Claire and Izzy

Hi everyone!  I know this is really off topic but we have had the most amazing thing happen in our lives.  In June, we adopted a little chihuahua named "Lucy" to serve as a companion dog for me on long hospital stays.  (If you are a child with cystic fibrosis, ask your doctor about a companion dog..you may qualify)..we were going to put her in training with a professional so she would qualify and pass the test that the hospitals require.  Anyhoo, we took her in for her first check up only to discover that she was pregnant!  The veterinarian said she would be delivering her pups in as little as 10 days...boy were we surprised and excited.  Lucy had her 2 pups on July 27th and much to our dismay, she immediately rejected them.  From what we have learned, it is common for a very young mother to do this in the wild or on the streets...we found out that Lucy was only about 1 1/2 years old.  We also discovered that one of the pups was born with a cleft palate meaning she could not nurse properly and would not be able to survive without medical intervention...sound familiar?  I mean, my family and my doctors had to do so many things to get me to survive that first year of life.  I was born with meconium ileus, the tell tell sign of cystic fibrosis which includes a ruptured bowel.  I needed emergency surgery at 6 hours old, was fed by vein and feeding tube for 8 weeks and needed intensive care assistance.  But it worked!  I am a living, breathing example of what modern medical technology can do!Her name is IzzyI feel like helping Izzy will be my opportunity to see the other side of things...from the caregivers side.  Even though we are totally overwhelmed and it is very difficult doing the tube feedings and all the mother care for little Izzy, I feel so happy and so grateful to have her.  She is very strong willed and fights for every drop of formula!Thank you so much and stay tuned for pics and updates!We all deserve a chance ~Much love,Claire and IzzyVideo of Fox 11 LA News Story on Izzy and Claire