Andy Returns to Normal Life

Dodo eating Andy's food

Andy eating Dodo's food

From the summer of 2009 until I went to law school the next year, Andy had a quiet, pleasant and uneventful life. We enjoyed each other’s company. There were not that many cute stories. A lack of drama was welcome and appreciated. We just liked having Andy around.


He swam with me and my mom. He would spend time on the patio with my mom when she sunbathed, my mom in one lounge chair and Andy in another. He would sit by the patio table when we cooked out knowing he would get a tooty.

I had to watch what I did around him. In spirit, he still thought he was a baby and would try to act like one. For example, I saw a tomato bitten by a small animal and picked it. I cocked my arm back to throw it when in the corner of my eye, I saw Andy’s eye widen and his body crouch as if he was about the chase it down. I had to immediately stop him or he would have sprinted, causing him so much pain the next day that no amount of pain pill could alleviate. There were days he over did it and had to take it easy the next day.

Andy had some bowel problems. He would use the bathroom in his sleep. Often, I’d clean it up while he was still sleeping and he wouldn’t even know he had an accident.

One thing that was cute was watching Andy and Dodo eat one another’s food. Andy knew he wasn’t supposed to eat Dodo’s food. I didn’t mind him eating the cat food, but I was worried about him walking on the slippery hardwood kitchen floors. Andy would patiently wait until he thought no one was around and make a break for it. He was a sneaky little man. I thought it was cute.

Meanwhile, Dodo would eat Andy’s food. Dodo especially loved dog food from a freshly opened bag. What made Dodo’s thievery cute was his standing on his hind legs to get to the elevated bowls. We purchased the elevated bowls so Abby and Andy could more easily reach their food.

Andy and Dodo didn’t get mad at each other. I didn’t mind Andy eating the food. He was losing weight and muscle mass. Andy’s recovery was also a relief to me and my mom. My dad’s health steadily declined. He eventually went into a nursing home and a few weeks before I went to school, he died.

It was reassuring to have my Baby Boy doing well and enjoying life.