Wow, Minty, your story sounds so much like mine!!! I have had a rough life, when it comes to men, and 10 years ago my fiancee and I broke up after 5 years. It was devastating for me, and, I could not seem to get it through my head that we were through. I still remained friends with him, hoping that something would change, but it did not. I was suicidal, in my 30's, with a great job but not much else. It was then that my ex-fiancee told me I should get a dog. My brother had a boxer, and Charlie was my brother's best friend. My brother had had a very bad marriage, and came out of it with his son Zack, and Charlie, the boxer. So, I took Joe's(my ex-fiancee) advice and we drove together to look at some boxer puppies. Only one was left. He was huge, very docile and not active. The breeders told me there were genetic problems with the litter, and that one sister had hydrocephalus(water in the brain.) When I saw the large, docile puppy, I did not care, I fell in love with him. When I took the puppy home, I named him Rusty, and hoped that things would get better in my life. At first, they did not. I got a phone call that I friend of mine down south had been killed in a semi accident, he was only 28 years old, and left a wife and 2 children. I was devastated, and took Rusty with me to the funeral. I left Rusty with a few friends, who also had a puppy that had just gotten over the "flu." Well, a few days later, on a Sunday, Rusty appeared limp and listless, and was throwing up. I called an emergency vet, and the diagnosis was parvo. Rusty did not have a very good chance of living, and I fell into a deep depression, thinking why does everything that I love die, or leave??? Well, every day passed, and little Rusty was in the hospital, a tiny skeleton, full of IV's, hanging onto life. As I sat with him, Rusty would raise his paw, with the IV in, and place it on the cage in front of me, as if he was telling me everything was going to be alright, and not to worry. Well, Rusty pulled through, and so did I. My life has been far from perfect, with 3 deaths occuring 1 year apart, but Rusty has always been there. When I want to die, and go to sleep, Rusty prods me to make sure I am still alive. When I have had a bad day at work, or am very stressed out, Rusty's happy smile and loving eyes greet me every day, pulling me up, and making me realize there are other things in life. When my fiancee now and I get into a bad fight, it is Rusty who jumps up on the bed with me, lying close to me, as if to take away all of my pain. Rusty is now 9 years old, and I wonder if I can ever live without him. Looking back, I think he was an angel sent to me, to keep me going, and to help me heal. Rusty, with genetic problems, has had more than his share of illnesses, but each time we get through it, and it makes me stronger, thinking of someone else besides myself. Now, I have 3 other boxers, who are all loving and devoted, but there will never be another Rusty.
How has a boxer changed my life??? Just put it this way, Rusty gave me back my life!!!!
but hey they're boxers - i didn't have a chance 
