Cupcakes for Culver!

By Debi and Steve Hays

Against all odds, it's been one year (5/19/09) since our family adopted Culver from Guide Dogs for the Blind. Culver was born with an intrahepatic liver shunt. When he was very small and in the puppy raising program, GDB sent him to a surgeon to try and repair it - or at least buy him some time. After the surgery, Culver was career changed. At that time, we provided foster care for him in our home, which led to our decision to adopt him. We wanted to give him the best chance at an awesome life no matter how many days he had left. The surgeon said that they didn't know how much time he would have - days, months, years??

He's lived a year so far, and we are elated. Culver is now 20 months old and living life to the fullest. He is a happy go-lucky boy, full of love and sweetness. He has spent the past year enjoying new adventures around the northwest. He likes hiking, playing on the beach, retrieving his bumper, stealing toys from his buddies, Desma and Dakota, and he loves sleeping in our bed.

So this week we're celebrating his amazing life with cupcakes to all our friends. We'll even go to Culver's puppy raiser club meeting so they can see how well he is doing these days (and yes, we'll be taking cupcakes there too). So far, he shows no symptoms of the liver shunt. We continue to be thankful for each day that we share with him. Culver is a very special boy and a precious gift to us.

Can we hope for another year, two, three? If love can keep him going, then he'll go on forever - we love him soooooooo much!