Bill Arnold's Daily Straydog Log

SUNDAY August 21 2005

5:00 P.M. UPDATE

     I arrived at Dad's hospital room just before seven o'clock again this morning and got to talk with the nurses during their shift turn. My brothers had left Dad at about 10:30 last night, and the report from the nurses station was that Dad had once again become quite agitated around midnight, so they had again given him a sedative, and they said he'd done pretty well throughout the rest of the night.

     When I walked into the room, Dad looked at me and the worried look on his face soon changed to a smile as I took his hand and squeezed it and said good morning and asked how he was doing. He started trying to tell me all kinds of things, and immediately I realized that I could pick out more words than I'd been able to understand during the previous several days.

     Breakfast came to Dad's room at a little before eight o'clock, and I again got him to eat his oatmeal and some of his apple sauce. His nurse, a nice man named Harley, had given me a small ice cream right before the breakfast arrived, and I add a little ice cream to the spoon if Dad were reluctant to eat a bite of his breakfast, and this helped in getting Dad to continue eating.

     At about 10:00 my brother, Tom, and his wife, Linda, arrived and Dad was glad to see them. Tom brought along Dad's electric razor, and I gave Dad a shave, which put him to sleep for about 10 minutes.

     A while later the physical therapist came with an assistant, and they got Dad to sit up on the side of the bed and then to stand (with their support, of course), and then they put him in a chair, where Dad sat for over an hour, during which time lunch came, so Dad got to have his lunch while sitting up.

     When I left the hospital at 2:00 p.m. to come here to Dad's house to prepare this update, Dad was resting and my two brothers were with him. I'll be going back to visit more with Dad and the family after I post this update.

     Dad's making progress.

     I talked to Juana by phone this afternoon. She'd gone in to work on her day off to be sure everything was going along all right, and she assured me that everything in our daily routine is going along all right and that I have nothing to worry about. Except for the extreme heat today the dogs are all happy and doing fine.

Kitten Jack and Kitten Star go for Leukemia Retest

     Dr. Brinkley at Willow Bend Vet Clinic in Plano is one of a few vets in our metroplex who does low-cost services for rescues. I had made an appointment last week to take in five-month-old Kitten Jack and Star-the-Kitten (not to be confused with Jack, Straydog's blind Aussie or Star Kitty, Straydog's 12-year-old cat) for a blood work retest. (I was also dropping off Straydog's calico litter to be spayed and neutered.) Kitten Jack and Kitten Star had tested a pale positive for leukemia back on June 23rd when they were neutered and vaccinated as we were getting them ready for adoption.

     Dr. Brinkley warned me that they could very well show positive again. I looked at the chart on the wall describing Feline Leukemia, reading that it is a virus causing cancerous tumors. It can be passed through grooming (saliva), fights, and through the litter box.

     Seven-toed Kitten Jack weighs 6.2 pounds now. Jack let the doctor draw blood easily, and I waited the ten minutes looking at the test kit. "Negative," the doctor said smiling when he came back to check the test, "but we still have 40 seconds to go."

     Kitten Jack was totally negative at the end of the ten minutes. This was a combo test so he is also negative for Feline HIV. Hurrah!

     Kitten Star allowed us to draw blood too, though she was a little upset. She also came out negative on the test. Yea! These kittens can now mix with the other cats and kittens, and they will be a lot easier to adopt out.

The next day I picked up the calico litter and took them to my house in Plano

     Cozy, Carlie, Colors and Stoker are home from the vet clinic acting just fine after their spay and neuter surgeries. I put them in a separate bedroom for now, and Stoker hid right away, but the girl kittens are not shy and let me pet them.

I am an Animal Rescuer

   My job is to assist God's creatures.
   I was born with the drive to fulfill their needs.
   I take in  helpless, unwanted, homeless creatures
      without planning or  selection.
   I have bought dog food with my last dime.
   I have patted a mangy head with a bare hand.
   I have hugged someone vicious and afraid.
   I have fallen in love a thousand times.
   And I have cried into the fur of a lifeless body too many times to count.
   I have Animal Friends and friends who have  animal friends.
   I don't often use the word "pet."
   I notice those lost at the road side,
   And my heart aches.
   I will hand raise a field mouse,
   And make friends with a vulture.
   I know of no creature unworthy of my time.
   I want to live forever if there aren't animals in Heaven,
   But I believe there are.
   Why  would God make something so perfect and leave it behind?
   Some may think we are master of the animals,
   But the animals have mastered themselves.
   Something people still haven't learned.
   War and Abuse make me hurt for the world.
   But a rescue that makes the news gives me hope for mankind.
   We are a quiet but  determined army.
   And we are making a difference every day.
   There is nothing  more necessary than warming an orphan.
   Nothing more rewarding  than saving a life.
   No higher recognition than watching them thrive.
   There is no greater joy than seeing a baby play
      who only days ago, was too  weak to eat.
   By the love of those whom I've been privileged to rescue
   I have been rescued.
   I know what true unconditional love really is
      for I've seen it shining in the eyes of so many
   Grateful for so little
   I  am an Animal Rescuer.
   My work is never done.
   My home is never quiet.
   My  wallet is always empty.
   But my heart is always ]full.

Author Unknown