Pharmaceuticals 💊 and Time ⏰

**An Olaf Appreciation Post with an Overdose of Pictures**

If Olaf had a dating app profile, this would be it!

A few months ago we had a very scary situation with Olaf that brought the inevitable that lives in the far reaches of doggy parents' minds to the forefront. With the miracle of pharmaceuticals we know that we've been given more time to snuggle his drooly face. Reflecting on those 96hrs I wanted to make an Olaf Appreciation Post knowing that when time does run out we will be too heartbroken to write but the light he brings us deserves a moment of recognition.

Olaf's adoption day! I had to chaperone prom on my 30th birthday, so Jackie and Brian drove to Anchorage on a "suicide" trip to bring him home. For our non AK folk, that means 360 miles south to Anchorage and back home in one day.

Itsy bitsy teeny weeny prior to having lots of Italian linguine! Also adoption day!

As English bulldog parents, we are no strangers to their relentless panting, snoring, snorting, farting and all together loud bodily functions. It is the tragedy of his species. One morning we noticed he was really struggling and as we observed him for a few days it just got worse. He couldn't catch his breath even with the AC blasting. As it got worse we made a vet appointment and when it became obvious he couldn't wait the two days until the appointment, we took him to an emergency vet in our neighbourhood.

One of those "we should stop him" but also "awwww he's so cute." Also miss those floors that we painstakingly picked out for that house!

Brian's favourite Olaf picture. He's a few months old getting cuddles in Jackie's kitchen.

A year later, the pose didn't have the same impact!

Nothing like high schoolers to help socialize your puppy!

The emergency vet here in Arco Felice was phenomenal. So very patient and full of love and attention for Olaf and the several other emergency cases they were tending to. He has a local vet here in Napoli and while we like her, we do feel judgement for bringing a brachycephalic breed to the heat ladened Mediterranean. We've done everything we can to make this transition easier for him including getting up before the sun to walk him in the hottest weeks and isolating him in AC when we are out for the day: the rising cost of energy here be damned.

Post eye surgery in Fairbanks

Getting his final check up with his North Pole vet the day before we head out on our last minute, cross country, drive! He's always very good at the vet

He has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Of which there is no cure but there are pharmaceuticals. Within 10 minutes of them getting into his system he was able to catch his breath for the first time in days. They make him pee far more than usual and they aren't cheap. He had insurance his entire life but they don't cover him here so we are out of pocket now. And it's a lot. So is carrying him up and down four flights of stairs for his potty breaks. However many more days, weeks, months, or years we have left dealing with is "extra-ness" we are so grateful for pharmaceuticals and time.

He's a guard dog! Watching our cul-de-sac in North Pole for the frequent moose and fox visitors

And guarding Brian less then 12 hours on the ground here in Naples while in our Navy Lodge hotel. He adjusted to the ten timezone difference much faster than us, obviously.

He grew up watching curling and with curling background noise and we've made sure to bring that to him here in Italy too:)

Guarding our condo in Pozzuoli. "Lui piace guardare le macchina e persone." his antics have given me many language learning opportunities.

Guarding the Fairbanks Curling Club bar:)

And watching the gelato counter hoping they'll ask for his order

10 years ago I didn't really want Olaf. I wasn't sure I wanted a dog, and the commitment, let alone a drooly, farty, smelly, lazy, medically challenging, potato of a dog. His potty training stubbourness had me asking if we could send him back. But, as dogs do, he grew on me. He has brought a lot of laughter, patience, and cuddles to both of us, but especially me in the past ten months. I've been pretty honest that this process has been more challenging than I expected. It doesn't matter what bureaucratic circle we find ourselves running around, or how long Brian's TDYs are, or how hard identity rebuilding is without curling and school, Olaf always needs food, baths, a walk, and scratches. That routine, and purpose, has been pretty vital to transitioning to this new life.

He has continued to usurp my yoga mats

A few years ago he became triggered by the sound of water on the TV. He'd ask to go outside and then beeline it for the slough where he'd swim with god knows what. So disgusting! Here, when the traffic is light, he can hear the waves crashing on our walks and he wants to go towards it. He will hopefully get a beach day soon.

"Helping" write letters of recommendation for a student

Last year during break up he got loose and went for miles, across the slough, in the very slushy and crunchy break up snow! I was sooooo bruised up chasing after this little trouble maker! And had to have Jenn Sartin come pick us up!

His first venture into the slough when we thought he was going to drown and die because bulldogs shouldn't be able to swim. After "rescuing" him and bribing him with treats he then WENT BACK IN!

If moving 5000 miles away from home has bothered Olaf, he's keeping it to himself. I suspect he misses snow: the early winter snow when it's not too cold out and he doesn't need to have tunnels dug to go pee. We know he misses going to Jackie and Ed's and trips to the Curling Club. No doubt he misses off leash time and even if we were making efforts to keep him out of the slough. But it also seems he's enjoying new aspects of being an Italian English Bulldog. All and all, I think he's still happy as long as he's with us 🥰 and that's a responsibility that we are taking really seriously in his golden years.

Their last walk together before Koopa went to live in Healy with more room to roam. So much off leash time when you live in the sticks of North Pole

Wishing 2020 good riddance, but Olaf liked us being home. We think.

Truly is a tough life chasing sun spots from North Pole Alaska to Pozzuoli Italy!

He hates bath time.

We knew that this would be a one way trip for him. He will be 10 in Feb and that's old man status for English bulldogs. As we sat on the floor crying into his fur, thinking we were taking him in for the last time, I just couldn't help thinking how grateful I am for his drooly, farty, smelly, lazy self. We left the emergency vet with a new lifelong commitment to expensive medications and a reminder that the limited days which remain are precious. We are grateful for pharmaceuticals and time and we are grateful for Olaf's unconditional love despite uprooting him to come on this journey with us.

A cooling towel for Napoli 90 degrees and heavy humidity summer

His last day in the house we built in North Pole as he "helped" the movers get everything ready

Up and down four flights of stairs, multiple times a day, because we wanted the perfect apartment that isn't super doggy friendly. Worth it.

Day one of hotels during our cross country trek. He did so well adjusting every night and it gave us faith he'd be ok in the long run with all the changes we were throwing his way

Wheeling him into the terminal for his military flight to Naples! We were so nervous for this process. He must have been so scared and he was all we could think about on our trans Atlantic flight.