In February 2018 our beloved Golden Retriever Rowan was diagnosed with cutaneous lymphoma, a lymphoma that starts in the skin.  She was not quite 5 years old and this diagnosis set us on a path of learning new tools, crash courses in canine cancer and a very painful yet beautiful journey. A journey that stretched us and challenged us to grow and broke open our heart for more love and more light to flow. Rowan was our third Golden Retriever and until our life with her we had no idea that 61% of Golden Retrievers are diagnosed with some form of lymphoma, in fact canine cancer was so distant from us it was hardly a thought. Upon her diagnosis we dove into learning everything we could about canine cancer/lymphoma.  We learned that life expectancy for standard canine lymphoma without treatment is about 4 to 8 weeks but can take a dog much more quickly since the cancer moves through the lymph system. With treatment, life expectancy for the average lymphoma is about 12 to 14 months.  Rowan being not quite 5 years old at diagnosis we chose to treat her cancer with the promise to keep her comfort and quality of life the highest priority.  We pulled from both traditional and holistic treatments and therapies, working with both a canine oncologist, Dr Aubry at Southern California Veterinary Specialty Hospital and holistic veterinarian, Dr Woods at Integrative Veterinary Health Center. Providing Rowan with traditional protocols and holistic protocols, including Chinese herbal supplements, CBD along with cooking Rowan a special diet.  We combed through the Dog Cancer Survival Guide by Dr Demian Dressler, DMV, which was an incredible resource for the body mind spirit journey that both the dog and dog guardians take when canine cancer has been diagnosed. We also supported Rowan with prayer, positive affirmations, energy medicine techniques, meditating in Dirk’s pyramid, emotional and mental joyful enrichment activities and a tremendous amount of love.  I had been studying and practicing Donna Eden’s Energy Medicine for self healing and found a book for dogs based on similar techniques, Energy Medicine for Your Dog, by Madison King. I was offering Rowan some of the energy medicine modalities taught in the book. Rowan especially loved the Spinal Flush! While we always held intention for complete and miraculous healing, we knew that traditionally while canine lymphoma is considered treatable to gain remission, it is ultimately terminal, due to that traditionally treating canine lymphoma the treatment is to gain remission while maintaining quality of life, not to eradicate the cancer. This is because treatment to fully eradicate the lymphoma would entail putting dogs through toxic dosages of chemotherapy and other cancer fighting drugs and that is not considered ethical, which we totally agree with.  So we maintained a balance of holding intention of miraculous healing while being attuned to her current condition, quality of life and to her comfort body, mind and spirit. In May 2018, 3 months into her healing journey, I had felt very called for Dirk and I to get attuned to Reiki to further support Rowan, supporting both her journey gaining and enjoying remission and to eventually support her journey of transition. Although both Dirk and I have worked in the healing arts for over 15 years, Reiki was now calling to us. Initially I worked with a long time friend as my Reiki Master Teacher, she was out of state and we met over zoom with the intention to travel to meet with her for the attunement. As Rowan’s cancer took ups and downs it became clear that traveling long distance in the heat of the summer wasn’t going to be doable. So we prayed to be connected with a local Reiki Master Teacher and we were aligned with a beautiful woman who took us through the course and attunement to Reiki Level II in August. After our Reiki II certification we began offering Reiki to Rowan to provide her comfort and to support her other treatments. She loved it and Reiki brought us to another, deeper level of connection with her. At the beginning of September we had a consultation with Rowan’s regular DMV, and she hadn’t seen Rowan since March when Rowan had her original biopsy surgery. Dr Krause called Rowan a Miracle Dog, a miracle because other cases that she has seen of cutaneous lymphoma (more rare type of lymphoma), the cancer had taken over the dogs within days or a week. Here we were 9 months since first evidence of cancer and about six months into treatment. While at that time Rowan was no longer considered in remission, as there was some appearance of the cancer, it was still nowhere near as prevalent as it was when we first started treatment. Although she had slowed down and the battle showed on the white in her still beautiful sweet face, I had to agree, Rowan was a Miracle Dog. While she had slowed down, she still had great interest in life and her combined veterinary team all agreed her quality of life was still good.  We made the most out of every day, made the most out of every golden moment. Every night I would go to bed giving thanks for another day with Dirk and another day with Rowan and that I had another day. Her journey was a reminder of how precious this life is. That each of us is a Miracle in our own way and that every day is a gift no matter what…Life isn’t always pretty or perfect, but life is always precious and mostly beautiful. Our Miracle Dog, Rowan made it 10 months since first evidence of cancer, and on October 30, 2018 we kept our promise to make her comfort and quality of life a priority. While she had genuinely been happy and enjoyed her life through her cancer journey and her last day she was still happy, still with great appetite, it was clear that there were no more days left in her physical body to be had. We made arrangements with In Home Pet Euthanasia for an in-home service to help her out of her body. We had used the same service with our previous Golden, Nefertiti and knew we wanted the tremendous quality and compassion that this particular service offers. We knew that IHPE would allow us to make her transition a sacred ceremony, and that we did. We ensured for Rowan’s every comfort while creating sacred ceremonial space, including singing special sacred songs and providing Reiki support for her and all of us present.  Dr. Audry of In Home Pet Euthanasia, the veterinarian who was our veterinarian for Rowan’s transition, said that it was the most beautiful send off she had ever experienced. It was a tremendous gift to be able to offer Reiki to Rowan during her cancer journey and to be able to support her during her transition with Reiki is something I will always be grateful for. “And in the end, it is not the years in a life, it is the life in the years.”  - Abraham Lincoln.  Rowan’s life was not as long as any of us hoped but she had a lot of life and love in her years.  Rowan had good adventures to Dog Beach in Huntington Beach, and countless outings to Carbon Canyon Regional Park. She had a weekend trip to Ojia and Santa Barbara, stayed in a motel and ate in dog friendly restaurants. Trips to Camarillo to visit her grandma.  She experienced the snow in Big Bear and a trip to Oniel Park and dinner at the Rose Cantina in Trabuco Canyon. Rowan had birthday parties and doggy play dates and was my partner in just about everything. She had 4 dog beds, countless toys and ate quality food and we did our best to our ability with her care.  Rowan was absolutely loved beyond measure. As I moved through the first week without our Rowan, it was ever present in my heart to carry Reiki forward, offering this exquisite energy healing modality for humans and animals. Now, with the Rowan Tree Reiki, we carry it forward, in honor of Rowan and in answer to our calling to be of service in this way. Big heart love and gratitude for your presence here, sharing our story, may you and all that you love be blessed, Namaste, Rhiannon & Dirk Barkemeijer de Wit