Happy Anniversary Odie

It has been 3 month over a year since I adopted Odie from Thee Fishbowl in Evanston IL. And what a year it has been!

Odie came to me tired and worn. He slept for the first week and was very docile in the beginning. We had our challenges as to who was in charge. We both had our meltdowns. I was helped tremendously by Marlene from Bark Busters.

Odie has traveled with me to Cleveland, North Carolina and New Mexico. He loves to be in the car and sees traveling as a great partnership…even when I steer him into a pole on occasion (by accident!).

One of the things I learned early on with him is that he is an agent of change. Who knows in how many homes he has lived. He is so well trained and understands the nuances of a house (furniture, cats, stairs, treats). 

Odie came in at a time when I was working for myself, having just moved to Evanston and spending a lot of time at home. He seemed to take it upon himself to get me out of the house. Sometimes with him, but more importantly, for longer periods of time! And lo, come October, just 5 short months into our relationship, I had a new full time job at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. And away I go, off to work. Odie enjoys the routine of morning and evening walks and is so much more attached to the routine of the activity instead of the time of the activity. Phew! He lets me sleep in on the weekends.

After another couple of months he made it clear that he was uncomfortable due to the severe glaucoma he was suffering from. He and I made a plan to raise the money for his surgery. I told him that if he really wanted this to happen he needed to spend those long leisurely naps talking to people and telling them what he needed. With great enthusiasm he agreed and within a month we had raised enough money to cover the cost of his surgery (double eye enucleation).

Odie’s surgery was an adventure in and of itself. The poor boy struggled with tremendous pain but came through it like a champ. Every day he still continues to improve and now his fur is growing back so beautifully making him the lion head dog he truly is!

Odie has opened up so many doors to me in one short year. I wonder what other amazing adventures he will take me on. I hope that I can bring as much joy to his life as he has brought me as we continue to grow and change together discovering everything we cannot see come manifest. I believe that we fulfill each other’s dreams, with an occasional meltdown in between.

Join me in toasting my favorite Ph.D. program as I welcome Odie to his first year anniversary with me.

Odie's Eyes Update

Two weeks ago Odie had his surgery. It was a whirlwind few days. We returned from New Mexico on Thursday afternoon and went straight to the groomer where all of

Odie's sweet fluff was shorn away. He was given a surgical shave from his head to shoulders (to prevent any matting from wearing a cone) and a "skirt" was left around his belly and legs to keep him warm.
During the groom Odie would not let his chin be trimmed leaving him with a little Foo Man Chu beard. I also requested a heart shaved on his back so the vet would remember how loved he was (thank you Dave @ Kriser's for such a great job!).

We came home and had a quiet night in anticipation for an early morning. Up, out and at the vet by 8 AM. After I dropped Odie off I came home and brought Ralfie (my blind girl cat) to be groomed. It seems she has quit that job for herself. She has been shaved into a lion cut. She looks like a 90-year-old, chain smoking super model; wrinkly, cranky but so full of style (it was a rough day to be blind in my house!). After that I waited for news from the vet. He called and said Odie went through the surgery very well and had no swelling. He was awake and recovering well. The Doctor was amazed at the size of his eyes. He prepared me for Odie being in pain due to his optic nerve being moved about and all. (Ack) I was scheduled to pick him up at 4:30 PM.

When I picked him up he was very groggy but happy to see me, tail wagging, happy sniffs. I had a down blanket for him and set him up in the car. The vet tech brought him out and we were on our way home. He looked bad. Well, I guess he looked like he just had surgery. I wrapped him in his blanket and put him on the couch where he slept for most of the evening. Francy, my amazing healer spent a lot of time nuzzled next to him on his blanket. He was on a lot of drugs and really out of it. I gave him an injection before bed and it was a quiet night with a 4 AM walk. Saturday he came to a little bit more but still spent most of the day on the couch. Sunday morning he seemed to be coming out of it all, but as the day progressed he was in increasing pain, whimpering and shaky. I found that I didn't have enough pain medication to last until the vet reopened on Tuesday (New Year Holiday) so that evening we found ourselves at the Vet ER for more pain meds. That was the worst night. He was only pain free for about 3 hours at a time so there was a lot of up and down giving more meds and trying to keep him warm and comfortable. He had great improvement on Monday and by the evening was functioning with very little pain meds. Tuesday I went back to work and by the time I got home he was doing very well. Unhappy to wear the cone, but resting. My friend Patricia came by and they had a great cuddle session! He lay next to her and snored away. Ahhh, the other side!

Since then he has progressively improved. He has his stitches removed 3 days ago and is looking really good. Soon, the scabs will be gone and his fur will have grown back. By the summer it will be hard to see that he doesn't have eyes.

Behaviorally, I can see that he is so much more comfortable. He walks with more confidence and is less skittish. The other day he came and nuzzled his little face with mine. He has never done that before. So, this is a VAST improvement from where he was when he had eyes. I have taken him out on some errands and all who know him have seen the incredible difference. He will only continue to improve and get more comfortable. 

Odie has a new lease on life. Thanks to all of your donations I was able to pay for the surgery with the money raised. AND thank you for all of your support. Knowing that Odie and I were in your thoughts and prayers throughout this time gave great comfort to us both. We are definitely on the other side of the surgery but there is still recovery happening. Odie is learining to live his life pain free. We are getting to know each other again in a new way. Trusting each other on a whole new level. I am so happy that I adopted this little guy. He is amazing and will continue to teach me how to be in the moment and keep moving forward even if you can't see what is ahead.

Thank you again and Happy New Year to You! May this year be bright, beautiful and divinely guided!
Love,
Alicia & Odie
(and Francy, Ralfie, Five, Hazel (cats), Fermi and Agape (guinea pigs), and the fish!)

Odie's Eyes

As many of you may already know at the end of this month Odie is going to have surgery on his eyes. He has severe glaucoma which causes a constant low level pain for him and the only way to relieve this is to remove both of his eyes. Due to his advanced disease he currently has no vision so it will be a small adjustment and a big relief for him.

This surgery for this is very expensive and I have been fundraising for the past month to raise enough money to cover expenses incurred. We have done very well so far and have raised $1485 of the $2500 goal.

(click here to donate)

I wanted to share a letter that my dear friend Patricia sent out as I feel it truly sums up the true nature of giving and support. I am so thankful for her words:

Hello my Pet-Loving Family and Friends!

Each year we are inundated with media advertising requesting donations for this cause or that. This week (and it is only Wednesday), I received snail-mail charity requests from PAWS, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, our church (St. Mary's of the Lake), Greg's childhood church (St. Athanasius) and the International Reading Association (literacy outreach). On TV, ASPCA, the Amercian Cancer Society, Susan Komen Breast Cancer Fund and the American Red Cross ads have been interspersed with the nightly news and runnings of our favorite holiday films. And, of course, it wouldn't be the season if we didn't come in direct contact with a Salvation Army volunteer ringing the bell at the red can.

All of these causes are terrific and I personally donate to many of them throughout the year. Despite a few exceptions in that list above, most of our dollars are applied to overhead prior to actually going towards direct services for those in need. I always find it empowering to give to organizations and/or people that use most, if not all, of our donated dollars towards immediate help for intended persons.

Alicia Halloran is an Animal Communicator and a great friend of mine. In addition to her Pet Readings and energy work, she has volunteered countless hours in direct service to pets and their people. She rescued a Shih-Tzu named Odie last Spring. Odie has a severe eye condition that now requires significant surgery with necessary follow-up treatments. The costs of this surgery are a bit overwhelming for Alicia and she has humbly asked for help.

It has been two months today since Greg and I lost our Australian Shepherd, Teague. In many ways, I feel that bringing comfort to Odie is a way to honor Teague, who unconditionally loved and brought comfort to me. Helping Odie also honors Teague's sister Staley, who continues to be a source of joy for us. I have and would do anything for my dogs... Maybe that is why I feel particularly drawn to Odie's cause and decided to share with the people I thought might feel the same.

You can visit the website

https://www.wepay.com/x2tagcz/donations/122183

Through that website you can learn more about Odie and gain access to the account Alicia has set-up to help raise funds for Odie's upcoming surgery. Donate if you can, send positive thoughts Odie's (and Alicia's) way no matter what!

In memory of Teague, in honor of Staley and in great hopes for Odie... and all of our beloved furry friends,

Patricia Clancy

I had the honor of knowing Teague and working with her as an animal communicator when she was in and out of her body. She was/is an amazing light and I feel so honored that she and so many of the animals and people I have worked with are shining down on us through this time. If you can find it in your heart to donate to Odie’s Eye Fund every dollar helps, and even spreading the word to those you know you might be able to donate is a tremendous help!! We have less than 2 weeks to go! I know we can do it with your help! 

May your New Year be as bright as Odie's!!
Love to you all!

Six Months of Odie

Six months ago today I adopted this little 10-year-old blind pooch. Odie started off his stay here sleeping most of the time. Actually I think he slept for about 2 weeks straight. He would startle in his sleep and launch himself across the room disoriented and confused. This went on for months. He launched himself off the bed several times and into the occasional wall.

He went through a phase of territorial marking (pooping around the house) and fear aggression. That scared the crap out of both of us!

I enlisted the help of a trainer, Marlene from Bark Busters, and she taught me how to maintain my space while Odie was losing his. Odie acted out and put on a couple of really good shows but has now relaxed and knows that there is nothing he has to defend. Marlene was awesome in showing me how see him through all that fear and bravado. I also took cues from my cats, who, surprisingly, had very little adjustment to him. It’s like they knew he was coming all along…hmmmmm.



Odie has come to enjoy and trust his new home. We have both come such a long way!! In great words of wisdom my sister Jennifer told me, during an “I hate my dog” freak out, just wait until he’s been with you 6 months! It seemed so far away and completely intangible. But today, here we are the day before Thanksgiving! We bond more and more every day! He eats treats (that took 5 months) and walks very well…. there were some dragging episodes (me dragging him…). He spent some time in a crate and now has full run of the house, leashless, by day and sleeps with me all night. We both have so much to be thankful for in our meeting! Both of our lives have changed tremendously since his arrival.

Odie has begun to snuggle a little bit more and I think we will enjoy the cold Chicago nights cozied up (4 cats and a dog, who needs the heat on!?!). Soon enough it will be spring and we will be celebrating our 1-year anniversary! Until then, we are off to Albuquerque for Christmas. Odie has landed in the lap of luxury and adventure!

Oh MY! It's July!

Oh my, it's already July!
It has been quite a month. June was very busy plus having my pup on top of it all! Odie and I have been adjusting to each other but it is taking time and focus. We are learning about each other and ourselves by leaps and bounds. Our next step is working with a trainer to teach us both how to do this whole dog thing! There will be stories coming about our experience, stay tuned!

BUT I wanted to make sure I invite you to all the amazing events coming up in July!
On July 14 I will be at PAWS Chicago's Beach Party at North Avenue Beach House. I will be doing mini-readings for all attendees so if you are in town come on by, PAWS is a great cause!

Then, the following Tuesday I will be doing an Animal Healing Hour Teleseminar hosted by Seven Levels Coaching. This is open to everybody. I will be talking about how we can change how we communicate with animals around the world and in our own home. Bring your questions and I will give your animal as well as the animals of the world a healing!
I know that both of these exciting events will be full of great stories and energy so come and share with me your love of animals! We need as many people to talk and listen to them as possible. Tuesday July 19, 8-9 PM EDT. $45 Contact Seven Levels Coaching for registration.

Additionally, I am still offering Halo readings. They are an amazing way to clear a ton of energy super fast.  See how your connection with God or Source heals your life and shows you the abundance that you are. If you have animals I show you how your animals are guiding you to have even more in your life. These are open to everyone and done over the phone.

And lastly, a reminder for people who live in the Chicago-land area, there is nothing like a turn on my BIOMAT to solve all of life’s stiff and stuck joints, nervy nerves or any physical ailment you may have. It is an unbelievable price of $75 for 45 minutes (packages of 3, 6 and 12 are also available). You will remember how good your body should feel! Please email or give me a call if you have any questions and to schedule your BioMat bubble bath!
 

Thank you for supporting all that I do! I am so thrilled to have you in my life!
If you would like to share your experience with Healing Habitat please write a review on Facebook.
Enjoy your summer, the amazing warm weather and the glint of your Halo!
In Love,
Alicia

Please feel free to pass this along to anyone your know who will be interested in Healing Habitat. For more detailed information and to schedule your appointment please email, call or visit Healing Habitat.

Healing Habitat's Newest Employee

First, I want to thank you for your amazing outpouring of support in my loss of Moonshine last week. I am always surprised at what changes when a loved one leaves us.  I find that something completely unexpected happens. Something that moves us forward and makes us a little uncomfortable. And lo that is what happened to me.

After a rather unplanned exit of my beloved Moonshine I was surprised by who Love chose for me. He looks like a little Yeti, and is about 10 years old and mostly blind. A sweet little shih-tzu named Odie is the newest member of Healing Habitat.

He was rescued from Chicago Animal Care and Control (an amazing place housing 1400+ animals on any given day, also known as the pound), by a pet store in Evanston called Thee Fish Bowl.

He had been there for almost six months.  It can be hard to adopt out older and disabled animals. Odie is my first dog ever so, actually the fact that he is disabled and older gives me the ability to learn all about having a dog without having to teach him how to be a dog, he already knows! I currently have a blind cat, Ralfie, and it is amazing how similar they are.What is also amazing is that he is gold and white.  Of course I work with gold energy! How could he be any other coloring!

I had come up with all of these cute little tag lines for this introduction but, I am realizing that there is so much more than a cute headline (there is a Yeti in my house). 

I feel that I have landed in a whole new place in society (the Yeti is out of the bag). I am excited to be part of the dog community!

Everyone tells me that dogs are so different.  It is a whole new world but what I have found so far is that he, like all other souls, Odie has more love then all of the water in all of the oceans. A wonderful reflection, and reminder. Create away my little Odie.  

Along with the fabulous addition to my life I am participating in a ton of super fun events this month! If you are in town I would love to see you!

On June 8^th I will be teaching an Introduction to Animal Communication at Harmony House in Chicago. The class is 1-hour long and $20 with 50% donation to Harmony House.  Come and find out what your pet has been living to tell you!

Then on June 11^th I will be at Jookie Studio for the guinea pig pignic!  There will be treats for young and old and a great opportunity to learn about how great GPs are as pets. Find out more about adoption and guinea pig care. You will also have the opportunity to meet Fermi, the George Clooney of guinea pigs.

June 12^th I will be doing mini readings at Red Door Shelter’s Gimme Shelter Walk.

June 17^th I will be doing mini readings at an adoption event sponsored by Pedigree and Anti-Cruelty Society.

And finally, so far, on June 22^nd, I will be teaching another Introduction to Animal Communication Class at Harmony House. The class is 1-hour long and $20 with 50% donation to Harmony House.  Come and find out what your pet has been living to tell you! And come again if you didn’t quite hear what they said the first time! 

Phew!  What a month!  I am super excited for all of these events and to talk to so many animals and people. If you are in town come on by and see what your animal friend has to say!  If you can’t bring them, bring a picture, if you don’t have a picture just bring yourself and a question!). For more information about any of these events follow the links or send me an email!  I look forward to seeing you there!

Thank you again for all of your support in all that I do.  It means the world to me to have people like you in my life!
Enjoy the beginning of your summer and let your Halo shine!!

The story of the Shines

(I wrote this quite a while ago and now I post it in remembrance of three amazing birds.)

A few years ago I recognized that I did not know any birds (this is definitely pre-Easy).  As an animal communicator I decided it was time to get a bird of some sort. I wasn’t familiar with the chat of the bird species. Having them in my home would ignite my awareness of all the birds and I could hear them daily. My first thought was a finch but after looking around I decided that canary was the way to go.

I was told about a bird show somewhere in the suburbs.  Honestly I don’t remember where I was and have never been there since, or heard of another show there either.  I think it may have been one of those magical wormholes where everything is perfect and easy.  An alternate universe, the one that shows us how simple things really are!

The day before my trip to the bird show I met my birds.  They showed up to me energetically while I was brushing my teeth.  All of sudden I saw 3 birds.  They told me they were called the Shines. It sounded like a rock band. They each told me their name; there was Starshine, Sunshine and Moonshine.  Phew, well at least I knew who I was looking for but how would I know them? I asked that they be really obvious to me as I was not familiar with birds and how they went about identifying themselves.

When I got to the show there was only one guy with a huge cage full of canaries.  He said that all he had left were females, which do not sing and are actually very quiet.  I thought that would be a benefit.  As I peeked into this cage I again ask for them to be obvious to me and the first one I see is sweet little yellow bird…that was Sunshine! Then the next flew by. She was white with brown and gray.  And she has a star over her eye. She was Starshine! So, two were ready to come home with me.  And the third, where was Moonshine?  Well, she flew by like Woodstock, half upside down and looking crazy like she was drinking moonshine!  She made me laugh and there she was, Moonshine in all her glory.

 They all came home with me and became the most interesting thing in the world to my cats and me!  We lost time watching them hop around, eat and fly.  They brought so much joy into my home and became an important part of my healings.

Over the past two years the shines have dwindled in numbers.  First Sunshine, then Starshine and today Moonshine.

 




 

 

I have to say that Moonshine was the most special of the bunch.  She was a full singing canary despite all that says the females don’ t sing.  She had her morning song, mid-afternoon song, and her strongest, the evening song. She belted out songs during reading, agreeing when things were coming clear. She laid eggs a few years ago.  She told me that they were her gifts of prosperity for me.

 




Moonshine made the move to Evanston with me and has kept my new healing space well tended.  I will miss her amazing songs but know that she is free and flying,  shining with her golden voice.  Good-bye Moonshine.  You have been such a great healing and window into the beautiful world of birds.


I recently found a lilac tree on my property and have buried her there. Her sweet song remembered through the sweet smell of lilacs.