A Story of Sun and a Happenstance Miracle

Facebook is an amazement all on its own. I try, really, to embrace it and not pooh pooh it. I recognize the fact it puts me on a larger stage than I ever have opened my mouth to… and yet… it is so very trivial at best.

That said, news spreads like quickfire. And I admit in my own Leonine quest for attention sometimes I speak without hesitation or evaluation of emotion. 

Last week I was overwhelmed with emotion for my family dog, Sunny. She was hit by a car and the following day things looked very, very grim. There are a lot of emotions embedded in this story – some of which are not interesting… some of which take too much time to relate. But there were some very difficult conversations and decisions that had to be made. And so the most difficult was made. And I was told at lunchtime last Friday that my father was headed to the vet to say goodbye to our beloved Sunny.

I cried my bit and indulged that Facebook gluttony for attention by posting my sorrow… receiving so many heartfelt well-wishes that… both renewed and broke my heart. It was a tough afternoon, made better by the solidarity of friends’ sympathy.

As I was walking out of the office that afternoon, I received a message from my father. He couldn’t go through with it. She reached up to nuzzle his neck and thus grieved my father to the point the vet was prompted to suggest one more option. Not the best… but maybe… could buy some time.

So, my plans to go out and comfort my parents became a journey to bring her home. She was not in good shape, disoriented by painkillers and anesthesia. She couldn’t stand up. She was trapped by the limitations of her injury. I honestly left there that evening thinking the time bought was really going to be brief.

It’s been a long week for my parents… in some ways getting a baby to nurse all over again. But… I’m happy to say that upon visiting her this weekend, her spirits are somewhat renewed. Her tail wagged. She got up in spite of the orders to stay in her place to nag me for a scratch behind the ear.

So… obviously I want to say sorry for being dishonest… although I conveyed a belief of what really happened. I retained the sympathy wishes because, well, they might still be relevant in due course. But… she is currently restoring herself.

Her leg won’t be the same. She is still 13. The clock is still ticking… but it is ticking… and I’m happy to say the Sun Dog is still weakening my heartstrings with her big brown eyes.

So… my apologies to anyone to whom I haven’t relayed these details. But your well wishes, your sympathy, your love not just of me, but of her is so genuinely appreciated.

I suppose, in some ways, it is a miracle. But… it also shows me that a miracle comes as a consequence of a choice to make it happen that way… and the choice was to keep her with us for a little while longer.