Big days

Yesterday was a big day in my world, as big days go. I had two, count 'em two, appointments that day to deal with health issues. The first appointment was at 9:30 with my therapist which was good. I had some stuff I needed to talk about, family stuff that has been brought to the forefront of my mind recently.

Then I drove for about 45 minutes to go to appointment number two which was my Tysabri tune-up at 11:30. Time for my monthly infusion of liquid gold. The appointment went well and quickly except my IV machine started beeping twice for no reason which is annoying especially when the nurses are trying to eat their lunches.

Next I went to Barnes and Noble to purchase some tomes for me and a card for the people whose dog I hit on New year's Day on the way home from my parents' house. I bought the book Dewey about the cat who lived in a library in Iowa after being dumped in the book return slot in the middle of the freezing winter. I saw the story on the Sunday CBS morning show a few weeks back and now Dewey is a hit even though he has gone to the big shelves in the sky.

The poor dog was in the other lane and trotting into mine with no particular fear of large vehicles moving at a rapid velocity. There was a truck approaching in the other lane and I was trying to slow down from my 55 mph to avoid the dog. He didn't move, just stood there and there was that sickening thump as I hit him head on and he went twirling over into the snowbank.

I drove a few houses up to where there was someone outside and asked him if he knew who owned a white dog. He didn't and I called my parents to ask them what to do. They said to call the sheriff's department and report it as a non-emergency.

As I was about ready to leave the man's driveway, I could see two trucks back where the dog was hit. I turned around and drove back down and met the owner and another good Samaritan. I explained the situation to the owner who was very nice to me and not mean at all. I thought, more like feared, that he would be yelling at me or cussing me out but no dice. The dog had bit his owner as he was now in shock and pain.

We stood out there about 20 minutes in the frigid cold trying to get the dog back into the truck to go to the emergency vet's office. I took the owner's name and number and told him I would call him back the next day, which was Friday.

I didn't sleep well and woke up very early on Friday, too early to call. I eventually fell back asleep and when I called they reported the dog had to be put down because his spinal card was broken. I felt like crap.

That brings me to the pet sympathy card and I wrote a $75 check to help them with the emergency expenses. My friends said that was generous but I felt so bad about the dog. His owner had let him off his lead back out behind their house to run and romp and he couldn't get him back on the lead. The dog headed to the road where he indeed had no fear of cars. Apparently there was honking from other cars before I came around the corner and inevitably ran into him.

I'm so sorry, Comet. I wish that hadn't happened to you.