Lucky's Medical Expenses

Luck, (noun), is defined as things that happen to a person(s) because of chance, or the accidental way things happen without being planned.  On February 5, 2007, the staff and residents of Cumberland Village Center in LaFollette were the luckiest people in the world.  On that morning, a scraggly, flea and worm-infested, scared, little black puppy happened upon our doorstep.  The residents of our center decided that this little black puppy needed a loving home and that it might as well be ours.  See, we think luck works both ways.  That little, scared, black puppy was lucky to have us, but even more than that, we were lucky that, by chance, this sweet boy had made his way into our lives.  Lucky was right, either way, and that would be his name. 

Over the years, Lucky has made countless rounds through our center, visiting with residents and providing companionship for those who needed it.  He’s defended our grounds by fighting skunks.  He’s gone to our courtyards to eagerly await the residents to tap on the windows so he can show them how he can bark and turn flips.  He’s provided a hug for a daughter who lost her mom by simply laying his head in her lap until she stopped crying.  He’s welcomed the pets of others because he’s so smart and friendly.  He’s won the hearts of countless residents, family members, staff, and vendors.  Anyone who visits our center knows Lucky.

The companionship of a pet has brought out the best in all of us.  Our residents look for Lucky.  They want to pet him, talk to him, and play with him.  We’ve experienced residents in the latter stages of dementia who were able to connect with Lucky, when they hadn’t been engaged otherwise.  They reminisce about their pets and the joy they’ve experienced through this type of companionship.  We even had a resident who ordered out for breakfast every morning -- a biscuit for himself and a biscuit for Lucky.  The stories could go on and on because he’s made such a difference for so many people over the last 8 years.

Recently, Lucky’s mom, Becky Ausmus, our Director of Nursing, noticed that Lucky was drinking more.  Our first thought was that we were giving him too many treats and he may have developed diabetes.  Unfortunately, his diagnosis is much worse.  Lucky has been diagnosed with cancer. His cancer is not curable and his prognosis is not good but we have treatment options for him.  Of course, those treatment options are expensive but Lucky is worth every penny and then some.  Our staff and residents will be holding fundraisers over the next few weeks to help with the cost of treatments and to make his last days as comfortable as we can.  That’s the least we can do for our faithful friend.