I went to visit my magnificent Soldier up at Dogwood Farms, concerned about his boarding fees and just for a chance to be with him.  Dr. Robert Jones from Head Memorial has been helping with Soldier’s boarding but I was concerned not to take advantage of my good friends’ at Dogwood Farms efforts to help me.

“Lennie,” Josh said to me, “he is the most perfect dog and he can stay here as long as it takes to get him the right home.  We all love him and after what he’s been through he deserves nothing less.”

I tearfully hugged both Josh and Astrid and sent up a silent prayer expressing gratitude that they are on my support team.

I took two other cases last week, Opal and Pixie.  Opal is a 7-year-old Basset Hound who was off her food and having terrible pain with an old injury when she was struck by a car.  I had her brought to Landrum vet on Friday and visited her on Saturday.  The family promised they would pay what they could if I could handle the rest.

When sweet Kim took me back to visit, Opal was lying in dark wet poop and her back end was frightening thin.  I held her as Kim cleaned her cage and took her for a walk.  She made diarrhea again and Kim took a sample into Dr. Maiolo. On Monday I learned Opal had every kind of worm imaginable and was being treated.  In one way I was relieved for I feared a much more dangerous problem.  I took photos of her as she was being bathed and she looked up at me with those sad hound dog eyes. Anyone who can look in the eyes of a hound dog that needs help and not do something about it is missing a very vital body part; the straw man in the Wizard of Oz might give you a clue.

Pixie is a little tea cup Chihuahua who barely weighs 3 pounds. It sounds kind of redundant doesn’t it?  Anyway Pixie is 1 year old and is the only one of Cindy’s Chihuahuas who hasn’t been spayed.  Sure enough Pixie came into heat and a fight ensued over food, girls will be girls.  Pixie’s eye was torn from its socket and she was rushed to Bonnie Braes when I received the call.

Cindy could not afford the operation to save Pixie’s eye but I learned she was a responsible owner who made payments each week on her vet bills.  I rushed over to Bonnie Brae’s and asked Wendy and the staff “What is the estimate for Pixie’s operation?”  “$600,” Wendy said.  I wrote a check for the full amount, “see that Pixie gets what she needs.”

The next day when I went to visit I learned that Pixie’s operation was successful (thank you Ian) and there’s a good chance her eye will be saved. I got to meet Cindy and Pixie was brought out so I could meet her.  Even with her damaged eye little Pixie was adorable.  As everyone was thanking me, I cupped Pixie’s little face in my hand, leaned in and said, “Now behave yourself, little girl.”  Pixie licked my nose and I said aloud, “Now that’s all the thanks I need.”  I brushed a tear from Cindy’s eye and everyone else was welling up, which wasn’t my intention, all I wanted was to help another of one of my kids.

To all of you who support my precious babies in so many ways, God bless you and thanks for listening.