This was written by Heather... Bella's person.
Some time during 2006, I received a postcard in the mail promoting a new pet photography business, LaMuse Photography. As a fanatic dog-lover and proud mama to a year and a half old Portuguese Water Dog named Bella, I decided a series of Bella photos would make the perfect Christmas gift for my husband, Rob (okay, it was a slightly self-serving gift, since I was dying to have photos taken of Bella, but Rob ended up liking it, too!). Dana’s shoot with Bella at Larz Anderson Park was fun for all of us, though I feared none of the photos would turn out, since Bella was such a nut! My concerns were unfounded, however, and the shots were amazing. Several of them grace the walls of my home, and I even had a box of notecards printed featuring my favorite Bella headshot.
Fast forward three years and Bella is a proud big sister to a new (human) baby girl named Berit. After the first few difficult months passed, and I finally felt ready to have some photos taken of our new addition, I naturally turned to Dana, knowing that if she could capture my rambunctious four-legged “firstborn” on film, a six-month old baby would be no trouble for her at all. Several friends and family members have told me that the shot Dana captured of Bella and Berit propped on our bed is the best Christmas card they have ever received. I may be a little biased, but in my opinion it is without of doubt one of the most adorable photos ever.
Last summer, I had the pleasure of calling on Dana again to photograph our family. We had a fun photo session at Castle Island, and Dana took some beautiful shots, but I had a knot in my stomach the entire morning. The day before, I had taken Bella to our vet, thinking (and hoping) that I was a complete hypochondriac for my concern about what felt like swollen lymph nodes on Bella’s neck. The day after we had our photo shoot with Dana, we received the devastating phone call confirming our fears -- Bella had lymphoma. The following day she started chemotherapy at New England Veterinary Oncology Group (NEVOG). Just a week later the veterinary oncologists there proclaimed that she was in remission. Bella’s five-month chemo protocol ended on December 15, 2011, her seventh birthday.
Sadly, two weeks ago a routine follow-up at NEVOG revealed that Bella’s lymphoma had returned, just three months after her final dose of chemotherapy drugs and eight months after her initial diagnosis. Coincidentally, Dana emailed me a day or two later to follow-up on some photos she had put together for Rob’s Christmas gift. Knowing what a dog-lover she is and the special place Bella holds in her heart, I shared our sad news with her. Dana immediately asked if she could do another shoot so that we would have some current photos of Bella and Berit, and that brings me to today. The four of us had a fantastic morning back at the place where it all began, Larz Anderson Park. Dana, we are thankful for your friendship and for all of the special memories you have documented for us over the years. Words simply cannot express my emotions, which makes me all the more grateful that your pictures do!
Sadly Bella did not beat her battle with cancer. You were a good girl Bella.... good girl.
