Wednesday, July 8, 2009

JUST KEEP LOVING

Dear Angelic Blog Buddies:

On the morning of Tuesday, June 30th, my husband, Chuck called from our kitchen for me to come downstairs immediately. He said I needed to come quickly as something was terribly wrong with our 19-year old Jack Russell Benny. I flew down the stairway to the kitchen to find Benny in the midst of a grand seizure. His entire body was quaking and he was breathing intensely. He does take daily preventive seizure medicine and I gave him an additional pill in an attempt to help calm his little body. His body slowly returned to a state of calmness, but because of the seizure he was now experiencing the loss of his back legs. It was very sad watching his inability to get himself up. He repeatedly struggled to stand up, but couldn't.

We called the vet immediately and made an appointment to take him in as soon as possible to determine what was taking place. The appointment was in the afternoon.I sat with Benny in the morning and just couldn't stop crying thinking about what the prospect might be. I would carry him outside, and once again he would try to stand up on his own, but just couldn't.

Additionally, I was dealing with the emotions of knowing that on this same date - June 30th, two years ago in 2007 - my precious Jack Russell Jackie had gone home to God.

Prior to heading out to the vet, Benny started to slowly regain a little energy in his back legs. I scooped him up in my arms and Chuck drove us to the vet's office. As we were getting Benny situated in the back seat of the car, our 13 year-old Jack Russell female, Riot was watching us and thinking this was an ice cream run. As Riot is the Queen of our house and runs the place, she wasn't about to be left behind, so she jumped in the car and refused to get out. It becomes a game with Riot as she leaps from the front to the back of the car, always out of our reach. She won the game.

So Chuck was the driver with Benny, Riot and Jayne as his passengers in the back seat. (We left our three-year old Jack Russell, Pinky at home).

The vet did all types of tests including the test where Benny's legs were "thumped" with a teeny, tiny medical tool (just like the one used on humans to test reflexes- only a fairy size thumper). Benny's reflexes and responses were excellent. When the vet put Benny's legs in an incorrect position, Benny reoriented them in the correct position.

All types of tests were done and blood work was taken and the next day the results came back. I received a personal phone call from the vet. The vet told me how amazed she was with the results because Benny is 19 years old. She just couldn't get over the results. She stated that quite frankly, Benny's condition is miraculous. Benny's heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, red blood count - everything is in abundant good condition; in fact, downright unbelievable for a 19 year old dog. There were no large growths or tumors. Granted, Benny is almost totally blind because of cataracts and is very hard of hearing, but he's a walking miracle.

Even the medications Benny has been taken for seizures have had no negative impact on his organs. The vet indicated that if there was a grand seizure like the one the day prior, we would be able to give Benny an extra dosage of the medication as I had done. The vet felt that Benny's seizure just triggered old-age arthritis and that Benny's body (within the last 24 hours) worked the pain in the joints out to where he was now up and about again. What we were dealing with was arthritis and periodic seizures.

The vet concluded the assessment of Benny's health by giving me the following medical advice:

Just keeping on loving Benny the way you have been loving him.

I am sharing this with you, because sometimes life is downright overwhelming, stressful, zany, crazy,harsh,and unpredictable. Sometimes we just don't know what to do or how to handle what comes our way. I found such a comfort in the vet's words in how to care for Benny. It reminded me that when we are hanging on by a thread (which seems lately to be every day), to simply remember to just keep on loving. Loving God, loving ourselves, our pets, our families and friends. Just keep on loving.

Over the past week I have heard two quotations that I really love. The first is:

Meaning is not something you find;
Meaning is something that you give.

From the recent Benny Goes to the Vet experience, I recognize that the meaning I am striving to give to everything in my life is love.

The second quotation was stated last evening by a woman in an astrology class I attend. She said in so many words that OM/AUM is the primordial sound for this life and then said, "Imagine what the sound will be for the next life."

I love that inspiration because it stretches our mind to think about the evolution of sound. Imagine the sound for the next life or next expanded consciousness/reality or dimension of existance that we will encounter and experience. What comes to mind when you think about sound in the future?

Well, I thought about that. I thought of how the sound would be for me in some way equated with the continuation of love. Just as the vet's words inspired me, I was inspired in thinking that sounds of the future would be a way to keep on loving. And then I contemplated sound that keeps the love flowing for me.

Whenever Chuck and I go out to runs errands without the dogs with us and return home, as we are unlocking the house door, the most joyous sound to me is the distinctive barking of 3 Jack Russells. Benny, Riot and Pinky each have their own happy bark when we return home to them. It is so comforting to hear all 3 of them because I know in that instant that all 3 of them are a.ok. With the acapella barking, my heart overflows with love and joy. The acapella happy barks keeps the love flowing.

For Julie Andrews, maybe it's the hills that come alive with the sound of music. For Chuck and Jayne, it's our house and our hearts that come alive with the sound of barking of 3 Jack Russells welcoming us home.

Our pets truly are angels with fur. I think if any of you who are goofy like me about your pets, could have a choice between hearing a concert of a Celestial Choir or hear the purring or barking of a beloved pet in heaven, it would be a no-brainer on what we would choose. You can keep the Hallelujah Chorus. As for me, I want to be reunited with the Happy-lu-jah sounds of my beloved pets.

Just keep on loving.

Love to all, Jayne

2 comments:

  1. Wonderful and beautiful post Jayne. Blessings to Benny!

    For me, it's the healing sound of purring (a sound I get to hear from my two girls everyday!).

    Annie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Aloha Jayne,

    I'm so glad Benny is okay and thank you for passing along the sound of love. Also, thank you for the reminder about, "Meaning is not something you find; meaning is something you give." I heard it this last week too and thought it was quite profound, especially since my friends and family know that I look for meaning in everything.

    ReplyDelete