Dog is my co-pilot.

Meet Trojan, the ‘cancer puppy’ turned Tesla tag-a-long.

Trojan, the Tesla Tagalong

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Meet Trojan, the cancer puppy.

We picked her out in the weeks before my surgery, and picked her up from the breeder the day before. After a marathon session and overnight spent with me, she spent some time with my parents and brother during the six days I was hospitalized - sleeping on my backpack for much of that time to acquire my scent. It seemed to work: she stayed by my side for the entire two weeks I spent recovering at home, as well - and she’s been by my side, living with me on our cabin cruiser, M/V WIN, ever since.

Trojan is a West Highland White Terrier - otherwise known as a Westie. And yes, Trojan is a she. ‘Trojan’ probably seems like an odd name for a female puppy, and I can tell when people think I named her after the condom by the look they give me when I tell them her name. She is actually named after the company that manufactured the boat we will be living on. That company, in turn, was named for the famed Trojan horse. It’s fitting, too, because just as the Greeks’ gift horse had a little more than the citizens of Troy had expected, my body also had a surprise inside... it was cancer.

Some people might say that the day before a major surgery isn’t the best time to pick up a new puppy. I was one of those people. I think my family thought having little Trojan waiting for me would be a motivator during and after surgery, and speed up my recovery time. I think that it did. Regardless, I’d wanted a dog for a while, and a stint as a chicken foster dad in the spring clinched it.

There was a backup plan for Trojan’s care in place in the event my surgery did not turn out the way it did. But since I learned of my cancer diagnosis my motto has become “wait for nothing.” Seriously... if there’s something you’ve been wanting to do, today is the day to put that plan in action. In my case, that meant finally welcoming a puppy into the family.

Why a Westie? I used to encounter a grouchy old man and his Westie on my daily walks when I lived in Orlando. That dog was so happy to see me every. single. time. I have never been a dog person, but that little Westie brought me so much joy! Every time I stopped to pet it, though, the old man would shake his head, look at his watch, and sigh. I wanted to offer to take it off his hands - he acted so inconvenienced by this friendly little puppy.

(Now that I’ve owned a Westie and taken her for daily morning walks for over a year, I understand his frustration!)

In any case, there’s hope that Trojan, my own little cancer puppy, could help me in a battle of my own. Either way, I couldn’t ask for a better therapy puppy to join me on what many cancer patients refer to as their ‘journey.’ Ours will just be a more literal one, as we spent summers boating and eventually embark on a Tesla road trip.

We hope you’ll join us for the ride…