| Filed under blindness blogging Guide dogs pets and people
For National Dog Day 2023
Dog Two
By Ann Chiappetta
He is a sweet yellow fellow
Toasted darker
On ears and tail tip
Gives a nibble and a lick
Golden eyes Better than cash
He comes with a snow nose And personality to match
He’s tall and silly
Works, wags, and licks
So far no one’s gotten ticked
When he sneaks a kiss.
Guiding me around
Alert and looking for sights and scents
On the bus and on the street
Freedom with four feet.
Dedicated to Guiding Eyes Bailey
| Filed under blindness blogging Guide dogs
Annie Shares News volume 2 Issue 8 August 2023
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Web — www.annchiappetta.com
Blog — www.thought-wheel.com
Our time in New York is at an end, we’re moving onto a less urban location in the foothills of Western Pennsylvania. A modest one level home with a fenced yard for the dogs and plenty of sunny windows for the cats. I’ll be writing in a different studio, meeting new people and collecting new experiences. What could be better? Shh, don’t tell my husband I’ll be traveling a bit more once we are settled. 😉
My guide dog, Bailey, is retiring once we reside in PA and I know it’s the right time. Next year I’ll most likely meet my new guide dog and train at home.
Earlier in the month, I was invited to interview author Leonard tuchyner by good friend and author, Peter Altschul, who cohosts the In Perspective podcast with Bob Branco. Leonard’s new book, Moon Rising: Stories and Poems is whimsical and expressive, exploring life’s vicissitudes in a unique perspective.
Imperfections, my second novel, has been slated to be released in late spring or early summer of 2024. The audio for my first novel, Hope For the Tarnished is underway. Below is a poem I wrote during our most recent visit to Pennsylvania. Enjoy it and may August bless you.
Doubletree by Hilton
or
Four dinky pillows for the bed
By Ann Chiappetta
I thought the suite would be opulent
The King bed
A sultan’s necessity for sleep
An Enviable, blissful transom
Whisk Weary bones beneath duvet and anticipate the soft
Pillowed plumpness cradling my head
My cranium flattens cotton puff pastries instead
WTF I say and inspect the offered spread.
I discover Dollar store purchases within
A pricy three-night stay
shall we be complacent?
elect to ignite our inner Karen and
shout of the injustice of dinky pillows —
it insults our guesthood
In the prone position
these little nothings make no difference
Another thing about these pillows is their identity
Are they feather and down or
microfiber polypill or some
hybrid of all of the above
I can’t figure out which one or which combination
They’re like a generic of generic of generic
I’ve taken to putting a sofa cushion behind me instead
I am not Karen and will not stay there again.
Post a thumbs down on YELP while
reclining on a
Too hard king-sized bed
In a too large corner suite
With too many little pillows for sleep.
| Filed under blindness blogging Guide dogs writing
Save the Date
📖 📚
Join the APH Career Conversation with Ann Chiappetta
April 6, 2023, 6:00 – 7:00 PM EST
Career Conversations Interview with an Author
Ann Chiappetta will share what it has been like for her to self-publish her poetry, fiction and nonfiction books. Ann has delt with changing vision as a result of retinitis pigmentosa and has used writing and her creative skills to help cope with her vision loss.
Register Here for Career Conversations Interview with an Author
Read about Ann on the APH blog:
Ann and Bailey on bench: Both looking straight on
| Filed under Guide dogs pets and people
After two days in the hospital, Bailey is home and resting. It has been a stressful two weeks. Once we got the diagnosis and scheduled the surgery for a carcinoma in his lung, Jerry and I were in a kind of shell shock. Hoping for the best, ignoring the worst-case scenario.
The medical staff at Animal Medical Center in NYC is phenomenal. We are still waiting for a full prognosis because the pathology takes at least a week but it is looking like pulmonary carcinoma. One entire lobe was removed, so the guy has only half a lung on one side. He went into all this in good shape despite the tumor and this has everything to do with a good recovery and getting back to work. Not sure working again will be in his future but time and rest will help the healing and no matter what happens, there is relief for what was ailing him for so long. His quality of life has been given back to him and for this we are grateful.
If you want to donate to the medical center and help support them in treating animals and educating future generations of veterinary physicians and treatments for diseases like cancer , and caring for guide and service dogs, we would appreciate it. There was no cost to us because Bailey is a working guide dog.
He is resting in the kennel on his squish mellow and seems comfortable. The first thing he wanted to do once we got home was eat. What a good boy!
| Filed under blindness Guide dogs pets and people Relationships
Whoa, pups and people, first of all, this is not a shock jock kind of post. It is my attempt to express the feelings and observations during the events of the past three weeks. We are all okay, so it is safe to keep reading.
🦮
Bailey, my 75 lb. yellow lab raised and trained by Guiding Eyes for the Blind, was diagnosed with a tumor in his lung. It was discovered in a routine vet visit and I am so grateful for the staff veterinarian at Guiding Eyes for listening to me and ordering the Xray and referring us to Animal Medical Center in New York City for a CT and needle biopsy confirming the diagnosis.
We are now waiting for the surgery date to remove it. During the examination of the CT scan/biopsy procedure authorization, I read the DNR clause. It said CPR would be administered unless directed otherwise by the owner. Of course I wanted lifesaving procedures to be performed, my dog is showing very little symptoms and isn’t ready to check out.
I stopped, thinking, OH, shoot, a DNR? And it hit me just how serious this was and how sick my sweet 9.7-year-old lab really is. He showed only a mild cough after playing and slowing down a little when we were out and about. I’m not sure why but Bailey’s diagnosis brought me back to our Mom’s lung cancer and the mind-numbing period of time during her surgeries and treatments. Because of the consultations and speaking with medical oncologists during our Mom’s illness, I believe I have a better grasp of Bailey’s chances and risk factors. I am not saying a dog is the same as a person, but I am thinking that Mom’s passing provided insight and strength for me and my husband to be better equipped to handle whatever comes after Bailey’s upcoming surgery and convalescence. Then again, maybe I am saying a life is worth fighting for, human or non-human. Mom did not differentiate among two or four-footed family, and neither will I.
yellow lab Bailey in our livingroom
| Filed under Guide dogs pets and people Relationships
It’s January, a month of memories. I look back upon those who have died and I also look forward to keeping them close to my heart through recalling the special times we’ve shared together. My Dad, Bob, and his being a neat freak and a talented carpenter and mechanic and lover of nature. I also recall my mother-in-law, Carol and the way she loved my kids and feeling blessed I survived her erratic driving and feeling relieved I did not have to see the close calls because I am blind. 😓😱 .
Although we lost both my Dad and Carol in successive January dates, both on the sixteenth of the month, I want to also celebrate the life of another family member, my first guide dog.
In January 2009 I met and trained with my first guide dog, Verona and this post is being written and shared to honor her life. I am fortunate to be part of the Guiding Eyes graduate community and because of it I take part in occasional grief and bereavement Zoom meetings. We share how much our dogs mean to us, the bond of trust and love and how much they mean to us even after they die. I always feel better after one of these meetings because I spent the time with other handlers who understand the lifetime bond developed with these incredible dogs and the indelible imprint they have upon our hearts.
Here is one of my favorite stories about Verona, a sweet sixty lb. black lab. My husband, Jerry, took over her care and handling once I retired her and submitted my application for a successor dog. She was seven years old and full of energy but she developed cysts in her eyes and it began effecting her ability to guide me. One day Jerry took her upstate during turkey hunting season. She was a great field dog and not a bit gun shy. He set up the blind, telling Verona to lay down. He soon shot the turkey and got out of the blind, saying “Let’s go get it!” and Verona ran out of the blind and ran for the turkey, grabbing it’s neck. He asked her to let go and she did but kept trying to grab it. After he called me and told me the story, I laughed and between giggles, said, “Well, you told her to go get it and she’s a lab, what did you expect?”
Verona lived a great life, succumbing to old age in February 2020 at age 14. I could not have had a better first guide dog and since walking our first route together I haven’t looked back. Thanks, sweet girl for being able to give me back my independence.
If you want to read more about our adventures, pick up my memoir,
Follow Your Dog a Story of Love and Trust .
close up of Black lab with snow on her face
| Filed under blogging Guide dogs pets and people
After raising two kids and doing the parent thing with the pediatrician for all those years, I thought my husband might like helping out with our pets once in a while. I am proud to say Jerry has become a wonderful pet parent and takes our pet dog, May to all her appointments. We adopted her in 2020 and love her sweet and sassy personality. She is smart, protective but not territorial, and solves problems quickly and efficiently, just like a good German Shepard should. While she has a bit of Rottweiler , as proven by a DNA test, she’s got a GSD body type and traits and the only part missing is pointy ears. She has derpy ones that flop over and stick out perpendicular to her head. Do not let this fool you.
At first we house trained her, which took a few months. She was already crate trained. It took a while for her bladder to mature. She learned how to unlock the metal safety gate, you know the child-safety ones with the lock cover and the sliding , recessed latch?
My yellow lab guide dog, Bailey and May love one another, play together and love to share space, which is good. She also loves our cats. She does poke and play with them but taps down the chasing and while this took some time, the darned cats like to be chased, so we gave up trying to stop it. A few swats from the kitty pins and she learned to respect them. When we brought in a kitten, May’s mothering instincts blossomed, surprising us. She raised it, groomed it and now they all sleep together. April, my daughter, who convinced us to adopt May and who has been a huge part of caring for May, has been able to help with most of her doggie dislikes, like the ear drops. April is great at relaxing May for a two or three toenail trim. But it does take a few days because May won’t tolerate more than one foot at a time. The groomer must hate it when she comes in for a spa day.
But these aversions are within the normal spectrum for a pet, right? Let me go on to what is challenging . sometimes she reverts into a demon, thus her alternate name, Mazikeen. Anyway, her Shepard came out, she is such a drama queen. First, to tell us her ear hurt she jumped onto the bed, flopped between us and kept us awake by whining and shaking her head all night . Then she hurt her ear more by scratching it and when we tried to look at it she screamed like we were cutting it off. So, off to the Vet to take a look at the ear. Then, Jerry gave her the anti-puke pill because she gets car sick in the truck. Well it didn’t work but we have a blanket for that and an extra seat cover just in case. Then, they can’t take her temp anally because she turns into a whirling dervish in the exam room so they have to do it under her leg. That went okay, so did the ear inspection. But when they wanted to take a blood draw to check basics from taking the allergy pills, they could not do it. She became a manic mess and sprayed blood all over them from jerking away. Three times, even with cheese whiz and three people to help distract her. So next time we have to fast her in the morning, run her until she is exhausted because a tired dog is a good dog in the exam room, give her the anti puke pill two hours prior and maybe Jerry can avoid a mess in the truck and the vet tech can get some blood. Oh, they want a urine sample. Well, that is not going to happen, She won’t let anyone sneak up and put a pan under her ass.
All this is frustrating and I am thankful it is Jerry and April facing the challenges with May. Oh, yes, I almost forgot to mention she punishes herself by running into the dog crate and facing the wall after we discover a chewed slipper or something she’d taken off the kitchen counter, like an oven mitt. How could you not love this dog or be amused when she does this? Talk about operant conditioning, lol.
The best thing about May is the way she lowers her head and leans into you or lap asking for affection, exposing her neck as if to say I trust you so much I want you to scratch me where I can’t reach. What could be more endearing than this?
May the dog on her dog bed with her toysMay the dog on her bed with her bones
| Filed under Guide dogs Relationships
Have you ever had the feeling you were forgetting something as you walked out the door? Well, folks, if you haven’t already gotten the hint, once you are past fifty, the forgetting increases and making a mental list isn’t enough.
Case in point: Yesterday I got the text message from the paratransit provider about my confirmed ten-minute window and pick-up time . I put on my guide dog’s harness, my jacket, slung my bag over my shoulder, and grabbed my support cane and tromped out the door into the pouring rain with the niggling feeling I’d forgotten something.
I soon put it out of my mind as the driver and I talked. We arrived, my dog guiding me from the bus into the office building and into the PT waiting room.
It wasn’t until I was halfway done with my routine that the forgotten thing was exposed.
“Where’s your tooth?” asked the physical therapist.
All I could do was take it as gracefully as I could considering it is a front tooth that is gone.
“I left it at home,” I said.
| Filed under blindness Guide dogs writing
Second place winner! this essay will be in the December 2022 issue of the National Federation of the Blind’s Writer’s Division Literary magazine, Slate and Style.
One Dog’s Life
2011
Verona and my daughter play in the lake for an hour. the funniest thing is the way Verona blows water from her mouth after dropping the stick. It makes a loud, spitting sound that can be heard from the patio.
When the assorted waterfowl horde realizes she is visiting, it waddles in masse from grass to the lake weeds beside the dock. Labrador nose dilates, a front paw lifts, instincts override even an offer of a cookie. for just a little while she is the retriever, the soft-mouthed hunting companion, not a guide dog.
Each and every year we have together is a blessing, a time for me to feel unfettered. I try to think back on the way life was before training with Verona but my mind veers from those dark moments and I let them go. We are here, being warmed by the late afternoon sun. We are dog and woman, partners for however long time and fate permit.
2013
Four humans and two dogs fill the little red sedan. I sit in front, along with Mom, who is driving. In the back seat, Music’s furry butt crushes my sister, who, until now has suffered in silence.
“Thank God it’s a short ride,” I hear her mumble from somewhere behind us.
We reach our destination, extract ourselves from the little red sedan. Verona’s excitement is palpable. Once inside the gate, loose dogs run up to us, but I make her ignore them and sit until I’m ready. With a word she’s off. We claim a bench in the warm California sun. moments later Verona lopes by us, a pack of dogs giving chase. I listen for the pack to turn back and run past us again, Verona in the lead.
California 2013
Pebbles and shells litter the meandering path to the beach. The air resonates with surf and sea birds. I release Verona and she lopes off, nose to the ground
Music, my sister’s Golden Retriever, chases Verona into the water. As she turns to give chase, a huge wave crashes down and for a moment she is engulfed, Sucked away by green sea and foam. my heart skips a beat in arrested panic; The wave spits her out onto the beach and she runs to me, weaves in-between my legs and soaks my pants. I look like incontinence has gotten the best of me. Thereafter, Verona avoids the waves and prefers a safer splash in the wet sand and tidal pools instead.
It’s important that Verona has the opportunity to be a dog; so much responsibility is put upon her when waring the harness, it seems that this is the best way to let her know. As she digs a hole in the sand and flops down to dry off, my heart is content because she is doing just what she’s supposed to be doing, living a dog’s life.
close up of Black lab with snow on her face
| Filed under blindness Fiction Guide dogs nonfiction Poem
The 14th Annual Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale has begun, running now through July 31. Visit my author’s page to order your free eBooks from Smashwords during the Summer sale!
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/AnnChiappetta
All my titles are free, a gift to readers everywhere.
Why Smashwords? Electronic choices, of course. It’s simple and get the book delivered to your inbox. Transfer it to your favorite book reading app. It’s great, kindle isn’t the only eBook reading app in town. 😉
Tranquil photo of stacked stones beside circular pattern in the sand.