Twinkle’s eye surgery was so disturbing that when recalled, it’s difficult to shake the image. I can't imagine what it was like for him to wake up and no longer be able to open his eyelids. He must have been incredibly confused and scared, yet he seemed outwardly accepting of his new condition.

The injury to Twinkle’s eyes was recent when he first arrived to me, so there was still a fair amount of blood flowing to them. Because of this, once his eyes were removed, his empty eye sockets filled with blood, causing a bulging effect. It looked as if someone had placed golf balls where his eyes once sat and sewed his eyelids closed over them.

The large black stitching that strained to seal his swollen eyelids shut, made him look like a flimsy white rag doll that continually wept blood. I remember standing by his kennel watching him, and for a brief moment I thought, oh my gosh what have I done to you? As if sensing my terror he raised his head up, looked toward me and wagged his tail. In that instant all my fears were laid to rest.

I realized putting him through that operation was the only option open, in order to give him a chance at a happy, pain-free life; and I have no regrets. This was my first time as a special need parent and I had no idea how resilient these dogs could be. It would have been dreadful not to have given him this chance, because of my own fears and insecurities. This was the first of many times I was totally humbled by Twinkle.