Two years ago today I awoke to my left eye hurting me. I didn’t want to worry Mom, Dad and Chuck Billy, so I tried to keep it a secret. I couldn’t keep it secret for long. The pressure was building in my eye, and the pain was escalating. Long story short, I had to have an emergency enucleation to remove my left eye due to Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis. At the time, I didn’t know what the future held. I still don’t know, as I continue to battle this genetic disease in my right eye. What I do know is two years later I’ve not only adapted, I’m thriving and enjoying fetch and grand adventures again!
Today I dedicate this song written back in 2023, to all the dogs also facing this scary diagnosis. It isn’t my usual light hearted parody. It was written when I was in the angry phase of the stages of grief. However, it also became my fight song, that I wasn’t going to let losing an eye slow me down! Please join me in barking Enucleation, set to the thrash metal band, Overkill’s “Elimination!”
GRPU, what disease?
You told me benign cysts. What’s blood doin’ here?
Blind? You’re kiddin’ me
A second opinion is what I need
Waggin’ in an exam room
Squintin’ even with the lights turned down
Barking at the diagnosis
Forward my results, please to someone else
Enucleation, enucleation
Enucleation, enucleation
Genetic, for Goldens
Not just me with GRPU
Painful, yeah I know
Pressure building, my left eye has to go
I’m rushin’ to the ER
And I can’t get there soon enough
Pullin’ out my eye, is my only choice
There is nothing left to do
Enucleation, enucleation
Enucleation, enucleation
Enucleate my eye
Enucleate my pain
Enucleate feels strange
Enucleate I’m strong
Enucleate my feelings
Enucleate right now
Enucleate gives hope
Enucleate, enucleate!
If I knew five years ago my eye wouldn’t be around
I’d have climbed more mountains, hiked more trails, and covered way more ground
And if I had just one more day I’d take more pictures of my face
I’d play more fetch with everyone, in challenge to this race
I want the cure for GRPU
There must be more that we can do, I don’t care how
It’s makin’ Golden tails droop across the nation
Research the cure to elimination
Hopeless, I won’t pout
Set on a new course to figure it out
Careful, no more!
Last eye wants to see things before they close that door
Spendin’ all that time
And a wishin’ for a little more
If I’m lookin’ at the sunrise
Then I have a new day to explore
Enucleation, enucleation
Enucleation, enucleation
GRPU, what disease?
You told me benign cysts. What’s blood doin’ here?
Blind? You’re kiddin’ me
A second opinion there’s gotta be
Waggin’ in an exam room
Squintin’ even with the lights turned down
Barking at the diagnosis
There must be time to turn this around
Enucleation, enucleation
Enucleation, enucleation
Enucleate my eye
Enucleate my pain
Enucleate feels strange
Enucleate I’m strong
Enucleate my feelings
Enucleate right now
Enucleate gives hope
Enucleate, enucleate!
If you’d like to learn more about my emergency eye surgery or this disease, please visit Asa’s Journey with Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis.
