Welcome to Petey Sellers Secret Society. Are you wearing a cravat?
You’re here, so I guess it’s not really a secret, but Petey Sellers, my corgi-puggle mix, is a jaunty guy who loves the finer things in life, including grilled salmon, striped scarves, and a speakeasy where everyone’s a member. He’s friendly like that.
Why are you here? For essayettes about canine chemo, Bowie, iron-on transfers, things my dog teaches me, and so much more. It’s all a part of our canine cancer journey and includes photos, art, and the occasional song. Yes, I write songs for my dog. No, he does not do harmonies but will howl for treats.
Cancer sucks. It sucks in humans, animals, and sucks the life out of everyone involved. After surviving a health scare last year, I started writing essayettes and making art during my recovery, which was also during the early days of the pandemic. (You can read about that, here.) When Petey Sellers got diagnosed with lymphoma six months later, I turned to those same creative tools to process, stay positive, and feel connected. And the Petey Sellers Secret Society was born.
Feel-good freebies.
I couldn’t find what I needed while going through this process, so I created it. Like the leader of a pep squad, I wanted to cheer Petey on during chemo weeks. He’s brave! He’s a fighter! And celebrating him and making him feel better made me feel better. It was also a great way to process the insanity of the pandemic, solo-isolation, and two major health events in our little family in less than a year.
We made what we needed. And now we’re offering it to you.
Every two weeks, I’ll post a new essayette, complete with photos and art. Feeling crafty? Make your own crowns, badges, and banners for your dog. Too tired? Print these out. Play the songs! Have a Friday Night Dance Party. Because humor heals, laughter is the best medicine, and whether they’re on a cancer journey or not, dogs pick up on our stress. For me, creating is an act of comfort that brings me back to the moment, a dog’s very favorite place to be.
Comment, share, laugh at all the dog poop.
And by dog poop, I mean all the crazy things life throws at us. We’re in it together! Hopefully, we’re not in literal dog poop, but that happens, too. (Chemo is no joke.)
You can always read here, but if you’d like new posts to come straight to your inbox, please subscribe. It’s free! In the future, there will be a chance to subscribe and donate. Ninety percent of the proceeds will help pay for Petey’s chemo treatments/debt (we don’t have insurance), and 10% will go to the Morris Animal Foundation. They do great work in the canine cancer research field. Currently, there’s no cure for doggie lymphoma, so we need them. If you’re struggling to pay for chemo, please read for free and share with anyone who could use it. If you can donate, know that we appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts. Here’s to feeling more supported, less alone, and maybe even a little like dancing. Petey Sellers says that’s what this is all about.
xoxo,
Kari & Petey Sellers
