Remember Little Joe? He's the beagle with the "bucket list," who lives in Rodgers Forge with Kathryne and Essam Shomali. When we met Little Joe, or "LJ" as his family calls him, he was undergoing chemotherapy for Adenocarcinoma, an aggressive type of gland cancer. And he had a bucket list with 15 items, some of which had already been accomplished: No. 4: Eat an ice cream cone (thank you Uncle Wiggly's); No. 5: Bring a donation to a shelter (a women's shelter in Baltimore): and No. 7: Go on a blind date (a Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever, named Jilly).
Since June, when LJ's story was first reported, he has had an opportunity to accomplish a few additional items on his list: No. 6: Bring a donation to an animal shelter; No. 12: Get on the news; No.13: Donate to the beagle freedom project; and No.14: Go for a swim, which the Shomalis tried to accomplish this summer during a family vacation.
The Shomalis rented a beach house in Delaware and according to Kathryne, LJ "is not a water dog. He walked up to the ocean, put his paw in and touched the water. Just then a wave crashed. LJ turned right around and headed for the exit."
However, the most important item on LJ's bucket list was — No.15: Meet Baby Shomali.
At 1:25 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30, Kathryne and Essam Shomali welcomed Ryan Constantine Shomali. Ryan, who arrived seven weeks early and weighed 5 pounds, 11 ounces, had to spend 15 days in the NICU at Greater Baltimore Medical Center. But on Nov. 14, LJ finally met his little brother.
"When we brought Ryan home and they initially met, LJ was very interested in Ryan. He sniffed him, wagged his tail and then walked away." Kathryne said. LJ treated Ryan with the same affection he treats all family.
And while it would seem little Ryan arrived early, one could say he arrived just in time. Three months after completing his chemotherapy, the Shomalis learned that LJ's cancer had returned. "We don't know how much time he has left. I don't want to know. I don't want to think in terms of a deadline or a date on the calendar" Kathryne said. "I wish he had five more years and could grow up with Ryan, but LJ is a senior dog and it's just not going to happen."
"The chemo treatments were brutal. Sometimes he was so tired I had to help him up to bed. After treatments he perked back up and returned to the dog we remembered bringing home from the shelter. We didn't even realize how much the treatments changed LJ until they were over.
It's obvious how much the Shomalis love LJ. For now they are giving him extra love, attention and affection in addition to following a treatment plan prescribed by the veterinarian. And they are grateful for any amount of time LJ has left. "Blessed," as Kathryne described it.