Reeses

Last Tuesday unraveled in the most unexpected of ways. By 8 am, instead of preparing for the bus, I was racing down main street in my minivan with 2 very worried kids and one extremely ill dog on my lap. By the time I pulled into the parking lot, Reeses was near death, and I was devastated. Our healthy pet quickly deteriorated right before our eyes in a matter of hours. How could this have happened?

In our home, our pets are an extension of our family. We are unapologetic animal lovers. From our everyday moments to our extraordinary heartbreaks or milestones, our pets are prominent and present loving beings that give back far more than what they are given. Tears streaming down our faces, his lifeless body cradled in my arms, perhaps clued the vet to just how important Reeses is to us, but it was no where near enough for him to not have coldly made clear to us that we would have to be responsible for the bill in full if he is to survive, or not survive the night. Every attempt to save Reeses would be documented and charged. If we could not pay in full, Reeses could not have a long shot at a recovery. There would be no hope. Where have I heard this before? Oh, right, for almost every therapy or DAN doctor I ever looked into for my own son Gabe. The price of help for your child in the Autism world is exorbitant, and if you cannot afford it, your child cannot have the services that could help him thrive. The business of helping is a business, it is always first and foremost a business. A profitable one at that. It's no wonder many are denied the coverage they pay into when they do have health insurance, and those without cannot afford the medical attention they need until it's too late...It's no different for a pet. Except, when you can't afford to save a pet you can put them down. Death by lack of funds.....The same is illegal for humans, but it is legal to deny a service needed, to the extent that it's needed, because they can't afford it. How do we continue to justify this?

I left Reeses at the vet that Tuesday and drove the kids to school. Reeses had seizures, convulsions, vomitted non stop. His numbers & vitals had the vets concerned and confused. They thought maybe he had liver cancer, maybe it was bacterial, maybe heartworms....a plethora of testing was done. Vet number 1 gave me no hope. Reeses could barely lift his head and could not stand. But he managed to give us kisses when he saw us and his spirits lifted. My husband, poor man, was left to console me. "Since when do you completely trust doctors?" he asked...."I have a gut feeling he will be fine...the cost? We'll figure it out, you do what you have to do." And here is where I am reminded of why I fell inlove and married this man. It was not his looks (though he is handsome) or his cheery disposition and bordering feminine sensitivity (completely dripping with sarcasm here, he makes David Letterman look like a kitten)....it was because his intelligence soothes me..it was because in my most vulnerable of moments he gives me hope. He trusts my decisions and instincts. He helps me stand up and dust myself off. In my hours of indescribable loss, he holds my hand and lends me the strength I need until I've found my own again. While most men would have taken the needle to Reeses themselves, he looked at his children, he looked at me, and he said "he'll be fine, and if not, you loved him and he loved you, you gave him a great life." The next few days Reeses got progressively better. Friday he was sent home with a slew of antibiotics, a special diet and a ton of vitamins and supplements. Turns out, Vet number 2 has a son on the spectrum and a deep faith in the impact of a healthy diet, vitamins and supplements. Vet number 2 also never took away my hope completely, and recognized the "miracle" of Reeses recovery as also having a strong support system visiting him twice daily, giving him the extra push to beat the bacteria that had invaded his body, inflammed his liver and kidneys 3 times it's natural size, and had left his immune system ravaged.

There is no irony left unnoticed here for me. I know life is fragile. The beginning of the summer left us with the reality of cancer and a recovery from a successful operation. The end of the summer was marked with the shock of Reeses sudden illness and a reminder once again that nothing should be taken for granted. Especially those closest to you. Hope is vital. Love is vital. Gratitude is vital. Life is vital. Respect is vital. Kindness is vital. Support is vital. Humor is vital. The choices we make have great impact on the lives of those we love, and sometimes on the lives of those we don't even know.

Reeses came into our lives as a shelter dog, happy to have found a home. He is a brilliant companion with a personality that towers over his little shih tzu frame. His outstanding overbite punctuated by one solitary tooth protruding out, coupled with his intense stare has lead the most resistant to succumb to his powers of silent persuasion and share a meal with him. Even at the vet's the assistants fell in love with him. It's easy. He is joy with a bit of an attitude and a swagger. He is always curled up by my feet, but we all know it's the other way around. If anything is a endorsement for shelter & rescue animals, it's this....unconditional love is absolutely free of charge with these little guys. The light they give is definitely healing. The impact thier lives have on yours, priceless...............