Have I Thanked You Lately? Because I Should

This post has been in the back and front of my mind for a long time. Last night I had a mild panic attack when I realized Thanksgiving is next week and I am unprepared. This is unusual but well, I’ve been a little busy fighting and losing to canine cancer this year.

These past five months I’ve been on a see saw. Feeling OK and moving within the online world only to retreat to my cave the following day. I feel guilty and selfish because I haven’t truly thanked you for what you did for us and before, during, and after Blitzkrieg’s cancer battle.

I’m thanking you now.

 Husband said I should share the photos I took of our visit to my hometown's beach. We let Blitzkrieg sniff and experience the smells of a Lake Erie beach after the winter storms and before the spring beach clean up. 

Those two little words seem so inadequate to thank all of you for your support during the worst summer of our lives. The community of these little ol’ blogs of mine rallied and I am ever so grateful. I saved every single comment and email you sent in a special folder on my computer and read them often, amazed so many people who I haven’t met in person could care so much about a fluffy little one eyed dog.

Blitzkrieg chilling on the breakwall

It’s funny. I sit in sessions at blog conferences and hear presenters talk about how this community they build around their blogs.  Until now, I thought the idea of a blog community was something only those big mega bloggers had, not me.

I couldn’t more wrong.

Pre canine cancer I used the not blogging or SEO buzzwords "really cool people who read my blogs and trade jokes on Twitter and Facebook and pin like crazy on Pinterest because they are the friends that live in my computer and I'm so stoked people out there like me enough not to unfriend me." It was only when other people started referring to you as "my community" to convince me to take donations for Bltizkrieg's care that I got it. I’m not quite sure how this magic happened. I'm just glad it did.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

To all of you. The well wishers are just as dear to us as those of you who helped us raise funds for Blitzkrieg’s first chemo treatments to help us get over a financial bump so we didn’t have to take out a short term loan.

Blitzkrieg needed a little help from Husband climbing up and down the breakwall

The bad thing about running a DIY blog is you come here for tutorials and projects, which tend to cost me money in some form or another to complete and create. I always felt guilty when I posted a project I needed to do to keep myself from going crazy from the stress. I was afraid it looked like I spent money on silly blog or house things instead of vet bills. In reality, I just got my butt in gear and did those someday projects I planned to do with stuff we already had.  Thanks for rolling with me and not being Judgy McJudgy Pants when it was probably easy to do.

We cut back on those little splurges you do a little too frequently when life is good.  We extended Eat From the Pantry Month to almost three just to see how long we could do it. I know how some of you feel about sponsored posts, but I take them on more frequently to ensure you get fresh project content and to offer you giveaways as a thank you for your support.

Every single penny you donated went to Blitzkrieg’s cancer bills. And trust me there were more than they told us there would be. Blitzkrieg’s reactions, extra hospital visits, and overnight stays due to rejections blew through our estimated treatment total rather quickly.

I’d do it all over again if I could have four more months with Blitzkrieg.

I miss him.

Bad.

In spirit of Thanksgiving, Husband and I have many people to be thankful for in our lives. There are so many of you who deserve a personal thank you for what you did for us. I’m going to attempt it in no particular order. Please forgive me if I forget to mention you by name. It’s been five months but some days it still feels like Blitzkrieg passed away yesterday.

• To Rob from Rob’s World.  Rob is a good bloggy friend and teases me mercilessly. He helped fundraise for Blitzkrieg’s care, sent encouragement, and was one of our boy’s champions. I wish you two could have met each other.

• To Karen from EcoKaren for suggesting Gofundme for the Blitzkrieg Cancer Treatment Fund and Beth from My Plastic Free Life for making me do it because I hate asking people for personal favors. Show them some love by shopping Karen’s ecokaren Etsy shop for eco friendly & sustainable jewelry, home decor, and DIY kits and buying Beth Terry’s book Plastic Free How I Kicked the Habit and You Can Too this gift giving season.

• To everyone who gave a donation, hosted our widget, blogged, Facebooked, Tweeted, and emailed your friends about the Blitzkrieg Cancer Treatment Fund. You helped us bridge the gap between my weird freelance paycheck nonscheduled, human medical bills, and canine medical bills and so we didn’t have to go into debt for Blitzkrieg’s treatments.

  

• To the members of the Green Moms Carnival, Crafterminds, Eco-Women Warriors and Foodies Nite In #FNIChat  and our family of friends for keeping me sane. Well, as sane as I can be on any given day, which truthfully, isn’t much.

• To Patti, Jeff, and their dog Max for letting us borrow their carpet cleaner which allowed us to save our carpeting instead of replacing it. That’s the short version, we owe them for so much more. They are wonderful people. Max and Blitzkrieg were buds. If you are looking for holiday gifts give Patti’s Etsy store Gardenias Garb a serious look. Patti specializes in making Renaissance and Regency costumes and knitted hats, scarves, and flowers. Patti does custom sewing too and can make more than what you see in her shop. If you need something – ASK!

• To all of you who visited and subscribed for Condo Blues more for the Blitzkrieg posts than for me. I know you cute dog and Pekingese lovers are out there like our little Pekingese friend Sam. I always joked I wasn’t sure who exploited who on this blog, me pimping Blitzkrieg for viewers or Blitzkrieg pimping me for treats because he knew if he jumped in and posed for a picture he would earn a treat. That’s why there were so many pictures of Blitzkrieg in my project posts. It was easier to pose him than keep him out of a photo. I always considered Condo Blues Blitzkrieg’s Blog on this side of the computer.

• To Tim and Andrew for being Blitzkrieg’s best friends and ours too. The day Blitzkrieg passed away they came over with food and wine because we are Midwesterners and that’s what you do when there is a death in the family. You bring food. I wrote about that day, the comforting soups our friends made for us using Blitzkrieg’s favorite treat, and funny stories of the lengths Blitzkrieg would go to earn (or scam) carrots from just about anyone on Lazy Budget Chef in Gaspatcho and Carrot Curry Soups. 

• To Christina and family from A Mommy Story. They let us borrow a tent for our fundraising booth; her daughters charmed our Bacon Candlecustomers into sales and donations and gave me a comforting hug when I needed it most. Cosmo the Wonder Pup’s endless kisses and his kitty brother’s snuggles when he felt it was high him I had a cat snuggled into my chest on a visit instead that dog. And especially for Christina putting up with me as the not so happy roommate during BlogHer and gently forcing me out of our room to be with people on a night when I wanted to stay in and feel sad.

• To Gahanna Animal Hospital and Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital for going above and beyond when Blitzkrieg was a less than ideal patient to put it politely. Veterinary exams and grooming pushed Blitzkrieg’s past abuse buttons. We worked with a behaviorist on this. Blitzkrieg was better but this fear never truly went away. You are our heros.

• To Anne who when our bread maker died, would not give me the recommendation I asked for but instead she gave me her bread maker. She would not let me pay for it or shipping because she said I needed my money, “for the pup.” Every loaf of bread that comes out of that machine tastes so much sweeter because of her kindness.

• To Anthony who always had organic dog treats in his kitchen when Blitzkrieg visited even though Anthony does not have a dog. Your last visit was special, my friend.

• To Sue and Mary, two readers who don’t have blogs otherwise I’d encourage you to read them because they have always offered the right comment at the right time.

• To every single one of you who sent sympathy cards, comments, and email condolences. I cherish them more than gold.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you again. On this Thanksgiving, you remind me of the things that make me truly grateful.

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