On November 30, 2007 my Mommie saved my life. She adopted me!! I had been severely abused and I trusted no one. The nice people at the Humane Society tried their best with me, but, towards them, I was all but responsive and pleasant. I had just been returned for the 3rd time and they were talking about sending me to the “farm” because I couldn’t be reintegrated into society. <enter the tall blonde lady with a cane> She saw me cowering in the back corner of my cell. I had no roommates and no toys. I did have a blanket, food and water though. I also had a card on my cell door that read “At Risk.” Every other human that came through the doors, looking to adopt a new family member, took one look at that card, not me, and kept walking. Not the tall, blonde lady. She fell to her knees and cried. All she could say to me was, “You too??”
I skulked to where she was kneeling and let her scratch my nose and ears through my chain link cell. A blue shirted volunteer walked by and stopped short when she saw us exchanging affection. The volunteer exclaimed, “Don’t do that! She may bite at you!” The Lady scratched my cheeks and said to me, “I’ll be right back.” She used her cane to pull herself to her human feet (at the time I didn’t know why she needed the cane ... now I know that I hate RSD and what it does to her). I have no idea what they were whispering about to each other, but The Lady looked down at me, winked, and said, “See you in a minute, Kiva.” And then she was gone. I whined. The blue shirted volunteer grabbed a leash off of a hook on the wall and opened my cage. I bolted for the back corner again. She affixed the leash to my collar and drug me out of my cell, through 2 sets of double doors, around the big desk where the other blue shirted volunteers were working, through another set of swinging double doors, and before I knew it, we were outside … and so was The Lady and her cane!!
That was how my Mommie saved me!! It has taken a lot of work on both of our parts over the last 4 years, but every second of her love has made my life wonderful. She even taught me tricks using homemade doggie treats as training incentives. She takes me to Dr Don when I don’t feel good, she gives me baths, she gives me special oils and runs humidifiers for my itchy dry skin, and she only buys the best foods for me from specialty stores.
Come to find out, I saved her too!! My Mommie can’t work and has to stay home a lot. I keep her company and I help to keep her at her personal “normal level of sanity.” (If you know my Mommie, you know what that dorky level is!!) She works with me as therapy for my abuse and abandonment issues and also for physical therapy for her hands, arms, hips, and legs. I’d say “feet” but I don’t help her with those … I like to step on them and whack them with my tail.
Last night my Mommie ran out of spoons, even her Reserve Spoon. After work, my Daddy picked us up at the Chalet and brought us to the Oasis. By the time we walked through the door, all Mommie could do was collapse on the couch. This is when she needs me most. She needed me to cuddle with her and help keep her calm while Daddy put chicken, pork chops and sausage in the smoker so they could have dinner for a few nights and Mommie can just "chill" for a couple days. I guess I’m the only living thing on the planet that can make her stay put and rest when she wants to get up and help Daddy. I helped my Mommie rest long enough to recover a spoon so that she could eat dinner and go to bed. (Yes, that takes one whole spoon!) Today I will help her to recover a few more spoons and, if I have to, we’ll do it again tomorrow. Rest, Mommie. I will take care of you.
I have faith that Mommie will be back to her old self very soon. Even the strong ones need someone strong to be strong for them sometimes. I have faith that she will rest today so that she has the energy to face her days again, starting tomorrow!! Mommie knows what she has to do, and so do I. Have no fear, I, Kiva the Wondermutt, am on the job!! Down, Mommie!! Down!! Good girl!!
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