"Don't be afraid of the day you have never seen." English Proverb

How much time do you devote to worrying, panicking, fretting or stressing over something that is in the future? Do you worry about the logistics for getting family members from here-to-there? Or worry about a pending business deal? Or worry about health issues that may or may not be?

I can only imagine the strength we would all have if we corralled all of the energy spent on "days we have never seen" and spent that energy positively in the present.

Since May 1, I have been very occupied with an ill dog. My golden, Sage, is almost 4 and became violently sick the day before I was to leave on vacation. She had 5 seizures in 24 hours and was taken to the "Puppy ER." To make a long story short, she has blastomicosis in her brain, lung, eyes, and skin. I decided that we should attempt to treat the disease since she is not in pain. I was fortunate that my best friend and mother were able to coordinate the 2-hour drive and care for her while I was away. At first, the treatment seemed to "take" but then a few days later she was absolutely listless and could not even walk. The day I was coming home, they took her to the ER once again. I would not be arriving home until late that evening.

I spoke with the doctor over the phone. His voice was not optimistic. I was en route back from my vacation and although he did not say it directly, I believe he felt there was little hope for survival. I asked if she would get to come home. He said that he was not sure but if she didn't improve quickly, decisions would need to be made in the next couple of days. Again I asked if she was in pain and he said she was not, but that she was mentally "out-of-it" and seemed somewhat depressed. When Sage first came down with these symptoms we did not have any idea what it was. She had been a perfectly healthy purebred up to that point. I quickly agreed to a full and expensive workup, including an MRI as I wanted to know what was behind this sudden change and if there was anything that could be done. It was the right choice the vet later told me or she would have been misdiagnosed as epileptic. All the signs pointed toward epilepsy and the only way to find the blasto was the chest x-ray, MRI and bloodwork. I researched the condition on the internet, as did my friend, and learned that treated animals had a 65% recovery rate--although it is lower in dogs that have as many areas involved as Sage does.

After learning how severe it had gotten from the vet, I hung up the phone and wanted to cry. I held it together since I was standing in the security checkpoint at the airport. Then I stopped myself. While the doctor might have a prediction--tomorrow wasn't here yet. Getting lost in "tomorrow" and fearing the worst certainly wouldn't do any good.

That day, they started giving Sage a small dose of steroids to reduce swelling in her brain which they thought might be responsible for the temporary paralysis. We agreed to talk the next morning. It seemed like she would be staying indefinitely and if that was the case I planned to drive down and see her.

When the doctor called the next morning he shared that amazingly Sage was standing up again. She had been listless when he left but now she was standing and walking around on her own. When we talked the following day, he said I could come and take her home. While she is far from out of the woods, they were not providing any care that couldn't be provided in the home. The vet said she seemed depressed and going home would be good for her. My friend and I cheerfully made the trip to pick up Sage. While I had not seen her in her worst state, my friend had, and was amazed at the difference.

I am writing this on Sunday while Sage is lying by my legs with her chin on my foot snoring peacefully. The two days she has been home have brought remarkable improvement. Today she was running with the other dogs, chewing on a nylon bone and she even climbed up into her favorite chair next to me.

"Don't be afraid of the day you have never seen."

When this quote came through last week from a reader, it really resonated with me. When we live with fear, we make room for fear to take up residence and stay in our lives. When we live with strength, we make room for strength. I know which partner I would choose.

Sage has a battle ahead of her, but she doesn't seem afraid of tomorrow or any day ahead. In a couple of weeks we will return to Madison for another MRI so they can see if the treatment is working and if we can expect a full recovery. I would appreciate your prayers for her.

As for me and my best friend, we expect a full recovery from Sage the Super-Dog with the positive-tail-wagging attitude. In the interim, she is reminding all of us who know her, not be afraid of the days we have not seen.

Try It! Where in your life do you fear, stress or worry about something upcoming? Realize that doing so makes the event or outcome more likely to be negative since you are embracing fear, stress or worry. Let each day unfold as it will and keep your energy and focus on making a positive difference today.