As the saying goes, “Don’t wait for external circumstances to change, instead, change yourself.” This quote is exemplified by Duncan, a small dog living in Colorado, USA. At birth, Duncan had a congenital defect that caused his hind legs to twist into each other, resulting in a curved spine. Dr. Brandon performed surgery to amputate these legs.
Despite being a small and frail dog, Duncan amazed everyone by recovering quickly after major surgery. Just one hour after the surgery, he stood up and began walking, astonishing his caregivers. Despite his physical limitations, Duncan refused to use any assistive devices to move around. Even though caregivers designed three wheelchairs to replace his hind legs, the determined little dog rejected all of them.
Due to Duncan’s physical disability, he often faces health issues such as tendonitis, metabolic disorders, and heart and lung disease. There have been two instances where his condition worsened and he stopped breathing, but after receiving CPR, the brave dog defeated death and came back to life. It is known that only 3% of dogs who have received CPR can survive.
Despite having a disabled body and poor health, Duncan is a vivid example that shows us that happiness and joy are not determined by circumstances, but rather by our thoughts and attitudes towards life.
