An Unexpected End to a Good Week

October 12, 2009 by Debbie.

Last Friday subbing was a tad rough, just being a new (for me) school with new school language that everyone else knows but me - just like the work place lingo that offices/factories share there are phrases common to the each individual school work place. I was just breaking into this new world and had not learned all the ‘code’ words yet. Still it was a good afternoon - half day was a good way to break in for me.

I wanted to go in looking and acting professional ….. and after going through the office sign in, meeting the new admin, meeting some new teachers in the hall, I went to settle down in the class room. Upon sitting at the teacher’s desk, I instantly felt wetness. Jumping up I wondered if someone had spilled water on her chair.  Nope. Uh, oh. I looked at the back of my dress. Uh, oh, yes. My truck door had leaked and my truck seat must have been wet as my dress seat was definitely wet and showed it although not glaringly, thank goodness. So much for good first impressions!

John came home from work somewhat frustrated, which is unusual for him. A major program had a glitch that would effect production so he’d have to go to work this weekend to deflect the onslaught for Monday when production started back up.  OK, these were things we could deal with.

Saturday was still so wet and drizzly my laundry hung damp on the line. I gave up and moved piece by piece into the house, drying on hangers on door jams, over anything that would hold and dry some clothing. The laundry rack was filled and refilled throughout the weekend. I’m pleased that only two jeans and three pair of shorts are still drying around the house.

The unexpected end came Saturday night. When we went to bed, Pudge wasn’t feeling very well so John gave him some Nux Vomita homeopathy meds that have helped before. Later in the night while asleep, at the edges of consciousness, I could hear Pudge gagging but nothing super different for a dog who had a tummy ache. Then close to midnight, we heard definite retching sounds. Pudge had laid down on the rug beside John’s side of the bed and was having a seizure and gagging. We checked him over and tried to calm him then called the Emergency Clinic and rushed him in. He died close to midnight as we carried him in to the ER.  We’re not sure what caused his death. The vet labeled it ‘heart attack,’ which in dogs is generic for sudden unexplained death.

The Emergency Clinic at Dr. Butler’s in Denison was wonderful. They were almost as upset as we were that Pudge had died. They helped to carry him out and put him in the car, for his final ride home.

Sunday morning while heaven cried down rain tears John dug Pudge’s grave, beside BJ, his buddy who had gone ahead a few years ago. The only time the sun shone yesterday was the minute we laid Pudge in the ground. It was if all of heaven smiled, welcoming him home. Then cloud hole closed quickly and tears fell again.

Most of the time I don’t understand life, so I’m not going to try to figure out death, but I think of it as just a doorway to another stage of our lives and not an end to anything. Pudge was/is a good dog. He was a tad unsociable at times but always loyal, loving and trustworthy to John and I. Yes, an unexpected end to a good week, but still it was a good week. Pudge is Home now chasing sticks with BJ.

Click this link to hear this soothingly beautiful song -Master of the Wind by Candy Hemphill Christmas

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