A DOG's LIFE!
About one year ago from this week- I started to get REALLY sick.. I was already dx with RAD/RA and Crohns, but had lived blissfully ignorant, ignoring some pretty serious warning signs. It got to the point, where I did not heed a great physician's advice, when he asked me to allow him to admit me to University of Miami/Miller School. BIG mistake, and I have promised that physician I will never say "no" to him again! Thus began my odyssey of trying to get medical care close to my home. We live in a big city, but, to no avail, I kept getting sicker and sicker. It got so serious, that I spoke with the breeder constantly of my dogs, Hawk, Belle, and Annie. I thought I was possibly not going to survive, and with her help, we changed over the papers on the dogs, to list her as co owner. I begged her to come and get Annie (our youngest lab). She and her husband agreed they would take her, but really talked to me about the fact that they "thought" Annie was going to "help" me get better, and that she would inspire me to get outside and get strong again. In the meantime, I was FIGHTING to get medical care, I was FIGHTING to get heard, I was advocating for my health care, but nobody in my town was listening, and I was losing the battle. Finally, one Friday afternoon, I sat in a local GI's office and told her, "I am a strong person, but, I truly have lost my will, I am too weak to go further- I want to go to University of Miami." I demanded this, Tom demanded this, and on a Friday night, we are finally headed to University of Miami/Miller School ER.(Another story for another time, but I know the physician I mentioned above and his colleagues stepped up that night and put aside whatever plans they had for a Friday night, because that night was the first night I began to get the medical treatment I had advocated for here locally and could not receive.)
Back to Annie, the dog, I continued to try and make arrangements for her to get to her breeder in TN. But, every effort, just didn't work out. Annie did a lot of growing up, during those days, she learned to be un-crated and learned that she was a big girl and had to wait for dad to come home to her. (As I stayed in Miami for almost a week) I came home, and indeed, Annie DID encourage me to get out, short walks, then longer walks, currently my walks with her at this time have turned in to scooter walks, since I am having trouble walking far with RAD/RA at this point. But, Annie- will SWIM and SWIM and SWIM. I CAN SWIM, when it is warm! And there were days this past summer when we swam two to three times a day. I, personally, think the pool is too COLD right now, even though we live in Florida, It IS JANUARY! However, it is never too cold for Annie to swim, and daily, she gets me out into the sunshine to watch her swim and throw bumpers for her in the pool. She has "Bumper Parties" where she retrieves 7 or 8 bumpers, or "Formal Bumpers" where she retrieves one bumper when sent, and then straight back to heel. She knows the difference. And she LOVES those swim outings, and begs and pesters until you get her in the pool! As I was watching her swim today- I marveled at the fact that, I had begged to send her back to TN. And how strongly her breeder, had held her ground, refusing to let me give up, by giving Annie up. Today- I see Annie as being a TRUE service dog to me, as my disease has progressed. She is already fetching up things, and brings them to me off the floor (no bribes needed!) She encourages me to go outside, daily, she will curl up with me on the recliner and cuddle. She walks on either side of the scooter, ignores other dogs, and horses. She turns either way with the scooter, and it only took "once" for her to realize that the scooter will hit her if she walks in front! We are currently working on a down stay under a table, with her tail tucked under, which will allow her to be in restaurants, etc, if needed in the future. Annie sees all of this as a "game", she sees all of this leading to more SWIMMING and running...chasing bumpers, her biggest reward. My biggest reward-- a dog I can count on, true friends in the people who bred Annie, and multiple physicians who showed me they care and allow me to now be a part of my medical decisions.
The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made his greatest gift the commonest. Martin Luther Blessings~ Kim
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