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Saturday, September 18, 2010

A Valiant Trouper



You have probably read about Gael's ongoing issues with old dog vestibular disease. This is a syndrome that supposedly clears up in time, but Mike had and she has almost constant recurrences, which are a misery. Gael was so bad just a few days ago that she simply couldn't eat or walk and we were thinking that the time had come. She hadn't had a good day in weeks and it was obvious that she was miserable.

Then from one day to the next she got just enough better to eat again and to do silly things that she has never done before.

Like Thursday afternoon when Liz and I were heading out to pick up Becky from work. We were just leaving the back of the house in the Durango when Liz said, "Mom, Gael is following us."

I said, "Speed up quick and get out of her sight. She'll stop."

I mean the dog has cataracts so bad she can see about three inches in front of her nose and you have to bellow to call her from a yard away. How could she follow the car?

"She's still coming."

"Quick, go around the corner out of sight. She'll go back."

"She's still coming."

"Drive down between the big trees and wait. She'll go back.

"Uh, ma, look back."

"Oh, all right. Pick her up and put her in the back. She can go with us."

So the old dog who used to live for rides in the car (yeah, the same dog that chased the rear windshield wiper and then ate the rear seat belts in frustration when she couldn't catch it), got an unexpected ride yesterday. She was too tippy to stand and watch out the window like she used to...and can't really see anyhow...but she curled up in her tiny little ball, which seems to give her the most relief from the ODVD and lay there all comfy until we returned. Liz lifted her out of the back and she toddled up on the porch smug as can be.
She knew.

What can I say? What a dog!

11 comments:

Dani said...

I'm so glad she has you all for her family.
Good people make all the difference in a dogs life.

June said...

The beauty of getting to be An Old Beloved Dog is that y'still get t'do the things that you always loved.

Linda said...

Smart dog! Kit came with us yesterday (she's the old girl at our place) to work cattle......14 miles and lots of back and forth stuff in bettween. She got ice cream for dessert last night too. She hasn't been going on long trips but insisted yesterday.

Jan said...

At this point every day is precious.

Jeffro said...

Awwww....

Cathy said...

Ok. I'm fighting tears.

Girl. You can break a heart and make a person smile at the same time.

That's fine writing.

Teri C. said...

A delightful read. Good for her...and she will let you know when its time (I know you know that), but glad to hear that she's partaking in life in ways that she enjoys.

threecollie said...

Dani, I am happy that she gets at least a few more good...or goodish...days. She is such a clown

June, she sure made us laugh with her determination

Linda, Wow! That is some trek! Gael makes it to the barnyard gate but...

Jan, they are exactly that

Jeffro, yeah, it made my day

Cathy, thanks, she is such a funny old girl. I am grateful for a good day thrown in now and then.

Teri, thanks, she surprised us so much...she knows better than to follow the car and she can barely totter along, but she was trotting, staggering all over the place, but trotting...

Shirley said...

Determined, wasn't she. Old dogs are precious.

DayPhoto said...

You know, animals know what they want and she got it. I just love animals, and old dogs really do have my heart.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/

threecollie said...

Shirley, she is such a tough girl!

Linda, she is such a pistol! I feel so sorry for her bad days.