You and Shiloh are, of course, in our prayers.

My "Aunt" Dottie, whom I may have mentioned before here on Pet Talk, was a smoker who died of lung cancer. The long summer she was dying, she told my mother (they were lifelong best friends, born two days apart) that it was okay, she was glad to at least have time to say good-bye to people.

This is your sweet time to enjoy Shiloh, knowing what is coming, but treasuring every quality moment you can have. There will be a time for more greiving later, but for now, just love her up. Give her a great big hug from me, okay? My very first dog was a Shepherd mix, smartest dog in the whole wide world. Aunt Dottie, by the way, *always* had a German Shepherd, my whole life. The first one, though, Kaiser, I never met. He was skittish of small children, and I was too completely fearless to be trusted not to run over to hug him.