I got Sierra when she was 7 weeks old. She was a cute little thing sliding around on the linoleum. She’s part Lab and Golden Retriever. A combination that left her looking like a Lab but with little spots on her paws and her face.

She turned wild at 6 months. She was an eager pup, but prone to running wild in the house, stealing, tearing things up, chewing on furniture. With alot of dog training and extra homework, she began to settle down around her first birthday. By the age of 3, she was became the mellow dog that Labs turn out to be.

She and I have been through alot. She was there when I started having problems with my feet and when I was diagnosed with a form of arthritis. She learned to be gentle on my bad days and a good hugger.

When Sierra was 9 a lump started growing on her back leg. It was tested and confirmed to be a fatty tissue lump. But sometime between the test and Christmas, the lump changed. When it ruptured, I found out she had cancer.

Amputating her leg became the only choice due to many factors. I was reluctant. I shouldn’t have been. Sierra got through her 4 week recovery period and acted as if she never had 4 legs.

She was diagnosed with severe arthritis in her back hip that August. It took some time to find the right medications and supplements. She had some bad days. But, once we got things worked out, she was back to walking twice a day, stealing food, and playing with her cousins.

She maintained good health for the next 3 years. But, this February age started to catch up with her. She’s been having off and on problems with constipation which has hurt her back leg.

Contacting handicappedpets.org and getting her a donated wheelchair has been a blessing. She is still adjusting to her chair, but I can already see the difference in her demeanor. At first she was a bit awkward, not sure why this thing with wheels was following her. Now, she enjoys her 15 minutes out in the front yard in the sun. Soon it will be second nature for her.

This blog will document her adventures with her new wheelchair. I hope our readers will find the blog entertaining and informative.