Justine Martin, 54, lives in Geelong, Australia, and has two adult children. She struggled with profound loneliness after her children left home and lacked a partner for support, leaving the house quiet and time unstructured. After entering remission from cancer in 2018, she recognized the emotional role a dog had played in her life and adopted a mini dachshund, Pansy, who became a constant companion. She engaged in therapy to cope, discovered new activities like artwork and travel, and deliberately filled her days without waiting for someone else to create happiness, though occasional sadness persists.
I felt so alone. I had so much time on my hands that I didn't know what to do with it. As a sole parent, I didn't have a partner to fall back on. The house was deadly quiet. I had to find a way to deal with my loneliness Once I went into remission from cancer in 2018, I realized his dog had filled such a void for me - it was time to become a mom to a furbaby myself.
Dachshunds are very needy. She follows me literally everywhere - even to the toilet! I found new ways to fill my time I didn't wait for someone else to make me happy No one tells you how it'll feel when you suddenly become an empty nester, and I was under-prepared. That's why therapy was so helpful. However, sometimes I still get sad, thinking about how my children are all grown up and that phase of life is over.
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