This is Rosco! He’s a big 10-year-old Labrador Retriever that was diagnosed with a cystic meningioma. This is a large cyst attached to a tumor that resides in the brain.

We found out when he had back-to-back episodes of seizures, eventually going into status epilepticus. We rushed him to his primary doctor, who sedated him until we got to the neurologist.

It was a long nightmare of a day when we initially wondered if he simply got into something toxic, as we do have a garden, and he is an opportunistic boy. But we were given the news after the MRI scan.

Once he was stable, we got him back and laid with him, my pallet in the living room next to his side.

He then continued to have focal seizures and a couple more grand mal seizures, and we rushed him to the ER, who stabilized him again.

Currently, he is paralyzed and requiring max assistance, but we are hopeful he will recover to walk again.

The options we were given were surgery or radiation, both giving him only up to a year. The third option is palliative care, giving up to 6 months.

I know not everyone sees him how I see him, but I’ve had this sweet boy since he was a pup. He is more than an emotional support animal.

He is my first child in my eyes; he is my everything.

He loves to swim, play catch, hold fish if you catch one, play keep away with his toys, pick you up if he thinks you fell while gardening, never missed a meal, required Rosco-proofing the house, loves getting in the trash and is smart enough to open it, loves cuddles and stealing your spot after you get up, loves his veggies except leafy greens and celery without peanut butter, loves long walks in town with his Mimi, and loves his butt scratched.

If you could donate anything and share this with others, it would mean the world.

Suggestions, guidance, and advice are also welcome!

I want to thank you for listening, thanks to all his doctors for their care, and to my mother for loving him like a grandchild.