Finding a way

Timmy made it through the night. A relieved and grateful dog licked my hand as I took him away from his ICU. So, here we were at his regular vet's office for a follow up. He would have to stay there during the day, while they assessed him. There was not much change in his condition, so I took him home. Luckily, my assistant and my good friend Alex helped get him down from the car and in to the house. It was a most difficult and unwieldy task, given a dog that wanted to walk but could not.At the other end of the phone from San Diego, my husband Dinu made anxious enquiries, helpless and frustrated. For some one who has never really liked dogs, here was a huge melted heart.The poor dog scraped himself into a comfortable position next to the couch where I had decided to spend the night. I was aware all night of his discomfort. Maybe he wanted to go out and relieve himself; but both he and I were afraid of undertaking such an adventure. With daybreak however, it was clear that we would have to undertake this perilous journey down the stairs and go out to the garden. Timmy just could not make it down, it seemed. I went down to the garage to get an additional towel to make a sling , with which I could lift his rear end up and help bolster his flagging nether regions. As I entered the garage, I heard a crash. Running back, I found that Timmy had just sort of 'fallen' down the stairs and with a mighty effort had just stood up. My heart in my mouth, I went to help him, only to see him lurch away into the nearby bushes; and relieve himself. Glory be!The next challenge was getting him back up. It was an hour long effort of pushing, exhorting, cursing and encouraging. A few times he snarled and snapped. Immediately he was so contrite that one had to realize how much pain he must have been in, in order to lose his control.Thus it was for two more days, before some strength flowed into his hips and his legs.We had been through the worst.
Posted by LinaS at 11:51 AM

1 comments:
shobha pandit said...
I empathised with this piece completely cos I too have a pet. his name is Carlos and he is the love of my life. If anything goes wrong with him I am completely traumatised. I have learnt living with him just how giving these little creatures of God are. They cant speak but they tell u a hundred things without uttering a word. Their eyes have it all. Even when he's suffering the greatest pain, he might growl but he never bites! I pray that ur doggie keeps good health and keeps u company always.
November 7, 2007 8:09 PM
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