I KNOW HOW HE FEELS

This is dedicated to my Facebook friend, Dennis. Dennis recently had the hard task of ending the life of his loved dog, Dexter. I know how the feeling is. A dog is not just a dog, it becomes a member of the family when you bring it into your life.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              The two dogs shown here are my last two dogs. The one on the left is Isabel (Izzy) that I got in 1995. My wife and I went to visit family in North Carolina for Christmas. My son at the time was away in the Mediterranean with the Marines. My daughter-in-law told me to close my eyes as I sat on the sofa. She laid something in my lap and when I opened my eyes I looked into the eyes of a sweet black and white, beagle/lab mix. She had a red ribbon around her neck. Izzy was so sweet and she filled my life with happiness for many years. In 2004 she became very sick and an emergency operation was needed. We took her to the animal hospital. The operation was done and she woke up for about twenty minutes before her heart stopped. My Izzy that I loved so much was dead. I couldn't eat that night and I cried when I thought of her for the next six months. Finally I was able to think more of the good times and the memories of her love that can never be taken away from me.

The dog on the right is my present dog, Cookie. We adopted Cookie from an animal rescue site. After we got her she had violent seizures. Some people may have immediately taken her back to the site. I knew she needed help and after taking her to the vet it was determined that she had epilepsy. We got her on medication and now she gets a mild seizure once in a while. A few weeks ago she got very sick with diarrhea and vomiting. She wouldn't eat and was very weak. We got her to the vet and they kept her and after the first day she didn't look good, she was getting weaker. She was transferred to another vet hospital where she spent two days. She was getting somewhat better, but far from her normal self. My wife and I got to thinking about Izzy and the heartbreak we felt. Cookie then went back to the first animal hospital where she spent two more days and one night. After taking her back there the vet said they needed to do an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed that her gall bladder and her pancreas were inflamed and bile was built up in her gall bladder forming like a sludge. It was very serious. They put her on medication for gall bladder disease and she started improving. She came home finally and was on seven different medications. After a week she was getting much better and is now down to two medications for the rest of her life. It cost us $2,500 a few weeks ago and so far $5,000 for the year. Cookie means everything to us.

The love between a dog and the owners are a bond that is amazing. Those little four legged friends give so much love and make a home seem complete. When Cookie was in the hospital for four days and three nights the apartment seemed so empty.

I know the feeling Dennis has and I know that it takes much time to heal. He has lost a family member. It took me a long time before I got another dog, actually almost 9 years. However we had a cat that we also had the same time we had Izzy, so it eased the pain until her death in 2010. We moved to a different city in 2013 and I wanted a dog again. That is when Cookie came into our lives. Yes, she has health problems, but we will do everything in our power to see that she gets the care that she needs.

Dennis will have that pain of loosing Dexter for a long time. I'm sure he will get another dog again. He can't replace Dexter just like I couldn't replace Izzy. Each dog is different, with different challenges. Some day Dennis will cross rainbow bridge with Dexter just like I will cross it with Izzy. Love is what it is all about. All I can say to Dennis is to keep looking back at the times he had with Dexter. Memories can never be taken away. I lost Izzy twelve years ago, but I look at her urn every day and smile at the times we had together.

Copyright  Larry W. Fish   2016

                       

ORDER FOR CHRISTMAS

                                                                              

                      

                           

Christmas time is just around the corner. Many people like to read and they know other people that like to read as well. This year think about giving a book to those who like to read. I have four choices that you can choose from.

Golden Haze, is the story of a four legged angel with a special power to heal. It is also the story of demons and how a family is terrorized in their new home.

Walk to Love, is the story of a man that was in deep depression after the death of his first wife. God enters his life and sends him on a walking journey across America that changes his life forever.

Wilderness Passion, is the story of a man that went through a horrible experience in war. After returning home the emotional stress was more than he could bear. He left family and civilization and walked deep into the forest of Minnesota where he lived for years without seeing anyone. Finally his life is changed after meeting two men.

Out of the Darkness, is the story about school bullying. Something that every student, parent, and teacher should be concerned about. I wrote this novella by looking at the side of the bully as well as the one being bullied.

You have four books to choose from. They are all available at amazon.com in paperback or kindle editions. Consider purchasing them for yourself, a family member, or a friend. I firmly believe that although these books are fiction they will make people think about how they can be looked at in reality. I love to entertain my readers and get them to let their mind wander to out of the ordinary.

The link to purchase my books is:  amazon.com/author/larry_w_fish

Thank you all for your support and I hope you enjoy the journey that my words will take you.

Copyright   Larry W. Fish   2016

COOKIE

It was over 3 1/2 years ago that my wife and I adopted a cute little beagle from an animal rescue site. Cookie had been abused and abandoned and seemed so shy and scared. I took one look at her sweet face and I was immediately in love with her.

We took Cookie home and in a few days she was having violent seizures. Should I take her back to the site and ask for my money back. I never gave it a second thought, this little dog was now mine, she needed help and I was going to take care of her. Her seizures were violent up to 4 a day. I got her to the vet and it was determined that she has epilepsy. We got her on phenobarbital. Her seizures are under control. She still gets a seizure once in a while, but they are fairly mild. I get on the floor, hold her, talk to her, and keep her safe until the seizure is over. I love her and she loves my wife and I.

Since August she has had three bouts with diarrhea. About two weeks ago she got diarrhea bad and was vomiting every half hour or sooner until we could get her to a vet. She wouldn't eat, she was very weak, and she was sicker than I had ever seen her. She was in two vet hospitals for four days and three nights. She was getting better after a couple of days, but still refused to eat. Our vet said the only way to be sure was to do an ultrasound. She was given the ultrasound and it was determined bile was built up in her gall bladder forming like a sludge. Her gall bladder was inflamed and also her pancreas. She was a sick little girl. She was put on  medication and for the next week she was taking seven different medications. However, she was getting better and is now home with us.

Cookie also had an operation in the spring to remove a lump on her belly. So far this year her vet bills have totaled almost $5,000 and $2,500 of that was for her last health problem. Her vet bills are staggering for two people living on Social Security, but Cookie will continue to get the care that she needs. She will be on two different medications for the rest of her life, the phenobarbital to control her seizures and ursodiol for her gall
bladder.

I have opened a gofundme account to help to recover some of the costs that we have have been hit with this year and continue to give her the care that she needs and deserves. If you can make a donation to the gofundme account my wife and I would greatly appreciate it. The link to her account is: gofundme.com/2t5yr6c

No donation is to small and we are thankful for any help that you can give us.


Copyright  Larry W. Fish   2016