I just published a post earlier today telling all my fabulous friends that I’d keep you updated on Pharaoh’s progress through advanced training.
Well…apparently, I lied.
At ten this morning, I received a call from our CCI puppy manager in Orlando. We chit-chatted for a minute, and then she said, “I’m calling about Pharaoh.”
My heart thumped–in dread or excitement, I wasn’t sure which.
And then she said the words, “He’s being released from advanced training.”
Turns out my pup has a heart arrhythmia–an irregularity in his heartbeat. And he’ll likely have to be on medication for the rest of his life. But he can live a good, full life, if all goes well.
So what does “release” mean? That he’ll be coming home to our house in the next few days. So I should be wildly excited, right? Truth is I have mixed emotions. We wanted so badly for him to make it, to get to walk across that stage and hand him over to someone who needed him more than we do. But that will never happen now.
He’ll never again represent Canine Companions for Independence.
Pharaoh will never again wear his CCI cape.
But I will be checking out other options–maybe some type of therapy or visitation work.
To all of you who have encouraged us these past few months as we finished training Pharaoh and took him off to advanced training, thank you. I can’t tell you how much your thoughts and hopes and prayers meant to us. Pharaoh may be coming home, but this is not the end of his service story!
Hugs, y’all.
