Saved From Tragedy By God's Hand and My Dog
It was an ordinary, hot, summer day. School was out, our pool was open, took four-wheeler rides at night, grilled burgers, laid in the hammock for hours on end, practiced soccer in the barn, roosted hot dogs and marshmallows on the bond fire, and walked my dog every evening. These are what my summers are like; close to perfect, I would have to say yes! Today, God put life in perspective as near tragedy struck.
At the time, I had a Black Labrador named A.J. We found him in the newspaper in the animal shelter section. We went up to town to see him and all seven of his brothers and sisters. I remember going inside and they all ran away to the far corner. They were terrified of my power chair. They were about nine weeks old and pretty good sized, very adorable, and chubby! As the lady talked and told us more about them and how they were found in a trash can, I kept looking at their adorable faces as they looked back at me. I wanted to take all eight home but I knew that wouldn't go over to well.
After about three minutes, one pup was inching closer and closer to me. I kept quiet and held my foot out as he came up and sniffed it. He started licking my foot until it was covered in dog slobber and I petted his head gently. He started nudging my foot and I petted him some more. The lady had a toy and gave it to me to throw, but she said he wouldn't retrieve it. I got the toy between my toes, he sat very patiently, tail wagging as I adjusted it so I could throw it. I started teasing him with it by talking as he backed up and waited on me to toss it. I tossed it, he got it in his mouth and pranced around before plopping down with it. I starting calling him and I'll be dang if he didn't come back to me and dropped the toy in front of my foot. The lady was in shock, as I had the biggest smile ever. I picked it up and threw it again and he ran after it. He was running back to me as he dropped the toy on my foot and jumped up on the side of my chair. He licked my face a few times, with his tongue hanging out and his tail wagging, I said "A.J." He looked me right in the eyes, like he knew I needed him. It was a moment I'll never forget.
The lady asked if I wanted him and I looked at her and said, "we need each other." I put a leash on him and went to the van as he walked right beside me. We took him to puppy classes at the vet's office and he learned many commands. He was awarded best in class as I worked with him everyday. We became best of friends as I spent a lot of time with him. He loved the farm, he could run all around with my younger brother. His favorite game was retrieving balls. He knew about twenty commands, and did all of them perfectly. He was an outdoor dog, guard dog of the house and very protected of me. He would bark every time a strange car pulled in. Every time anyone got me out of my wheelchair, he would stand in front of us like, what do you think you're doing? I had him in 4-H for two years and both years his received Grand Champion! The last year he was in 4-H, he had been really sick but he was a trooper.
On that hot summer day, I was going to go outside to play with him. My mom was in the house and my younger brother was in the basement playing PS. We have ramps going in and out of the house so I can get my power chair inside. I went down the little ramp and was going down the ramp in the garage which is steep, when I realized I was falling out of my chair. I didn't have my seat belt on and I landed on my foot pedal joystick that makes my chair move. At the end of the ramp is a shelf and a wall. All I remember is falling on my pedal and then being pinned between my chair, the wall and the shelf above me. I knew I broken something, I just knew it. By now I'm crying in fear and yelling as loud as I could for my mom. I kept yelling and yelling but she never came out. I heard something outside the garage, it was A.J. He was scratching at the door furiously. I knew he was my only hope, so I managed to hit the garage door opener on my key chain with my nose. It opened, A.J. came jolting in. He started licking my face and I had a command to get help. I said, "A.J. help!" He did just what he's suppose to, he started barking non-stop but stayed right by me. His bark got louder and faster and finally my mom came out. She helped me out very slowly and checked to see if I was okay. I was fine, just very shaken up.
I really don't know how I managed to get out in one piece, I know I had all my angels surrounding me, and God's mighty hand guiding me to safety. Without A.J. and all that training, I don't know how long I could have lasted in that position. We found out the summer of 2010 that A.J. had bone cancer, I made that most of my free time with him. He was in a lot of pain and that was hard to watch. Later that year, on December 21st, 2010 he passed. One of the saddest days of my life, I felt like I lost some part of me. I still think he's just outside my door, with his big, brown eyes and wagging tail. He will always be my hero, and I will never ever forget how he made me smile every time I saw him.
At the time, I had a Black Labrador named A.J. We found him in the newspaper in the animal shelter section. We went up to town to see him and all seven of his brothers and sisters. I remember going inside and they all ran away to the far corner. They were terrified of my power chair. They were about nine weeks old and pretty good sized, very adorable, and chubby! As the lady talked and told us more about them and how they were found in a trash can, I kept looking at their adorable faces as they looked back at me. I wanted to take all eight home but I knew that wouldn't go over to well.
After about three minutes, one pup was inching closer and closer to me. I kept quiet and held my foot out as he came up and sniffed it. He started licking my foot until it was covered in dog slobber and I petted his head gently. He started nudging my foot and I petted him some more. The lady had a toy and gave it to me to throw, but she said he wouldn't retrieve it. I got the toy between my toes, he sat very patiently, tail wagging as I adjusted it so I could throw it. I started teasing him with it by talking as he backed up and waited on me to toss it. I tossed it, he got it in his mouth and pranced around before plopping down with it. I starting calling him and I'll be dang if he didn't come back to me and dropped the toy in front of my foot. The lady was in shock, as I had the biggest smile ever. I picked it up and threw it again and he ran after it. He was running back to me as he dropped the toy on my foot and jumped up on the side of my chair. He licked my face a few times, with his tongue hanging out and his tail wagging, I said "A.J." He looked me right in the eyes, like he knew I needed him. It was a moment I'll never forget.
The lady asked if I wanted him and I looked at her and said, "we need each other." I put a leash on him and went to the van as he walked right beside me. We took him to puppy classes at the vet's office and he learned many commands. He was awarded best in class as I worked with him everyday. We became best of friends as I spent a lot of time with him. He loved the farm, he could run all around with my younger brother. His favorite game was retrieving balls. He knew about twenty commands, and did all of them perfectly. He was an outdoor dog, guard dog of the house and very protected of me. He would bark every time a strange car pulled in. Every time anyone got me out of my wheelchair, he would stand in front of us like, what do you think you're doing? I had him in 4-H for two years and both years his received Grand Champion! The last year he was in 4-H, he had been really sick but he was a trooper.
On that hot summer day, I was going to go outside to play with him. My mom was in the house and my younger brother was in the basement playing PS. We have ramps going in and out of the house so I can get my power chair inside. I went down the little ramp and was going down the ramp in the garage which is steep, when I realized I was falling out of my chair. I didn't have my seat belt on and I landed on my foot pedal joystick that makes my chair move. At the end of the ramp is a shelf and a wall. All I remember is falling on my pedal and then being pinned between my chair, the wall and the shelf above me. I knew I broken something, I just knew it. By now I'm crying in fear and yelling as loud as I could for my mom. I kept yelling and yelling but she never came out. I heard something outside the garage, it was A.J. He was scratching at the door furiously. I knew he was my only hope, so I managed to hit the garage door opener on my key chain with my nose. It opened, A.J. came jolting in. He started licking my face and I had a command to get help. I said, "A.J. help!" He did just what he's suppose to, he started barking non-stop but stayed right by me. His bark got louder and faster and finally my mom came out. She helped me out very slowly and checked to see if I was okay. I was fine, just very shaken up.
I really don't know how I managed to get out in one piece, I know I had all my angels surrounding me, and God's mighty hand guiding me to safety. Without A.J. and all that training, I don't know how long I could have lasted in that position. We found out the summer of 2010 that A.J. had bone cancer, I made that most of my free time with him. He was in a lot of pain and that was hard to watch. Later that year, on December 21st, 2010 he passed. One of the saddest days of my life, I felt like I lost some part of me. I still think he's just outside my door, with his big, brown eyes and wagging tail. He will always be my hero, and I will never ever forget how he made me smile every time I saw him.
"A dog is the only thing on this earth that loves you more than he loves himself."
-Josh Billings
-Josh Billings
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| My boy and I! Never ever will be forgotten. |
you are a beautiful soul.. i relate to this with my whole being.
ReplyDeleteThank you, God bless!
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