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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>This story was sent to us by one
of our potential adopters… I had to pass along for healing drool to this
family.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>If all goes well tomorrow… they
will have another needy rescue to pour their love into.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Dusty Rush
[mailto:dusty841@bellsouth.net] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, February 23, 2009 7:14 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> webmaster@bhra.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Sebastian's story</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> 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. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> 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. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>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. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> 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.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> 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. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> 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.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> http://www.geocities.com/chastain_fam/mygift.html</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Dwight Rush Jr</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Warrior</span>, AL <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'>__._,_.___<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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