One Thursday last November we had a meeting at the SOS adespota Vrilission. Back then we used to hold our meetings on Thursdays. I was told that we had rescued a dog that was eaten by a rodweiler but had to operate her and she would be left now with 3 legs. It was only a week that we had lost a little dog - a thibetan pekinoise - from being beaten by another dog to the chest. Instantly I thought - my god we can not have that again - so I volunteered to take her in until she got better.
She spent all of November and up until Christmas inside the bathroom as she was too scared to go out and be around anyone, dog, cat or human. She started slowly to come out of the bathroom mid December.
She had to take antibotics and would have to wash her twice a day with Betadine - her face was getting really bad. She got psoriasis. More antibiotics. More betadine washing. I also had to wash her once a week with a stinky thing that was a medication for the psoriasis
By February she was a doll. So cute, everyone would cuddle her as she slowly started not to fear people or other dogs and sit with me for a whole night watching TV
Then her social life had a steady improvement and she was going out for walks at least twice a day. At the SOS bazaar, she was the star
She also loved playing. Especially with Klelia. She also loved the snow. Would not like to come in untill her 3 paws froze.
Everyone felt for her and she loved the attention
She has been a keen sportswoman and desite the amputated leg she was running in Dog-Bolt levels. After all she was named after Amy Palmeiras who is a speed champion for athletes with a disability, she is also an olympic champion.
This is what Amy was. An olympic champion. From being too scared she became too social and extremely playful. All the other dogs would love to play with her. Klelia, my other dog would literally take her in her arms to sleep in the winter and Zizou would keep licking her.
Lately she was not doing well. Despite the treatments, the attention, the medication, the special diet. She was worsening. In the picture below with Frankie who also left us on Aug 15th...I hope they are with each other cuddling right now
But today, I came home from work and as she was playing with Klelia, her eyes were bleeding. Instantly I knew, it was time. I took her at the doctor, told her goodbye and almost blind from crying I left. She tried to follow me. This made my eyesight even poorer. Dora, a frind from SOS is going to be with her for her last moments. I am waiting by the phone as we speak. Lis, the doctor who all this time tried to save her life told me that there is no hope. She is still playful and she is still standing but from now on she would be suffering. At least so far she has not suffered. It is one of the hardest things I have done. But the thought that she would be suffering till her death was worse than deciding to put her to sleep. At least I did not let her suffer and I gave her a good year. I wish I could have saved her, but sometimes death is just the natural course. Unfortunately we can not escape this fate. What we are mendling with is the timing. And the quality of our last moments. Goodbye Amy, sleep well.
....I just received the call from Dora..it is done. She is sleeping
1 comment:
An extremely moving story.
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