[Dailydrool] FW: [BHRATrustees] FW: Sebastian's story

[Elizabeth A. Kolenich]

This story was sent to us by one of our potential adopters. I had to pass
along for healing drool to this family.

If all goes well tomorrow. they will have another needy rescue to pour their
love into.

  _____  

From: Dusty Rush [mailto:dusty841 at bellsouth.net] 
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 7:14 PM
To: webmaster at bhra.org
Subject: Sebastian's story

 On Feb 22, 2007, the best dog in the whole world passed away. We had him
only a few short months, having gotten him from a temporary family who were
looking to provide him with a good home. I don't know what all the poor
thing went through before we came upon him, but he had obviously had a rough
life, as was evident by the scars and the missing teeth. And, from what I
gathered, had been passed around quite a bit. I think at one time he may
have even been in your organization's care. We took him home, and he turned
out to be the most wonderful dog. He never chewed up anything, jumped on
people, or had to be entertained. The worst thing he ever did was fertilize
the neighbor's yard. He was happy just sitting near you quietly while you
did whatever needed to be done. When I was working in my shop in the
basement he was always there, sitting quietly nearby. Even though he had his
own pet bed, many mornings I would wake up to find him sleeping beside ours.
He just wanted to be near you. He had his own seat in the TV room where him
and my cat would watch TV with me. He liked cheese popcorn. He didn't like
getting baths but he always had a spring in his step afterwards. I think
they made him feel better. 

 This past Thursday, I noticed him shivering in his bed. He had a fever.
When I took him out to potty, he vomited and ate grass. I took him to the
vet who diagnosed him with a viral infection, gave him a shot, some
antibiotic to start the next morning, and sent him home. He seemed to get
better that night, until he ate supper. Then he began vomiting again. It got
so bed, we had to put him in the basement for the night. He went without
complaining, like the good dog he was but you could tell he was bad sick. I
put his bed down there for him to be comfortable. But, when I got up in the
middle of the night to check on him, his bed was empty. I found him sleeping
on the cold concrete floor beside my workbench, faithfully waiting on me to
come down there and spend time with him. I was very devastated by this,
especially since it would be the last time I would ever see him alive again.
I felt like I had abandoned him in his time of need, yet he was right there
for me. 

The next morning, while I slept my wife awoke and found his condition
deteriorating. She got him to the vet as quickly as possible. Later that
afternoon, the vet called to say he had a twisted bowl and needed surgery.
Because he had recently undergone heartworm treatment he told us it was a
very high risk situation, but we decided to go ahead with it. Looking back,
if I had known the outcome, I would have had him put down, so he could have
went peacefully and I could have been there, but we just couldn't bear the
thought of doing that if there was any chance of success. 

 The vet said the surgery went well and he had a good night Friday. He even
ate. However Saturday, he began vomiting again, this time blood. The vet
said he feared he may have formed a blood clot. Even at this, we could not
conceive that this was a fatal situation. Then, on Sunday, around 11:15, we
got the call from the vet that he had passed away. He said a blood clot had
went to his lung or brain. They said he was heavily sedated and was in no
pain. I wished they had called us to be there, but they said he wouldn't
have known we were there, but nevertheless, I would have wanted to.

 So, that is Sebastian's story. I never knew in 3 short months that I could
grow to love a dog so much. He was my buddy. I just wished we'd had more
time. My wife is looking to adopt another from your society. I don't know if
any dog can ever replace my trusty friend, but she says it is the best way
to honor him, by giving another needy dog a good home. I know she is right
but it is just hard to think about that right now. 

 The vet gave me a poem when I went and picked him up to bring him home for
the last time. I found it online and am enclosing the link to it. It was of
some comfort to me and maybe it might be of some comfort to others. I also
take comfort in the fact that Sebastian is home now, never to be passed
around or in need of a loving home again. He is home to stay.

 http://www.geocities.com/chastain_fam/mygift.html

Dwight Rush Jr

Warrior, AL 

 

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