The Dog Who Saved Me
Happy Birthday Stella Blue
Eight years ago, I found myself on an overnight in Edmonton, Canada for work. Not wanting to leave my loft bed and the coziness of it on a rainy morning. I decided to check up on a dog I was following on Instagram, as she was expecting puppies, there in my fed Shiva had finally had her pups and in the pile of puppies I fell in love instantly with this little lump lying on top of another. Of course, this was still when it cost money to call and text back to the states. But Wi-Fi worked and I facetimed Ida and told her about this lil pup. I was smitten and I spent the next 4 hours watching this video on loop. I finally sent an email inquiring on the lil lump and explained my interest but also the “oh yeah, I am also out of the country with limited ability to be contact and will be for the next 48 hours until I was back in the states and home.” Within the hour of being home and phone calls made and info exchanged I had claimed my girl. I was told when you have a name for her let us know and we will start calling her that. I said “I already know her name, it’s Stella. Stella Blue.” In that instant the dog I fell in love with on a short video clip was given the name I had been holding onto for years in hopes of using it one day on a child. At this time, you should know I’d recently been told having my own kids would be a long shot if possible. Which was the start of learning of my own infertility and what would follow in years to come. Stella Blue would fill so many holes and gaps and be by my side and holds a name so special to me that many don’t even know how or why she has her name.
Fast forward eight years and that tiny lump is laying beside me as I type this all while I am saying to her how can I summarize what you are to me and all we have done!
This dog has single handedly saved me in more ways than one. She has been my caretaker, my co-pilot, my adventure buddy, co-worker, entertainment, and my best friend. While I can not even begin to put it all into words I’ll summarize our life.
Stella was born in Redding, CA to Shiva and Sterling Blue. She was the runt of nine pups. Once she was ready for her forever home I flew to Redding, CA in August of 2015 and would meet her for the first time. If I wasn’t already in love, I was now. As this lil shit looked up to me with her mean mug wondering who I was.
This would be the beginning of our travels and adventures. Her first week with me she flew on 6 flights and visited 4 states before making it home where she would have her first of many Portland Airport Carpet photos and meet her big sister Cedar. Who was not as thrilled as I was about our newest addition although in time, they would love each other, and we would become a family of three.
Our adventures would only increase from there we joined a cattle dog group the PNWCattleDogs and would enjoy meet ups and make new friends along the way. On her first trip to the beach she had explosive diarrhea all over the back seat and on my friend Tara who was yelling from the back seat she’s pooping!!!! We would pull over 3 girls and 4 dogs would unload from the car in hast, and the franticness would set in when Stella wasn’t insight only to find her hunched in a bush. Her antics and personality would only increase and get funnier the older she got. Like now and that she prefers to ride in a booster car seat. I cannot even list or write about them all as there are too many for this supposedly short writing.
In 2017 I would finally get my official Endometriosis diagnosis and her and Cedar would be by my side for that first surgery and be my nurses never leaving my side spending hours on the couch and healing. I also would date in this time, and it was a battle with Stella who would in fact be sure that she slept in the middle, now that she was out of the crate at night. Stella has “scarfed” me since the first night, where she curls up but stretched her head and neck across mine. Hence being dubbed the scarf by the end of 2017 I would also be in the middle of changing careers. A move would be in the future.
August 2018 that move would happen. Cedar’s health was not up for a move, and she would stay with my parent’s while Stella and I would make the drive to Phoenix. By now Stella had been on countless flights, road trips, and hotels were a thing of which she was accustomed. But now being an only dog and now solely in charge of me. She took this job seriously and fully embraced her new role. Stella and I would make it back to help Cedar cross over the rainbow bridge in the most beautiful way.
Over the next year Stella would no longer have to be crated for the duration of my work shifts we would explore Arizona. Stella made a dog friend and some human friends who she would let dog sit her. We did everything we could to not succumb to the heat. However, her love of paper would ensue and every once in awhile a paper party would be had in the apartment. But after a year a new opportunity closer to home would take us to Seattle. Ida flew down and the three of us would road trip back to the PNW. Stopping to reunite with her birth mama and for the two of them to make sure we knew who their human mamas were. But I fully know where she gets her looks and attitude from now.
The fateful year of 2020…I would immediately bring Stella home to my parents as we had no idea what “shutting down” would look like. I stayed in Seattle as the airlines continued to operate and she was safe and quarantining with my parents and providing endless entertainment.
In time she would make the trip with me as I would start commuting the 3-4 hours and ultimately moved into a hotel for the duration of the next year. However, this would also be a period of having extra time off. June of that year we set off to Montana and adding to our list of epic road trips and adventures! By fall I would be preparing for another Endometriosis surgery and unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. She would not leave my side and once again take her role of caretaker seriously. This dog is the reason I get up and would be a driving force for me to get up take her out, lil walks, and feedings
Our adventures and travels continued as well as commuting to Seattle. Then in Dec 2021 my hysterectomy and a very tough recovery. Stella was once again by my side. She slept for two weeks in a recliner with me. If I was up, she was up, I slept she slept. The next 5 months were long and hard, but I had her unconditional love and personality to keep my spirits up.
We would move once again this time to Bozeman, MT with all our hopes and dreams. To say my dog has lived a cooler life than most humans is presumptuous but also the reality. Our time there was short. When I finally got covid and in a new apt with no furniture who slept next tome on the floor…Stella. Don’t ever say we don’t deserve dogs, because every day I wonder what I did to get her. We would take off for home once again in a U-Haul with my trusty Co-Pilot navigating the whole way.
Last fall we flew out to Arizona for two weeks and fully enjoyed the weather and our walks. We then made the drive to Las Vegas and spent a few days there with Ida before flying back home.
Now here we are on the day of her birth 8 years later and me a blubbering mess over a dog who means more to me than anything in this world. Who reminds me everyday that I am great and loved. She single-handedly filled a hole that she didn’t know was placed upon her, but she fills that hole and void every day.
While many say she’s just a dog to me she is so much more than a dog. She is my best friend, my reason for getting up, my faithful and unwavering supporter, my mean mugging multiple personality adventure buddy, lover of puppachinos, and all-around best doggo. I mean it when she saved me and only hope I am giving her the best life a dog can have.
Stella’s adventures include the following cities: