@scout2015: Yesterday Shelly and I went out to lunch. The weather was perfect, we ordered lobster rolls, and she sat in her little basket beside me, ears up, quirky little toes peeking over the edge. I remember thinking, this is what life with a senior dog is all about. These simple, perfect moments. So I picked up my phone to capture it. And that's when I saw it. A black mass in her mouth. I told myself it had to be food. I reached in to see if it would move. It didn't. I tried again. Nothing. And in that moment, I knew. Oral melanoma. The world went quiet, my eyes filled with tears and I wanted to scoop her up and run. But right then, a few women came over and asked to pet her. And Shelly did what Shelly always does. She smiled, she leaned into their hands, and lit up everyone around her. Everyone was smiling. Shelly was smiling. And I sat there trying to smile too, while I falling apart inside. I then drove straight to the oncologist, praying I was wrong. I wasn't. It’s oral melanoma. Without surgery, the median survival time is 2 to 3 months. With surgery, it's 3 to 4 months. But Shelly already has COPD, chronic bronchitis, a mineralized and collapsing trachea, and pulmonary hypertension. Every breath already takes so much effort. Right now, the risk of surgery is simply too great, and I won't put her through something that could take away the time she has left. So I've made the decision not to move forward with it at this time. I am crushed. I am devastated. I am still in shock. But underneath all of that heartbreak, there is something even bigger. Gratitude. Almost two years ago, Shelly was going to die on a cold steel table. Instead, she got a second chance, and she has lived it to the absolute fullest. Now I'll be strong for her and keep it that way, every moment, every day. We're making a bucket list, and I want your help! So far: a sunset on the beach, an early Christmas tree, and pup cups. Drop your ideas below and let's fill her days with love and joy. Because she deserves the very best. Because she IS the very best. I love you, Shelly Anne. Forever and always💛🐾 I know this news is hard to hear for everyone who loves her. Thank you for loving her right alongside me. Your support everything.

Scout, Suki & Stella

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Thursday 01 October 2026 17:25:36 GMT