Albert Recovering

Yesterday was the single most difficult day of my life. The circumstances went as follows;

• Tornado conditions in Middle TN...at work, 4:25am I slipped and fell on my tailbone coming in from the rain to check on George in the car. I drove to work with George every night.
• I drive home early knowing I have no medical insurance and wonder what I will do. I already had a ruptured disk and now this. It is raining harder than I've ever seen on the freeway and I know Albert is outside because when I went to work the weather was fine. Welcome to the Mid-West where weather changes and in CA weather remains the same...always!
• George ate half of my car seat before I left. The thunder scared him. He was agitated on the ride home the first 15 mins, them calmed down and slept on my lap like usual.
• When I get home, I immediately go to get Albert out of the rain and George lunges on him. I fight to pull him off by chocking him and then slip on the mud. George pulls free and then immediately goes back at the neck. Albert seemed fine afterwards, but I was overwhelmed at this point. This was the second attack this week and I was bit three times during three different incidents, one involving the neighbor's dog that got loose.
• I get George separated, bring Albert inside and notice a huge gashing hole in the side of his neck. I immediately Google the closest animal hospital and believe it or not, there is one a mile away in this small town. I call the emergeny number and wake the Dx up. He tells me to cover the wound until 8am when they open.
• Albert needs surgery that cost $500.
• I drive home knowing George has to go down. I call the Dx a few hours later on no sleep and hearing George snoring in the next room make a scheduled appointment to euthanize him the same day.
• I walk into the bedroom, see him sleeping, and start weeping. I know I only have an hour left with him. My mind floods with happy memories. I cry like thunder
• I drive to the pet hospital, get out of my car, look over at him and he is wagging his tail anticipating a walk. I cry again. I finally get to the door and as he walks into the exam room, he is thinking he is in for a good time. I will never forget leaving him in that condition knowing it was the last time I would ever see King George again.
  
• That day I am restless and empty. I have to work the night shift for the first time solo. Of all nights to work solo. I want to call in sick, but I walk by faith. God provided with my co-worker Pam. She helped me. I will always be grateful for her and Judi's call to me to see how I was doing.
• During the drive to work, I cry the whole way thinking of how George would poke his head out the window and I'd see the wind blow up his cheeks. I always laughed out loud at this. My head played tricks on me feeling George was at home. I felt confused.
  

I do praise God in all of this and seek His perspective. He gives life and takes it away. He allows for such intense emotions. It is Easter and what a perfect way for hope in Christ...that this would is passing away. The pain and suffering is only temporal for those in Christ. I believe this and my heart was deeply saddened, but I have hope. I feel like being alone now for a time.

As a "feeler" personality, without Christ, I would be a goner. Life is too devastating to me. I feel things too deeply and can get paralyzed. Faith is all I have.

Yet, even with faith, I am sad and still tearful. I miss my big boy.

The Dx and staff at the White Oak Animal Hospital were fabulous. Thank you very much for what you did.