by myself. Mom said, "Do you want to get in the van?" So I did. Sometimes I still get scared at night by myself but then I get to sleep with the kitties and they talk to me too. My mom person loves me. My sister person loves me. My grandma and grandpa people love me too.

Mom said that I should tell you how I am doing. I have lymphoma, a cancer, that is in my skin. It's a special type of cancer and I take a chemo pill every three weeks. My nodules went away and so far all my blood work is normal. I feel better. But she still won't let me have figs. I am a lucky, lucky dog!!!"

Submission for Thursday Challenge topic "home".
Max hasn't visited at the Carnival of the Dogs for a while, so I'll try to arrange for him to have a play date there this week. The Carnival is hosted by Mickey's Musings.
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