I guess I realized this before, but yesterday it really hit me.
You see, I have a dog that I absolutely love. His name is Turbo. He doesn't know he's a dog and I seriously believe that he is offended whenever he is called a dog. Never the less he is indeed a dog. Yesterday I took him to the vet to have stitches removed from his leg after a surgery a few weeks back. Torn ACL that needed repaired. Yes. In a dog.
While sitting in the waiting room for our turn I was visiting with an older gentleman who was there without an animal. I didn't ask WHY he was there but enjoyed visiting with him about his ranch dog. While we were visiting a man in his Thirties came out of the back office obviously crying and upset. He walked straight out to his truck where he leaned on the hood and looked away from the buildings. Everybody in the waiting room got quiet. Some pet their animals knowingly and loveingly. I'm sure all felt the sorrow he was going through. From the back office you could hear the doctor talking quietly with somebody and apologizing for not being able to do more for them. A man's voice said that he understood and agreed that "It was for the best". The back office door opened and an older man sadly walked out with his head down and his hands in his pockets. He walked to the man by the truck and gave him a hug before they both climbed into the truck and drove away.
Nobody in the waiting room said a thing. I'm sure everybody was thinking that the scene that had just played out could easily be them some day. It stayed quiet for a bit before puppies started getting playful and people started chatting again.
Soon it was time for us to go to the back. While we again waited for the doctor one of his girls removed a black cat from a kennel in the overnight treatment area that was visable from my room. She cuddled the cat and stroked it gently as she spoke with the Doctor about letting his master come in and visit with him. I then heard the older gentleman I had been visiting with talking to the doctor as he no doubt held his cat in his farm weathered hands and stroked it's long hair. The doctor explained that even with two full days and nights of treatment the cat wasn't improving and was slipping away. The man quietly asked for time to bring his wife back to say goodbye. The cat was put back into it's cage where it immediately curled up.
Turbo got a shot and his stitches removed and as I was leaving the back area the older gentleman was walking in with his wife. They both looked so sad. I had to wait for medication and while doing so the wife came out of the backroom sobbing uncontrollably and went outside. When I was done I walked to my car and saw her standing next to their old farm truck still sobbing. Soon her husband joined her and they held each other crying for a few moments before he opened the door for her and gently guided her in.
I felt so bad for all of them. The two men, possibly father and son, trying to hold it together as they lost their beloved pet and the Older couple who lost a cat they obviously loved dearly. I felt bad for the doctor who had to tell them all that even with all of his skills, his education and modern medicine that he couldn't save the "Family member" that had been brought to him for care.
As I put Turbo into the back seat of my car I gave him an extra snuggled and kissed his nose. I realzied that we could lose him any time. As much work as he is and as much as he as destroyed the carpets in our home, we love him. He is part of our family, a third child and my heart would break if we were to lose him. Driving home I was deep in thought about losing our loved ones, animals or humans and how hard it is to handle.
Life has moved forward in other areas of our life as well. I'll post more on that later today or tomorrow.
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