Lunch Break

Jake and I met Steph for lunch again. On the way downtown, I spotted a perfect patio at 17th Avenue and Franklin Street. It’s a great Vietnamese restaurant called Parallel 17. We staked out a shady corner table and I called to give directions. It’s fun to catch up with her. I ordered a Saigon Sandwich with pomme frites. Jake doesn’t care what they’re called…pomme frites, French fries or freedom fries. He even loves tater tots.

Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?

Someone called about Jake today. Two questions stumped me:

1) Are you doing this blog for Jake or yourself?

Well, “all of the above”, I guess. Early on, I had to update so many people about him. I thought it would be easier to do it this way. Then I started to take him to different places. Some that I always go to. Some that were brand new for both of us. Maybe he doesn’t care whether we go to a park or a restaurant or some landmark. But I can tell he enjoys going somewhere. And sure, it’s been a great experience for me, too. I really wanted a record of what we did during this time. There are so many great photos and stories. I’ve only shared a few on this site. So yeah, I guess we both get something out of it.

2) Do you think he knows he’s going to die?

Oh my. I don’t know. I guess the question should really be “Do you think he knows he’s going to die soon?” I wonder about that often. His days are always full and he sticks to the usual routine. He’s not in pain. He hasn’t changed much. He’s just Jake. I must say I’m pretty inspired by him. I’m more intrigued by the question “Why do we treat the ones we love differently when we find out we are going to lose them?”

I hung up the phone and took Jake for his usual 4pm walk. On the way back from the park, we bumped into Jed’s owner. Jed is the yellow Lab with cancer that we met the week I started this blog, back on May 5th.

He told me Jed passed away over Memorial Day weekend. I can't write anything else right now.

All About the Benjamins

I recently discovered this in my “Jake” file. It’s the receipt when we picked him up from the breeder. There’s a whole lotta coolness packed into that $500 furball. He was worth every Benjamin. Take a look at the date…9/10/01. Yep, we got him the night before the terrorist attacks. So in addition to having a new puppy in the house a few weeks after I lost my mom, we also had a welcome diversion from the sad images that dominated the media the next day. Jake has always managed to take the sting out of any bad situation.

Jake’s birthday is coming up quick on July 2nd. Honestly, when we first got his diagnosis, I didn’t think he would make it. Or that he wouldn't be in good shape. Now I think it’s time for a birthday BBQ to celebrate! More details to follow…

I Just Want to See the Boy Happy

Back to Fort Collins to pick him up. Jake went crazy when he spotted me in the waiting room. He was wearing one of those funny Elizabethan collars so he wouldn’t lick the biopsy site. Bumping into my legs and knocking over stuff. So happy to see me. The staff said he did well during the night. He had only a mild fever which is a good indication the drug is having an effect. It was gone by morning. He curled up on the back seat of the car and slept the entire drive back to Denver. It’s funny to see all these shaved patches on his legs for IV’s. We return on Monday for Week #2 of the study. No overnight stay necessary on future treatments so we’ll probably work in a few “Lunch Break” stops in Fort Collins.

I Want a New Drug

Jake and I drove up to Fort Collins this morning, which is an hour north of Denver. We had an appointment at the Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University. There’s a clinical trial for canine soft tissue sarcomas that seems promising. It has helped shrink tumors in other dogs. I was really impressed with the entire experience the moment we walked in the door. The entire staff was incredible. Love the volunteers, too. After we met with the vets and they reviewed his case, he was accepted into the study. He received his first IV infusion of a cancer drug called liposomal clodronate. They had to keep him overnight to monitor any side effects, so I drove back to Denver. I just got a call from the vet and he says Jake is doing great. They’ll call in the morning when I can pick him up. I really love the idea of doing this study, and if we’re lucky, it will give us a little more time together. We might even end up helping others in the same situation in the future.

Bring on the Dancing Horses

If there’s one piece of public art in Denver that anyone has an opinion about, it’s probably this one. It’s called “Mustang/Mesteño” by Luiz Jiménez. You’ll find it on the drive out to Denver International Airport. I thought it was brilliant when it was unveiled. I love it even more after Jake and I got a rare opportunity to see it in person. The textures and colors are even more striking up close. Some people have called it “demonic” and “scary” and have campaigned to remove it. Hoo boy, you guys need to get out more if you’re that disturbed by a 32-foot piece of fiberglass. The horse stays. Now go find something more productive to do with your time.

(Muchas gracias to Jeff and Matt for setting this one up, and to Jenny for making the initial introduction.)

OK, so his lump is big and not all that pretty. We’ve been wrapping his leg for a couple weeks to prevent infection. The flesh-colored bandages looked too institutional to me. The white ones were fine, but I started wondering if I was trying to hide something from people on our excursions. He certainly doesn’t care if someone stops and asks. Why should I? And I have always loved that first picture of him with the blue bandage. The last time we were at the vet, she wrapped him in a red one and I saw all kinds of options in the drawer. Who knew? When I got home, I went online and found a vet supply company that carried them in dozens in colors and patterns. He’s sporting the purple wrap right now. Oh yeah, you will be seeing more shades in the future. Wait until you see the camouflage one.

Lunch Break

The Rock Bottom Brewery is another home-grown restaurant group, based in Louisville. The patio is right on the 16th Street Mall. We had a late lunch so we could pick our table. Technically dogs have to sit on the other side of the fence and we got a perfect spot in the front corner. Awesome people watching here. Crowds rushing back to work. Shoppers. Buskers. Kids on summer break. Our vet says dogs with cancer benefit from a high protein/low carb diet. Jake and I ate a steak. Doctor’s orders, right?

We're in the City

Jake has been doing great lately. His stomach is back to normal since we took him off that medicine. You would never know this dog is sick if it weren’t for the lumpy purple bandage on his leg. He walks, he runs, he eats, he sleeps. Typical Lab. Today was yet another beautiful spring day in Denver. Perfect time to head downtown again. If you live here, you know this iconic landmark: the Daniels & Fisher Tower. A few years ago, I went to a cool Halloween party that was held on the top floors, behind the clock face. And no, I’m not sharing pics of my costume that year. I might want to run for public office someday.

Lunch Break

This is where Jake and I stopped for lunch the day we got the news about his cancer. Hard to believe it’s been a month already. It’s Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs on Colfax. Dog-friendly patio with water bowls and biscuits. I wasn’t obsessively carrying my camera then so we were back for the official pics to go down in his permanent record. Same order. Chicago-style for me and plain for him. All highly recommended. Oh, and we split a Corona.

Don't Come Home A' Drinkin'

Sometimes after a walk, we go to this pet-friendly liquor store close to our house. He stops at the door each time…sits and waits for the OK. Then he enters in slow motion, like he’s walking into a church. He knew from the start to be calm in there. I don’t want to pay for a bottle of wine that I’m not drinking.

Every Day is Halloween

This weekend was pretty rough. Jake couldn’t keep anything down. I tried it all. Smaller portions of dog food. Tiny pieces of a Wendy’s grilled chicken breast. White rice from a Chinese restaurant. Saltine crackers. He ate everything with his typical Labrador intensity. But it just came up a half hour later, coated with a fluorescent yellow-orange slime. We stopped his anti-inflammatory medicine since one of the side effects includes gastrointestinal problems. I was terrified that this was really the beginning of the downslide. It took a day but he’s so much better now. After that scare, I felt like we needed to go lighter. Dan was searching for something in the basement and found a box of Halloween stuff. It was a beautiful spring day so we took turns putting stuff on him in the back yard. Jake is such a good sport and will do anything to please. All of the pics are really funny but here are a few of our favorites. I know…it’s a poor imitation of William Wegman’s work, but it really made us all laugh. Humor is such a wonderful defense mechanism for dark times. I use it all the time.

This Must Be the Place

Jake has two houses. Here he is in front of both. At first I wondered if it would be confusing for a dog to live in different places but he’s completely fine. He’s so excited when he arrives at either one. You open the car and he runs right up to the front door. I guess as long as he knows where the food dish is, he’s happy. Plus, he’s usually at a particular house because one of us has a few days off, so I bet he has more quality time with his owners than a lot of dogs do.


Unfortunately this morning he could not keep his breakfast down. His appetite was great but a few hours later, I saw him vomiting in the back yard. He threw up on the walk, too. Not a great sign.

Cool Drink of Water Blues

Dan and I finished up the landscaping this afternoon, filling the few remaining empty spaces in the garden with flowers. Jake loves yard work days, especially when we’re in the front. Our neighborhood is always full of activity. Dog walkers, bicyclists, kids in strollers. He lies in a shady patch under a tree but he gets up to greet pretty much everyone that passes by. I forgot that when it’s time to hand water something, he comes over to get a drink from the hose.

Big Decision

Paul and I took Jake to see his oncologist, Dr. Glawe, at VRCC today. There are 3 options we’re considering:

1) Radiation: He would receive 3 treatments over a 21-day period. It could slow the growth of the tumor and it might add a couple months to his life. They have to do these under general anesthesia but he seems to handle that pretty well. It’s possible that the radiation could cause further skin breakdown of the tumor, which is already looking pretty raw.

2) Chemotherapy: He might be a candidate for a clinical study involving a drug called Liposomal Clodronate. He’d get 4 to 8 injections over a 10-week period. He’d be at the hospital for a few hours but would at least be awake. During the study he’d need to go in twice for punch biopsies of the tumor, which would require anesthesia. There is a concern that those procedures might cause problems if the wound won’t heal. Like radiation, this might give us a couple more months with him.

3) Nothing: We can also forego any treatment and let this run its course. Last weekend, we started wrapping his leg with bandages since the skin is beginning to rupture. We would continue that and keep him as comfortable as we can in the meantime. Right now, he is acting like his usual self. His quality of life is actually pretty good but, of course, that could change at any time.

We’ll try to make a decision early next week.

Denver Parks #21

Right by a huge enclosed dog park.

Denver Parks #20

In the Stapleton area, off Quebec.

Safe Trip Home

Dan was visiting family in Alabama for the holiday and flew back to Denver tonight. Jake and I drove out to DIA to pick him up. I forgot how much fun it was to take him out there to greet someone. He gets so excited when he recognized a familiar face, just like people do when they spot a friend or relative walking out the door.

Denver Parks #19

One in the Park Hill neighborhood, off 17th Avenue.

Denver Parks #18

Large space at the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Lunch Break

Jake has been coming to Tokyo San Bowl on Colorado Boulevard for a long time. We stopped here today for a late lunch. As a puppy, he was as soft as a stuffed animal. We kept expecting his coat to turn coarse but it never did. Almost 8 years old and he still feels as soft as the night we brought him home. A couple years ago, we came here to eat without him, and the guy who always brought out our food asked, “Where’s that soft dog?” So now you know.

Denver Parks #17

And one more for today…

Denver Parks #16

The tour of sister cities continues…

Memorial Day

Jake’s burning up a vacation day today. No new pics but here’s a gratuitous puppy shot for you.

Waiting for the Rain to Fall

Spring storms all day but that added a perfect touch to the atmosphere. Watching gray clouds wrap around the mountains, in between sheets of rain, from the couch. I caught up on some reading. Jake curled up on his bed by the fireplace, slightly snoring. When the weather let up, we went on an afternoon walk. It was such a wild experience to pass through the Westin lobby several times a day with a well-behaved dog. The staff always greeted Jake by name. He learned quickly that the front desk had dog biscuits, even at 1am. Everyone here is amazing…reception…valet…housekeeping…room service. (Special thanks to LaVerne!)

It's also wedding season, with big receptions at the hotel on both days. Tuxes and satin dresses everywhere. We bumped into the bride in the hallway on our way back to the room. Standing there with a dog on a leash, I told her she looked beautiful. I wanted to ask for a picture with her and Jake but figured it was too complicated to explain on such an important day for her. But wouldn’t that have been a surreal photo?

No one was out by the pool and we hustled out there to snap a few pics. We’re heading back to Denver tomorrow morning. This place is incredible. What a perfect weekend.

Take Me to the River

The setting here is so beautiful. This river is right behind the hotel and when I open our patio doors, I can hear it rushing by. So relaxing. Jake wanted to swim but I just couldn’t do that to the Westin's housekeeping staff.

Train in Vain

Back at home, Jake’s morning routine never varies: He gets up when we do. Bolts to the front door. Runs out to pee on a bush and then fetches the paper. (He used to make two trips but, sadly, Denver is now a one-newspaper town.) Brings it back to the kitchen. It’s his only real job and he is paid with one scoop of dog food. It’s the canine version of “Groundhog Day”…rain or shine or snow. He woke me up at the hotel 6:15 am this morning, probably wondering how this was going to work at the Westin. I threw on some jeans and a cap, got his leash and plastic food dish, and headed outside to a grassy area on the side. Breakfast al fresco on a crisp mountain morning. We walked across the street so I could get a coffee and a pastry. I took this photo on the railroad tracks on the way back.

Let's Go to Bed

Jake enjoying the Westin Heavenly Dog Bed in front of the fireplace.

To All New Arrivals

Beautiful, brand new resort right on the river. Check-in was a breeze and everyone was so welcoming. I had booked a one-bedroom suite and was really impressed. Spectacular mountain views. Massive living room area. Full kitchen. Flat screen tv's and fireplace. Jake headed straight for the Heavenly Bath. OK, so maybe the tile floor was just a tiny bit larger than the one he has at home. I ordered room service for us and turned on the Nuggets game.

All the Roadrunning

Jake loves the outdoors so I thought it would be fun to head up to the mountains for the weekend. Starwood Hotels has a great program called “Love That Dog”. Pet-friendly policies that include beds and bowls in your room. I booked a room at the Westin Riverfront Resort in Avon, Colorado and we got on the road. Have you ever packed a suitcase for a dog before? Leash…check…dog food…check…medicine…check…squeaky stuffed squirrel…check. A couple hours later, we were at the hotel. Amazing place. There will be lots of photos this weekend.

Doctor Doctor

We went to see Jake’s primary care vet today. Dr. Hedlin is fantastic and he has always loved coming here. He needed x-rays before we could consider any additional steps. The good news is that it looks like the cancer has not spread internally. However, the bump on his leg is still growing rapidly and will soon cause other problems. We meet with his oncologist on Thursday to see if radiation is an option to slow it down. As long as we’re waiting, let’s do something constructive. Time for a road trip...

Denver Parks #15

This is one you probably already know about. Great football field here. Always busy.

Lunch Break

Ah, much better. The Tokyo Joe’s on Grant Street. Paul and Jake waited outside while I checked with their staff on their pet policy. “Of course your dog is welcome on the patio! Can I bring him a bowl of water?” According to their website: “Colorado Grown. Colorado Owned.” Right on. We shoulda come here first. Wonderful, healthy food. Smart attitude towards hiring the right people. And love the commitment to cycling.

Lunch Break

Jake, Paul and I headed into the Capitol Hill area for a late lunch. First stop…oops…well, I guess we’re not welcome here…let’s try next door…

Denver Parks #14

Technically we’ve already been here (for the Furry Scurry). But that was before I took my first photo at a park sign. Now, the completionist in me wants the whole set. Paul took him back there last weekend and snapped this one for me.

Coat of Many Colors

I worked for the Denver Nuggets/Colorado Avalanche from 1986 to 1996. Made some really lasting friendships there. Absolutely LOVE the fact that the community is finally on the Nuggets bandwagon. Where have you guys been??? Jake’s wearing the jersey of my all-time favorite NBA player, Walter Davis. That ain’t no replica or “authentic” jersey. It was really his. And no, it’s not for sale, even though people are suddenly kookoo for the old school stuff. You could not give that Crayola merchandise away back in the day. Did you know Walt’s nickname was “The Greyhound”? Um, and oh yeah…BEAT L.A.!

Soak Up the Sun

One more Red Rocks pic and story. I worked the Sheryl Crow concert that summer. Shortly before the show started, I was walking around the private outdoor area behind the stage, and Sheryl was playing fetch with her dog. Just the two of them…no roadies, no managers, no production crew. I thought the idea of taking your dog on tour and having them ride on the bus to your next gig was so perfect.

Red Dirt Girl

Worked at Fey Concerts for a bit. Spent many nights here. Best...Summer...Job...Ever. I saw so many great live acts during that period, at so many venues. Fiddler’s Green, Odgen Theatre, Bluebird Theatre, Macky Auditorium, Paramount Theatre and so on. However, nothing beats Red Rocks for live music. I still go to a few shows here every summer. My favorite show last year was Emmylou Harris. Jake is sitting in the exact same seat I had at that show. Yep, I’m one of those obsessive types that saves every ticket stub. Emmylou’s cover versions are always better than the originals but I’m partial to her own material. This is at the top of my list. She played it at that show. Although I must admit…I’m a sucker for any song that mentions a dog in the first line.

Me and my best friend Lillian and her blue tick hound dog Gideon,
Sittin on the front porch cooling in the shade
Singin every song the radio played
Waitin for the Alabama sun to go down
Two red dirt girls in a red dirt town
Me and Lillian
Just across the line and a little southeast of Meridian.

“Red Dirt Girl” by Emmylou Harris

Lunch Break

Red Rocks was definitely on Jake’s bucket list. You already know it’s the best outdoor concert venue in the world, right? Unfortunately, you can’t bring your dog to a show but you can go up there during the day. Our first stop was the Ship Rock Grille for lunch. Knockout views on the patio. Fantastic, friendly staff. They brought Jake some water the second we sat down. We ordered the Bison Sliders…2 for me and 1 for him. Jake’s vet just happened to call and check in while we were there. I told her we were up here enjoying life (and a beer). Next: the photo shoot. More pics inside the bowl coming up…

Denver Parks #13

Good smells at this one.

Blue Monday

Ah, the Blue Bear at the Colorado Convention Center. Here’s a piece of public artwork that everyone raves about. It’s “I See What You Mean” by Lawrence Argent. We stopped here in the morning when people were rushing to their jobs downtown. Some in suits. Some in sensible white tennis shoes that they change out of when they hit the office. They always smile when they see Jake. Nobody expects to see a dog on a workday. I love the scale of this photo. This tiny little white shape in front of a 40-foot blue wall.

Denver Parks #12

Right off Quebec Street. Jake has the routine nailed down. Sees a green sign…hits the mark…waits for his glamour shot…then off to explore the rest of the park. What a pro.

London Conversations

I meant to be in London tonight. Second coolest city in the world after Denver. One of my favorite bands, Saint Etienne, is playing a rare live show there. In February 2006, I flew to San Francisco with some friends to see them at The Fillmore. It’s the only time I’ve seen them perform. The show was incredible and I have lots of memories from that weekend. I bought tickets to the London show several months ago thinking it would be a fun trip but I think I’d like to stay in town with Jake right now. Hopefully, they'll play in the U.S. later this year. If they do, I will definitely be there.

I love the feeling of being slightly lost

To find new spaces, new routes, new areas

I love the lack of logic

I love the feeling of being slightly lost

“Finisterre” by Saint Etienne

Denver Parks #11

Bonus! Two landmarks in one shot! We crossed another park off the list and got the home of the Denver Broncos, too. Well, at least the exterior. Say, are dogs allowed in the stadium during the off-season? I bet he’d look pretty damn fine on that Kentucky Bluegrass.

Lunch Break

Time for a female date. Not all of my friends are cursed with Y chromosomes. Steph and I shared an office together at my last job. We hit it off the moment we met. I guess technically I was her boss but she’s way smarter than I’ll ever be. The roles should have been reversed. She’s working on a project at The Children’s Museum so I picked her up there and she suggested Masterpiece Delicatessen in Highland, right on the other side of the pedestrian bridge over I-25. Wow. The sandwiches are HUGE and delicious. The patio isn’t that large, and could use a bit of shade, but what an amazing view of downtown. Jake and I will be back for sure.