Major Life Changes

Here I sit unable to stay in bed for more than a few minutes at a time. After last night I thought it would be easier, took me until 5am to be able to fall asleep. You see, I lost my best friend Friday morning. Okay, she was my dog...............but I have had her for 10 years. She was about a year old when I rescued her from the pound, and she has been my friend ever since. She (Honey) was also best buddy to our labrador who passed away 5 years ago. Then she decided she would go with me when I was riding Kate (the horse I had to sell due to the accident and not being able to care for her like she should have been--she was my best friend, too for 17 years) and I nipped that in the bud when on the second time out she started chasing cars who she thought got too close I guess. It was too bad because Dewey (our lab always went riding with me, he would inspect the fields on the way!) This past year I noticed Honey was feeling her years and she got an upper airway infection which antibiotics sort of cleared up. I say sort of because her cough got better for awhile then came back, the next time she had a skin infection to go with the upper airway infection that had come back. Her lungs were clear and her heart beat was strong. After the second round of antibiotics did about as much as the first I checked in with the petmedicinechest.com online for herbal remedies I had heard about. The woman I talked to said it sounded like a fungal infection and I ordered what she said would clear it up. A week after starting the regimen, the cough was gone, the skin was clearing and she had more spunk than she had had in quite awhile. Then she began with the cough slightly again and I restarted the regimen and again all was fine. Then Thursday she began to act strange, hiding in the bedroom at times, not wanting to go out, etc. Late that night the cough began but didn't sound like the previous cough. Then she started with labored breathing. She was having trouble climbing the steps into the bed and moreso that night. First thing Friday morning I had the vet on the phone and told him I thought something was seriously wrong and she might be dying. We went right on in and when he did his exam found temperature normal, lung sounds on one side were nonexistent (now her last exam was 6 months ago or less) and low on the other. Heartbeat was hardly distinguishable. I knew right then I was going to lose her, if for no other reason than the look on her face. She could not stand up at that point and could earlier. X-rays were taken and the diagnosis was unreal. She had lung cancer and it had taken over the one lung completely and was working on the other one. She had about 1/2 a lung left to breath with. The vet said he was amazed she had had no symptoms until Thursday night. While they were taking x-rays I prayed for her healing but felt that that was out of the question so I asked for help to get through putting her down if that is what had to be done. The vet said she only had a few days left and they would be horrible for her which I already knew having cared for terminal lung cancer patients and those with emphysema. We decided to help her to heaven and said yes I wanted to be with her. While she was getting the injection I told her Dewey was waiting for her and that I loved her so very much. A few minutes later she was gone and looked very peaceful. God was again good to me, I have been through this twice before over the years and the first time I know my heart stopped for a second or two and I know I upset her by crying. Dewey was being treated in the animal hospital when he took the turn for the worse and I could not go in and the vet said he would not know because they had to heavily sedate him just before they called me. This time I was smarter and asked the Lord for help. I broke down afterward, the vet is so compassionate toward the animals and their owners it is wonderful. I have never seen another vet so caring or gentle. The first time we went there he talked with all the dogs one by one as if they were people and they were so relaxed they have never minded going back. We brought Honey home and wrapped her in the quilt she spent most of her life sleeping under and buried her next to Dewey. I miss her so much, the lump under the covers where she would sleep at night in bed, greeting me at the door when I come home, sitting with me on the porch..............................I still feel shell shocked. I have never seen a cancer spread as fast as this one did and I praise God for not letting her suffer. She truly had no symptoms til the end and the vet said he was amazed she was as alert as she was in the office for as bad as the cancer was. Anyone reading this might want to check out the petmedicinechest.com. There is a wealth of info on there. Well, maybe I will be able to go to sleep now. Til next time.....................