You know when you read a lot of rescue stories and they are so inspiring. The dog had faced some sort of hardship and through rescue they were delivered to a beautiful forever where they left their old life behind and thrived in their new forever home. I mean not all rescue stories are like this but almost all surround the premise of: life is better post rescue.
Their stories are like hugs.
I feel like Jake’s story is low on the inspiration scale.
I met Jake three years ago this week. The adoption process took a while so he was not adopted until Thanksgiving but nevertheless, three years ago to right now, we met. At that point…
- He could walk
- He could hold his pee in
- He could hold his poop in
- He could see out of both eyes
Fast forward to today and Jake’s rescue story goes a little like this..
- In his former life he was able to walk but now he drags his hind legs and has a wheelchair and a stroller.
- With his first family, he was able to hold his pee, he now wears a diaper as he leaks pee all day.
- Prior to coming to live here he used to poop in a back yard. Now he makes meatballs whenever and wherever with zero warning. Usually at 3am.
- Although his eyes were always googly, in his first life they both worked. Now he has an eye that only sees light/dark.
So to sum it up, when he came to me he was 100% working. Currently he at 50%. Something seems a tad uninspiring about Jake’s rescue story!
I was compelled to write this post as a result of Jake’s last eye appointment where on our way out, he bonked his face smack dab into a closed-door because he couldn’t see it.
Laugh for us, don’t cry! There is still poetry in his story! He found true love in Melvin and me. And I vow to work until the age of 104 to support him.
Here are the very first photos of Jake on our very first meet up. A chance encounter with his then foster mom.
![photo[2]](https://i0.wp.com/ohmelvin.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/photo2.jpg?ssl=1)
And the very first recorded photo of the dynamic duo. Little dude was just a visitor at that point. Can’t you just feel the love! Jake wouldn’t face the camera and Melvin gave me the stink eye. 
life….. everything can change in an instant….. it’s what you do after that change, that defines, and inspires….
I’m thinking that Jake is on lucky boy ♥
He is def where he belongs, as am I!
You’re such an amazing mommy, you’ve done so much for Jake and Melvin. He couldn’t have asked for a more loving or dedicated mom.
Thank you! I think it’s easier to go with the flow since everything didn’t happen all at once.
I think Jake is ONE LUCKY KID and ran into you with perfect timing…..you are every dogs dream come true and no one can love like you do! I can’t imagine his destiny elsewhere:(( you rock mama H
~Carrie
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Thank you, so much!
Jake knew just where he needed to be as things stopped working! I want to cry thinking of what might have happened to him if he had been with someone else. He is loved, loved, loved and you know just when to laugh and when to let us laugh with you. HE is one lucky meatball producing, pee leaking, googly eyed sweetheart that we have all grown to adore.
Perfectly said! And if I had not adopted him then, I would still most certainly adopt him now. We were meant to be!
So Jake’s lost a little of his former self, but he has gained unlimited and unconditional love. I have no doubt that it’s a trade off he (and you) happily accept.
P.S. Loved seeing the photo of Jake with Melvin. 🙂
I know! That photo is….ahhhhhhh, perfection!
As a returns coordinator for a rescue I can tell you that YOU are what Jake needed. Sure he was 100% with his other family of before you life. But I can assure you as soon as his challenges started to manifest he’d have come back in to rescue. You are where he was meant to be, bc not everyone would go to the lengths you have for him. Sometimes we don’t pick the dogs they pick us. (This from someone who wanted a black lab and ended up with a Moo cow Great Dane she wouldn’t trade for anything.) Love you and Jake. ~Tanya
That Moo Cow sounds incredibly lucky!!!! We love you back!
Tracy, I read about Melvin and Jake with tears in my eyes everyday. They are/were so blessed to have you love them and you are so blessed to have them love you. I have a little pug who is now in a wheelchair and I can’t tell you how much I love her. She used to sleep with me at night, but now she wets and leaves “meatballs” in her bed, so she has to sleep in a kennel at night. We both miss the night time connect. Just hearing her little snore at night gives me comfort. Not sure what is the cause of her lose of use of her back legs, but money is a deterrent to tests of “process of elimination”. I pray every day and night that an answer will be found. I love Jake and Melvin. Thank you for your blog.
Sandra, we just bonded together forever! Our ‘kids’ stories are so similar. I am very familiar with nighttime meatball production so the next time you clean up, you think of us and I will think of you! Team meatballs!
It takes an infinite amount of patience to care for a dog that has health issues. He is incredibly fortunate to have found a home where he is loved and cared for so diligently. Jake is lucky to have you on his team.
Thank you, Anna! I really think that since we had a slow transition to where we are now, that is seems less overwhelming than had everything happened all at once on the same day. Little blessings!
I love this post. I love the honesty. Jake is a lucky fella he landed in your lap. I often feel similarly about Cooper… he was deemed the “stoic” puppy in his rescue. Now? A sickly neurotic mess is far closer to reality than “stoic,” that’s for sure. Sweet Jake. Give him some ear scratches for me!
Haha! Yes, exactly! I always envision running into Jake’s first family and their reaction being: what the hell happened to him?! And then they turn around and run.