Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LEHI — In the midst of facing health challenges, a Lehi woman and her husband are taking some time to see the world from a pair of adorable eyes: their dog Lilo's.
Lilo is an emotional support animal and came to live with Zach and Skyla Collier in August 2015, about 8 months after Skyla Collier began experiencing symptoms that have yet to be fully diagnosed.
The two were married in Dec. 2014, and it was on their honeymoon that Skyla Collier got sick. The couple speculated she was pregnant due to her nausea and pain, but that wasn't the case.
For the last 14 months, Skyla Collier has continued to feel pain in her stomach and heart. She has been on special diets to determine if she had allergies, taken different medications, endured several feeding tubes and been diagnosed and undiagnosed with superior mesenteric artery syndrome.
She was diagnosed with pericarditis, but it is still unclear what is wrong with her stomach.
As a result of her illness, Skyla Collier is on work and school leave. She said she is in constant pain.
Lilo has started training to be a service dog in the next year or two, according to Zach Collier.
Because she spends so much time with the dog, Skyla Collier snaps a lot of pictures of her. The Lehi couple wanted to share the cute things she does, so they started a weekly blog together called "Adventures of Lilo," which tells the stories of Lilo's life through the dog's perspective.
Lilo's stories include humorous misspellings and interpretations of everyday objects. Referring to Zach Collier as "Dorky Hooman" and Skyla Collier as "Pretty Hooman," Lilo explains her new experiences living with them and the results are heartwarming.
Skyla Collier said she takes the pictures and comes up with the stories, Zach Collier writes them and she makes adjustments.
"Her personality on there … once you meet the dog, it totally fits … what she would say," Skyla Collier said.
Zach Collier said he gets the creative inspiration for some of the unique misspellings by thinking about when he was a child and heard his parents talking about things he didn't fully understand.
"When you're experiencing tragedy or challenges in your life, it's so easy to get caught up in emotional turmoil and to focus on your fears and worries," Zach Collier said. "The blog helps me to focus on the magic and beauty of everyday life. Seriously. Life is beautiful. We take it for granted more often than not, and it's important to rediscover it and be grateful for it."
He added that he's taken on extra jobs to keep up financially, and though it can be hard for him to unwind and let go of work at home, the blog helps him relax.
"Writing from Lilo's perspective also helps me recalibrate and focus on what really matters," Zach Collier said. "I feel like after I read about one of our adventures from her perspective, I'm better able to be present when I'm home and focus on the things that truly matter. And I'm sure my wife appreciates that."
Skyla Collier said the blog helps her focus on positive things.
"It just helps me, because I'm just so grateful to have her (Lilo) around, and so I just remember all these cute things and it gives us a laugh a lot of the times and just helps me smile and keep things positive."
To follow Skyla Collier's journey, visit her other blog at The Life Of Skyla.
