SIESTA KEY — For the past 11 years, Tracy Jackson has done everything with her dog Chancellor by her side.
“We have hiked all over Las Vegas and the mountains of the Red Rocks in Utah," Jackson said.
In October 2018 he was diagnosed with lung cancer.
“It was a very tumultuous time for me because he is my very best friend in the whole world, my soulmate, definitely, since we’re both going through this together," Jackson said.
In April, Jackson was diagnosed with breast cancer, and Chancellor’s cancer came back halfway through her chemo.
“I really feel like it’s such a blessing because we’re able to go through this together," Jackson said.
Just when Jackson thought their bond couldn’t get any stronger, cancer proved her wrong.
“Having to give him pills 5 times a day, it was torturous. It’s actually harder for me knowing that his cancer is back than dealing with my own cancer, which I know to a lot of people might sound strange, but they’re unconditional," Jackson said.
She says just as much as she took care of chancellor, he took care of her.
“After a treatment I slept for 12 hours; the dog never leaves my side. He’s there the whole time in bed with me," Jackson said.
Chancellor’s chemo pills made him sick, and Jackson hated watching him suffer, so she took him off the pills. Her vet told her he only has a few months left.
“What we’re gonna do is rent a RV between my chemo and radiation and drive to South Carolina and hike some mountains and camp for a week," Jackson said. "I want to do that with him before he goes.”
She says she’s scared to lose him, and scared of her own cancer coming back one day.
"But you just have to find the daily blessings in life, and there’s some place better that we’re all gonna go that’s cancer free," Jackson said.
Jackson finished her chemo and she and chance are going on their RV trip next week.
