Where is MY Miracle??

It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to you all…Twiggy “Wilson” died last Monday.  I have not been able to really talk or think about it too much as the pain is still with me.
Even this afternoon, I set out to make egg salad and I reached for a mixing bowl and saw the blue one.  This is the bowl she drank from the first night that she arrived at our home.  Little things like this make my mind wander back to Twiggy and reminds me of how much I loved that dog.

When I initially found out just how sick this angel was I prayed for just ONE miracle, one, not too many to ask for right??  She was just such a perfect dog, I really wanted her to be able to live out a normal long life.  Anyhow, I felt maybe this time I would be granted my request of a miracle, after all, my last miracle request never was answered.  Or was it…

About 14 years ago my Airedale, Nala was hit by a car and became paralyzed.  She was operated on by my dear friend Randy.  He  told me that it could take up to two years for her to heal and possibly walk again.  I prayed and prayed for that miracle. I would dream about running along side my dog and going hiking together again, sadly for me, that day never came…

I understand now that Nala’s injury was to serve a higher purpose.  It pushed my life of show business into a whole other direction and within a year or so, I formed my company, Nala’s Pet Sitters.  She taught me much needed patience as well.  So I guess in a way her injury was meant to happen.  It forced me to change who I was.  Without Nala’s injury I doubt I would be sitting here today writing about Twiggy and therefor I would never have met Twiggy.  What an awful shame that would have been… You see I don’t believe I would have ever been so involved with rescue.  I know I would never have started my own pet care company. 

As the days and weeks went by Twiggy really seemed like she was thriving.  I even managed to get six pounds on her.  She ran and played every single day until that last weekend.  I know that blood tests don’t lie, but still I would deny any thoughts I would have of her getting worse.  I even told people, “I don’t believe she will die from this”.  I think saying that made me feel more positive then I really was.  

The Friday before her death she really showed signs of not wanting to eat.  By Saturday she may have been tempted to eat a treat or something equally as yummy, but then would immediately vomit up whatever I had just given her up.  
She became very lethargic and was not interested in her favorite thing in the whole world anymore – the tennis ball.  I began carrying her in and outside as she had also developed some pain in her front leg. 

On Sunday, I noticed a small amount of blood on our patio but could not figure out where it had come from.  As I didn’t see anymore later I was not overly concerned.  Then on Monday, Twiggy and I went out front for some time under the giant Mulberry tree on the cool grass.  While I was giving her a soft belly rub I noticed blood coming from her vagina.  I thought possibly that she could have been in heat so I brought her in and set her next to my male Lab named Harry.  He showed absolutely no interest in the scent of her.  That kind of confirmed for me that she was not in heat.

I knew I should take her to the vet, but I also knew in my heart what Dr. Bower would say.  Really, I didn’t feel up to making the phone call.  Thankfully Kathy must have sensed this and stepped up to the plate and talked to Dr. B. who of course wanted Twig to come right in.

I cried the whole way in the car just knowing that this would be our very last road trip together.  Dr. B. came in and looked her over and said that the bleeding could be caused from her kidneys failing although this was pretty rare.  It also could have been a uterine infection.  She already was on antibiotics I thought, along with a host of other supportive medicines.  Another Doctor friend of mine thought that it sounded as if her liver was failing.
Whatever the cause, our precious little girl really was fighting a loosing battle.

So the decision was made to euthanize her that evening.  Her time of death was about 6:15 PM.  I picked her ashes up yesterday and in September we will take them to Moclips Washington.  Tom and I will sprinkle her ashes in the same area that Nala was buried, the Moclips River which flows into the Pacific Ocean just across from the Quinault Indian Reservation.  We will make a cross out of driftwood and tie it together with sea grass just as we do every year.  Honoring both Nala and Twiggy this September together.

This time I may add “Wilson” yes her tennis ball to the cross as well.  I even day dreamed about writing her name on the ball with a Sharpie and adding my phone number.  Maybe that ball would float all the way up to Alaska, or down the coast to California or maybe it would wind up in Hawaii someday.  

Maybe, just maybe, a dog would find Wilson and maybe just maybe,  I would get a phone call one day and a picture of some happy dog who has slobbered all over Twiggy’s ball.  A dog who is  staring at its owner wagging its tail with this slimy, soaking wet ball in its mouth just willing his human to throw it just one more time.  

Now wouldn’t that be a miracle!!!!

Moclips river Washington State.