Roux
Roux is my first dog. I got him in college during one of the hardest seasons of my life. I was lost, lacked direction, and was struggling to find purpose. Roux gave me stability, routine, and a reason to keep moving forward. I had always been around dogs growing up, at one point, we had more than ten dogs in our home, but Roux has always been different. He was my dog, and I was his boy.
Roux has been the most constant presence in my life over the last seven years, apart from my fiancée, Lizette, who has known him since I first got him. Roux has watched both of us grow up, grow in our relationship, and grow our own business. He has lived with us through college apartments, moves back home with our parents, and now in a home of our own, with a yard of his own.
We were in the last few weeks of living with our parents when we first noticed something was wrong. Roux had blood in his urine. At first, we thought it was a serious urinary tract infection, but after treatment was unsuccessful, our veterinarian at White Rock Animal Hospital recommended further testing. Following a BRAF test, we learned that Roux had a growth in his bladder.
From there, we called every oncologist within a fifty-mile radius. We found Thrive Pet Healthcare Specialists of Mansfield, and they became our first answered prayer. They were able to see Roux immediately and helped us stay calm during an overwhelming time.
Roux’s spirit never wavered. Even after his successful surgery, if it were not for the medication and recovery process, you would hardly know he was sick. He has now been home for about a month since the operation, and he continues to show the same love, energy, and loyalty that have made him such an important part of our family. During Roux’s recovery, I was talking with my parents about our situation when my mom mentioned Dogslife. My mom works for Dog & Kitty City, a no-kill shelter in Dallas, and had worked with Dogslife in the past. She had nothing but wonderful things to say and urged me to apply.
The grant we received is our second blessing in this process. Lizette and I are both self-employed, one month away from our marriage, and about one month into living in our new home, which is over one hundred years old and has its own set of unexpected expenses. We had already discussed that if we could not afford treatment, we would do whatever was necessary, sell the house, postpone the wedding, or make any sacrifice required, to give Roux the care he deserves.
When I received the phone call that we had been accepted for the grant, I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience. I stepped outside to make sure I was hearing correctly and not just hearing the television in the background. Once it sank in, I immediately went inside and told my fiancée. We both grabbed Roux, hugged him, cried, and prayed.
This grant means more to us than I can properly express. It gives us the privilege of spending more time with Roux and providing him with the care he deserves after years of giving us unconditional love. Roux has been faithful to us through every season of our adult lives, and we are deeply grateful for the chance to be faithful to him now.
- Zachary Henry