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Hello. This is a story that a Doglet, a very good friend sent to me. It moved me to tears and we both thaught that others would like to read this. For those of you who ever doubted how animals affect us or the love that people feel towards them this might change your mind. Here is the story.a little about...Al Sicherman has written humorous food and recipe features for the StarTribune since 1981, and the twice-weekly Tidbits column of food news andtrivia since 1982. He has written a weekly humor column since 1988.The U's Animal Hospital Tried, But Fuzzy's GoneAl Sicherman | March 15, 2004I'm sorry to have to tell you that my swell dog, Fuzzy, the long, short,doughnut-loving, piano-practice-hating pal who brightened my life forthe past three-plus years, has died.This isn't a bid for sympathy: Pets don't live as long as people, soalmost everyone who has a pet winds up at this sad juncture sooner orlater. Still, Fuzzy was only 5 or 6 (I don't know exactly; I got him"used," from a shelter), so his death was awfully unexpected.But although this is partly about him, it's mostly about the people atthe Small Animal Hospital at the University of Minnesota's VeterinaryMedical Center in St. Paul who were so kind to him (and to me).Folks who haven't found themselves sharing their lives with animalsmight think it's silly for so much effort and so many resources to befocused on caring for pets.But for people who know how huge a place in their lives a pet canoccupy, the remark that such an animal is "like a member of the family"is the equivalent of saying that a gold coin is "like money." As afriend said, trying to describe his sense of loss when his beloved catdied, "He slept on my pillow every night for 20 years."Pets fill the holes in our lives with happiness. We choose them once;they choose us every day. Nobody whose dog waits for him in the windowand jumps for joy when he opens the door, as Fuzzy did (except when hehid after getting into the cookies), can help smiling every time.I can't imagine what would be too much to give in return.So when it seemed late one Saturday night last month that Fuzzy, who hadbeen limping and had seen his regular vet the previous Thursday, was nowmuch sicker, I described his symptoms to the two other vets I was ableto phone at that hour. Both said his appointment the next morning shouldbe soon enough.Pressed by a friend to try the emergency number at the University'sSmall Animal Hospital, I was relieved to be told to bring Fuzzy overright away.The doctor on duty had to divide her time between Fuzzy and a dog thathad been hit by a car, and she kept apologizing for ducking in and out.Tests indicated that Fuzzy's liver functions were way off, and sherecommended keeping him in the intensive-care unit overnight, where hewould be monitored until more tests could be done in the morning.Time For TendernessI remember thinking, as I drove home alone at almost 3 a.m., thatbesides being competent and concerned about Fuzzy, the doctor had beensurprisingly sweet to him.Pet-care folks are always nice to the animals, but it struck me as quiteanother thing for the ER doctor to take the time on a stressful night topet and talk to Fuzzy as she examined him.Like pediatricians dealing with babies, veterinarians address the needsof patients who can't tell them what's wrong. A special kind of empathyis needed to do that well -- not only to diagnose, but to calm andreassure. I saw a great deal of empathy in the next few days -- for meas well as for Fuzzy.The hospital isn't beautiful -- the animals don't need decorations. Thepublic area is a wide hallway of concrete block, furnished mostly with afew cheap tables and plastic chairs. But there are also several littlecubbies made of office partitions enclosing couches, creating spaceswhere families can visit hospitalized pets.My most abiding impression is of the constant stream of people andanimals hustling past -- it's a busy teaching hospital, in other words,but with one big difference:Almost always as an animal was led or carried or wheeled by (sometimesin a coaster wagon), off for a treatment or a test or exercise, astaffer or a student going the other way would stop and give the patienta word or a caress or a kiss. It's regular medicine, with all themachines and drugs and tests, but sometimes the patients lick your face.It took me a couple of days to figure out why Fuzzy, who always smelledpretty good (if you like how dogs smell), was smelling even better: Hisfur was picking up perfume from all the nuzzling he was getting. Twomore details: Fuzzy was getting IV fluids while I sat on the couch withhim. I've seen enough IV-monitor gizmos to know that when they beep,they usually need only to be reset. In a regular hospital it's a whilebefore anybody both qualified to tend to that and not above tending toit comes by. Whenever the gizmo on Fuzzy's IV pole beeped, the nextperson who passed took care of it. And petted Fuzzy.And the first day, after I had been sitting with Fuzzy several hours,petting him and waiting to hear what was wrong, a student stopped to askif I needed anything. I asked if there was someplace I could get a drinkof water. She returned with a cold bottle of name-brand water. Irealized later that she must have bought it.The News Wasn’t GoodIt turns out that by the time he got to the university late thatSaturday night, Fuzzy was very, very sick. The doctor who called meSunday morning, and who made me feel, in the next three days, as if shewas his personal physician, told me he was in acute liver failure. Laterthat morning she outlined his situation to me in person. When she lookedup and saw my face, she hugged me.I spent Sunday on that couch with Fuzzy, and because I was on vacation Iwas able to spend Monday and Tuesday there, too, although by Tuesday hewas in the intensive-care unit except for short breaks with me. Thedoctor and several students kept me updated on his condition far morefrequently than that happens in human hospitals, and always withkindness.I don't yet know why he got so sick, and -- although I absolutely knowthat the doctor and everyone involved tried as hard to save him as theywould had he been their own -- Fuzzy died that Tuesday afternoon.Despite how important he was in my life, I have very few evidences ofhim. His leash, his dish, his water bowl, a few chew sticks, a squeakytoy. Dogs don't do worldly goods: We are their most valued possessions.He liked to chew the squeaky toy fast, so it sounded almost maniacal.When I was cooking, so I wasn't spending time with him, he'd walk intothe kitchen squeaking it like crazy so I would throw it for him. I thinkhe thought it amused me. If so, he was right.I will surely get another dog. Not to replace Fuzzy -- that can't bedone -- but to stand in for him. To be another wonderful animal who willbe as glad to see me when I come home as I will be to see him.Just one more note about Fuzzy's care: When I went back to get his ashesa few days ago, along with them there was a small clay disk in a plasticbag. It contained his footprint, next to which someone had printed hisname.And drawn a heart.Al Sicherman is at asicherman@startribune.com.His columns are available at: http://www.startribune.com/sichermanŠ 2004 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.
I am speahlish, I do not know what to say...How can one live with such pain of a mate dieing... a friend.I just don't know what to say..Loseing a loved one hurts.. lloseing a loved one a part of your heart is lost..I know because of hazel.. my horse, my mare, my friend, my lover....I have a pain that will never go away, it is forever pain due to broken heartness...This has touched me so hard that I am breaking tears and I am in a public place right now... I'm trying to hold back... if I was in my room... I would not be able to hold back...
Nothing would have stopped my tears after reading this. I am tearing up now just thinking about it.
QUOTE As a friend said, trying to describe his sense of loss when his beloved cat died, "He slept on my pillow every night for 20 years."It might mean little to others,but everything to those who lived with it* for so many years....(*it = the act of sleeping or something else)QUOTE Just one more note about Fuzzy's care: When I went back to get his ashesa few days ago, along with them there was a small clay disk in a plasticbag. It contained his footprint, next to which someone had printed hisname.And drawn a heart.That was the point when I did burst into tears.. *misses a crying emoticon*
i don't know what to say but i can say this it makes me grateful for what i have
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QUOTE (BitchFool @ Mar 15 2004, 05:50 PM) QUOTE As a friend said, trying to describe his sense of loss when his beloved cat died, "He slept on my pillow every night for 20 years."It might mean little to others,but everything to those who lived with it* for so many years....(*it = the act of sleeping or something else)QUOTE Just one more note about Fuzzy's care: When I went back to get his ashesa few days ago, along with them there was a small clay disk in a plasticbag. It contained his footprint, next to which someone had printed hisname.And drawn a heart.That was the point when I did burst into tears.. *misses a crying emoticon* I burst into tears at the same time.
Cried, yes. I could not read this without a tear.
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Damn i still cant see what im writing... The whole thing made me shiver... I think i gonna go and hug my boy right away...
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Well shoots hon I was crying so hard I could not read the last two paragraphs ...so I get up go dry my eyes and try to compose myself.... I come back to the computer and read the last two paragraphs and cried harder than I cried before!!!! I really miss that crying emoticon too!!! waaaaaaa.... You see its stuff like this ....people like this who I am certain do not profess to be Zoo that make me feel one day it will be different for Zoos.... Will not happen in my life time but I truely believe that as man continues to evolve.... as he continues to discover the scope of his ability to love....as he begins to realize the depth of his capacity for love that it will encompas and dignify those who have choosen to live as a Zoophile..... Hey I can dream.....Wendy
QUOTE (WendyWinks2 @ Mar 15 2004, 10:56 PM) Well shoots hon I was crying so hard I could not read the last two paragraphs ...so I get up go dry my eyes and try to compose myself.... I come back to the computer and read the last two paragraphs and cried harder than I cried before!!!! I really miss that crying emoticon too!!! waaaaaaa.... You see its stuff like this ....people like this who I am certain do not profess to be Zoo that make me feel one day it will be different for Zoos.... Will not happen in my life time but I truely believe that as man continues to evolve.... as he continues to discover the scope of his ability to love....as he begins to realize the depth of his capacity for love that it will encompas and dignify those who have choosen to live as a Zoophile..... Hey I can dream.....Wendy Well then we are both dreamers Wendy as I feel the same way.
Tha was beautiful... though I don't know if the tears are from a an allegeric reaction or some sort emotional thing...Though beautiful and moving all the same.
Wendy ---2--- : Dreams can and will come true! Its only a matter of time and i would be glad if my grand grand nephews will have the chance to proudly say I am a zoo...
QUOTE (Honeyraptor @ Mar 16 2004, 07:40 PM) Wendy ---2--- : Dreams can and will come true! Its only a matter of time and i would be glad if my grand grand nephews will have the chance to proudly say I am a zoo... Every great thing starts out as a dream.
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QUOTE (---2--- @ Mar 15 2004, 08:15 PM) Folks who haven't found themselves sharing their lives with animalsmight think it's silly for so much effort and so many resources to befocused on caring for pets. well i have never had an animal but I understand the bond between human and animal (especially between zoo and animal)
damn, there are some emotions words can't describe and this would be when my dog would die. I would realy have problem to carry on with life
Sorry to hear that,it hurts i know.
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