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In the Spirit of Mushu
A Cocktail Party To Benefit ACF
Huntington, NY
Thursday, October 20, 2011
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Over $3,500 raised!
ACF wishes to express its deep appreciation to all who participated, and especially Cara & James Preissler for their initiative.
Cara & James Preissler hosted this cocktail party benefiting ACF in loving memory of their pug, Mushu. Please read Cara's thoughtful and touching story about Mushu and their mutual support system as they each dealt with cancer. (click here to jump to the story)
In The Spirit of Mushu
A litter of 7 pug puppies was born right next door to me on September 13th, 2000. Each one was cuter than the next. Their individual personalities started to shine through as the weeks went by and they came into their own. One of these puppies caught my eye from the start. Because of his marking symbol, he was given the temporary name “White Paw.” “White Paw” was different from the rest, always an individual. While all the other puppies were running around and acting silly, he would stand back and observe. His favorite position at the time was standing on top of the couch, looking down supervising his siblings, carefully observing their every move. He would rarely get directly involved with the riff-raff. One day, I took “White Paw” to my house for a little one-on-one time. He checked out my house, investigating every nook and cranny. When he was done, he looked up at me, almost saying, “I could get used to it over here, can this be my new home?” He had the most expressive, huge brown eyes. You could almost feel his old soul looking back at you. From that moment, I knew he had to be with me.
Mushu becomes a part of my life
“White Paw” soon became “Mushu,” one of the best things to ever come into my life. He had a very distinctive personality. Once you met Mushu, you never forgot him. He left an indelible impression with everyone he encountered. His face was so expressive. It was as if he understood everything you had to say and spoke right back to you. Those who had the honor of meeting him will understand what I am trying to say, the unconditional love between a dog and his owner cannot be expressed through word alone. We shared 10 1/2 wonderful years together. During those years, I got another dog I named Saki. At first, Mushu wasn’t happy about sharing me, but he eventually became a great big brother and mentor. Mushu, the alpha dog, taught Saki the ropes around the house and Saki looked to him. Quickly, Saki began to follow and emulate Mushu’s schedule, habits, and personality. At the end of 2009, two weeks before my wedding, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. I was immediately admitted to the hospital to begin chemotherapy treatments. It was an extremely difficult and challenging time in my life. Mushu was beside me through the whole process. The experience made me a true believer in pet therapy. I wanted to get well for myself, for my family & friends, and for my “boys,” Mushu and Saki. After every chemo treatment, I was wiped out. I would go right home, meet my boys at the door, and collapse on the couch. Mushu would always greet me with a big kiss, rub his face on me and snuggle right next to me wagging his little tail the entire time. He kept vigil over me as I recovered from the treatments, trying to communicate to me through his big brown eyes that everything was going to be ok, and he was going to be there for me, right by my side. He was my guardian angel. Several long months and treatments later, I was officially in remission.
Now it's my turn to help him
At the beginning of 2011, our life as we knew it was once again to change. Mushu was diagnosed with cancer. He had a mass that had ruptured and perforated his cecum causing septic peritonitis. He was a strong dog and made it through a tough surgery and the sepsis. But along the way, due to the gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), the trauma, and the sepsis, his immune system was compromised and he developed pneumonia on top of everything else. After a long 2 1/2 week stay in the ICU under critical care, Mushu finally was able to come home to us. Mushu was there for me during my chemo treatments, so I was going to be there for him through his. He was home for a few weeks where he got excellent care, love, and to do all of his favorite things such as playing with his stuffed bulldog, eating his favorite treats, and curling up in his pink blankie on the couch. Mushu was never fully able to recuperate from his pneumonia, and was only able to receive his first week of chemotherapy, two treatments in all, using the drug Palladia. Unfortunately for all who knew him, Mushu passed away on March 16th, 2011. Dogs are wonderful therapy and provide excellent company to all the young, the old, the sick, the lonely. A dog’s life is short enough, so I feel we should do all we cannot to have them ended prematurely. That is why I am supporting the “In The Spirit of Mushu” Cocktail Party to benefit Animal Cancer Foundation (ACF) in the effort to find a cure for cancer by funding research in comparative oncology, the study of naturally occurring cancers in humans and in pets. I would like something positive and enduring to come out of my situation and the loss of my beloved pet.
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