Pat works nights, Monday through Thursday, so Friday through Sunday are "our days". I don't get a whole lot of chores done on our weekends, other than cooking, whatever chores Pat and I do together (like bringing in wood or working on equipment), and our Ebay stuff. I also don't get much time at the computer (except for our Ebay stuff).
So, on Mondays, I play catch-up with all my chores. Mondays are almost always errand days ... go to town (12 miles away) and do whatever shopping needs to be done. I always have to notify our buyers that their items have been sent and give them feedback and at least one load of laundry. There is also the disaster of a kitchen to clean (which is a 7-day a week occurance with the way that I cook). Plus, I had an extra chore tonight, Pat got a new computer chair that I put together for him, so I'm running later than usual.
All this is to say, I'm tired and that makes me a bit introspective. Frankly, I've been a bit introspective on the subject of giving up too soon for a couple of days now. I wonder how often in life we give up too soon on those that we love ... and lose in the process.
Two weeks ago, I thought Pat and I were going to have to put our beloved Spike to sleep. Pat has had Spike, an adorable Boston Terrier, for 17 years. Last year, Pat was complaining that he didn't have a dog any more, I had stolen her. Spike followed me around wherever I went. However, this winter has taken a horrible toll on my constant shadow. A couple of months ago she started having trouble walking due to arthritis. It has been getting progressively worse.
We feed Spike two aspirin a day in some cheese or in her Mighty Dog. We also bought her some "joint treats" that contains Chondroitin, MSM and Glucosamine. For her size she should only be taking one, but she seemed to get a lot better once we started giving her two a day. She's alert and not in any pain ... she just stiff and couldn't walk very well.
 |
| From Simpli-Country |
Two weeks ago she had a couple of days when she could not walk and her standing was really shakey. One day, when I took her out, she could barely stand to do her "business" and ended up falling in it. I cleaned her up and brought her in. Maybe it was my imagination that day, but she looked miserable and she wouldn't eat. I knew something was horribly wrong when Spike wouldn't eat. The main reason she follows me around is because I do the cooking (and share my meals). It looked to me like she had just given up.
Now, anyone who is over 50, will understand that when we are inactive too long, it's hard to get moving again. If I sit at the computer for any length of time (or anywhere else for that matter), my joints get so stiff that it's hard to walk. Spike wasn't walking.
That day I tearfully told Pat that I thought it was "time." He said that he was just waiting for me to tell him when and he looked up the number for the vet. I called that day to ask for information on putting Spike to sleep, but I didn't set a time. I figured she might be able to hang on until Friday and Pat and I would go together.
Pat suggested we increase her "treats" to three a day, since it couldn't hurt at this point. In the meantime, I started to make her walk and also started giving her massages and working her stiff legs to make them bend ... in other words, doggy therapy. As painful as it was for me, I wouldn't help her to her food bowl and made her stumble to the door for me to pick her up and carry her outside. In a couple of days, she started shakily walking again and stumbling a bit less. Her appetite once again returned to its voracious normal.
 |
| From Simpli-Country |
The past two days, Spike is once again "wandering" the yard when I take her out. She's also getting up on the couch all on her own. The only time she stumbles is when she gets in a hurry and tries to trot around like she used to do. She's playing with her bone again and standing on the edge of the kitchen when I'm cooking (something I didn't think I'd see again).
I know the day is coming when Spike will once again go downhill, but right now I am so grateful that she really didn't give up. I'm also grateful that we didn't give up on her. The past week has been wonderful with my buddy back again. Spike keeps me company in the evenings when Pat is gone, and I give her lots of love and treats in return.
So, tonight I'm wondering, how often do we give up too soon? If we do, will we always wonder if we did or didn't? If we had tried harder, fought a better battle, or tried a different tactic, would the outcome have been different? Spike's story makes me want to not give up quite so easily. It makes me want to keep on putting all my energy and effort into the things that matter most in life ... the people (and pets) that I love.
No comments:
Post a Comment