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| PRAY FOR REESE PLEASE |
Last Friday morning, my dog Reese didn't want to get out of my bed. She normally nudges me and snuggles me as I struggle to get out of bed. She seemed fine all morning. But when we returned from running an afternoon errand, she didn't race out of her kennel or bound up the basement stairs. I knew something was wrong. By nighttime, I knew a call to the vet was in order and I made an appointment for 10:20 on Saturday morning.
Saturday morning came and she seemed a bit better. Better enough for me to think she just pulled a muscle and needed rest. So, I cancelled our morning vet appointment. That was a crushing mistake. While she rested all day, by bedtime she was panting hard and was losing control of her back legs. I called 2 emergency vets (all we have is 2 by us) and both of them said they were booked because vets were in surgery for 2-3 hours. Thankfully our vet has regular Sunday hours. I called and left them a voicemail, tearfully begging them to see my dog on Sunday.
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| MY HEART AND SOUL IN CANINE FORM |
I took one of their urgent care visits and we went in on Sunday morning. By this time, Reese was dragging both her back legs. She was in severe pain. The vet took x-rays and found a disc that was a bit thinner than all the rest between L5 & L6. He recommended us to send the x-rays to a surgeon. We went home with meds and a very drugged dog and waited for the surgeon to call.
While we waited, I put a plea for prayer out on Facebook, despite my hiatus. Then the surgeon called and said we needed an MRI. But the U of M wasn't open until today. I called a number of emergency places to see just who does MRIs on dogs in the Minneapolis area. None were open, but most told me that the price would be around $2000 for the MRI alone.
I knew at that moment alone that Reese's days were numbered unless a miracle happened.
Friends, I'm begging you to pray for that miracle!
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| I THINK THIS MAY BE THE ONLY PHOTO OF REESE AND I TOGETHER. SHE ALWAYS LOVED SITTING AT THE TABLE WITH US. ALWAYS WITH HER MAMA |
Reese is on steroids to reduce the swelling and on a pain killer too. She is confined to the kennel until I carry her out to the dog run to attempt going potty. She'll do it, but she can't squat, so she in essence has to sit in it, unless I hold up her back and and compress her bladder, but even that she fights. Yet she has wet in her kennel, so she can still do it on her own. And that is a good sign!
Please pray that the meds are the miracle that we need!
Reese is turning 3 this month. Three. She is still a youngster with a lot of life left to live. But at the prices we are looking at, the only thing we can possibly afford is the sad, painful, heart crushing alternative of a humane "good bye."
We've prepared our boys. We've all sobbed and sobbed until we are numb. I made 3 salt-dough ornaments with Reese's paw prints.
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| I ADORE THIS PICTURE! THOSE GIANT EARS! SHE ALWAYS KNEW WHERE HOME WAS AFTER A LONG WALK. |
Today I called multiple places and the dollar totals are over $5000 if we wish to proceed surgically. This is something we cannot fathom.
Today I called my last hope -- a chiropractor who works on dogs. It's a cheap help, in comparison to surgery. We talked at great length and he said it's a really good sign that she has the ability to go potty and that those nerves haven't been effected yet. Tomorrow at 11:30 am is our appointment. I ask you to be in prayer that the doctor sees hope that his treatments will help. He told me that he has seen it happen with a dachshund he has as a patient who is walking happily after a month of treatment. I have hope, yet we are indeed prepared for the horrifying alternative.
To make a long post longer, I need you to understand why this dog means more to me than most. Raising a daughter with RAD takes it's toll on a mother. I have my own diagnosis which I hope will never be a permanent one. Having a daughter whose emotions are not in check, who is defiant at every turn and who is unable to accept or show love is agonizing. Enter: Reese. Reese was the dog that I didn't want. She was dumped on my doorstep as a stray in San Antonio. Jay fell in love very quickly and I was hesitant because I knew all the potty training and obedience would fall on me. I would be hard pressed to ever say no to a dog, but even I was shocked to reluctantly agree after a week or so in our home. Reese has been my dream girl! She adores me. She has been so easy going and happy! She is smart and loving and beyond loyal. But what's more, she has intuition to know when I am having a horrible day with my daughter and she is always up next to me, on the couch or in my bed snuggling me, licking me, giving me the love-struck brown puppy eyes. She gets me like no one else. She's truly my emotional support animal! She has saved my life in ways I'll never be able to express in words. Life without her would be crushing to me. It would be removing my heart and soul, a piece of me that I never even knew existed.
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| THOSE FIRST FEW MOMENTS MEETING REESE. A NEIGHBOR IN TEXAS FOUND HER AND THOUGHT SHE WAS MINE. I NEVER KNEW THIS FUNNY LOOKING PUP WOULD BE MY DREAM GIRL. |
So, I'm begging you to pray for the miracle of medicine and chiropractics and above all, God's hands of healing on my Reese's back. We don't have much time! Despite pain meds, she hurts. She cannot walk. Please, please, please pray! I believe in the God of miracles!
[And just a note to those of you thinking, "Just set up a Go Fund Me account and raise the cash." Having already adopted internationally with thanks to so many donors like yourselves, I cannot and will not ask for money for a pet. Yes, to me, my heart and soul is more than a pet. But I still cannot and will not ask for that because it doesn't feel right.]
Please, Jesus! Heal my Rees-y Girl on this earth! Please! We need her and we adore her!
