The song playing is "Wind Beneath
My Wings "
A Prayer for Animals
By Dr. Albert Schweitzer
Hear our humble prayer, O God,
for our friends the animals,
especially for animals who are suffering;
for any that are hunted or lost
or deserted or frightened or hungry;
for all that must be put to sleep.
We entreat for them all
Thy mercy and pity,
and for those who deal with them
we ask a heart of compassion
and gentle hands and kindly words.
Make us be true friends to animals
and so to share
the blessings of the merciful.
A Special Friend
By Carol Murphy
Dogs all sizes rush to greet me, as I pass through Dog Pound doors,
Wagging tails and sparkling eyes and clicking nails on concrete floors;
Offer friendship that I've longed for - yet there's no one who's just
right,
On I search for one who's special, "I'll not be alone this night".
I shall visit one last shelter; they may have the one I seek,
But instead of seeing dogs there, they ask questions - quite unique;
Do I want a large or small friend, should it be a boy or girl,
On and on their questions hammer, till my mind begins to whirl.
Only one they say may suit me, only one and he is frail,
I must wait, and in a few days, if he's well then he's for sale.
Days have passed and I am anxious as I wait to meet the stray,
On city streets abandoned - like unwanted trash - thrown away.
Doors swing open, there's a flurry, careworn feet rush 'cross the floor,
Bald and thin a scruffy critter races at me from the door.
Little feet scrape on my coat front, big brown eyes are glued to mine-
"He's the one!!" - I scoop him up - "This bony, scruffy mutt's just
fine".
Years have passed, now he lays sleeping, fat and hairy on my bed,
Little twitches show he's dreaming, steaks and chops dance in his head.
Gone his fear that I may leave him as his owner did before,
Trust and love are his and mine now and shall be forever more.
The poem was written by a friend I met through the "net". Both our dogs
had transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Carol wrote this after
she got Scruffy from the "pound". The poem may not be reproduced without
the permission of the author. She has since lost little Scruffy and I lost
my Remi.
My
name is Kathy
and I love animals.
I
live in Nipomo, California, a fast growing little town between Santa Maria
and San Luis Obispo. I own my mobile home and land. I have a horse
and did have two dogs and two cats. I also have three grown children (2
girls and a boy) all doing very successful. I have five grandchildren ranging
in age from 27 years down to 5 years. I have a female German Shepherd named
Z-Lu ("Z" for short) and had a male American Eskimo named Remi who had
terminal bladder cancer (transitional cell carcinoma). He
since was euthanized June 20, 1998 (see below).
My 2 cats are domestic short hairs but one is very special - he acts more
like a dog than a cat. He is Mr. Personality, alias Buzzbutt. He weighs
around 19-1/2 pounds now My Buzz
recently had to be euthanized, another tragic loss (Buzz's story below).
My other cat, Lil Boy, weighs 14 pounds. My dog and cat have been spayed/neutered.
Lil Boy is an indoor cat as was Buzz.. I love all of my animals and want
to keep them SAFE.
My sweet, loving Remi
12 years
Went to the Rainbow Bridge
June 20, 1998
My wonderful kitty, Buzz
went to the Rainbow Bridge
9 years old
March 12, 1999
Dog and cat owners should be more responsible
and not let their pets roam.Their dogs should be licensed and wear ID tags
and vaccinated against rabies and other diseases. It makes me sick and
very upset to see dead animals lying on the road. It is my opinion that
if pet owners valued their animals as much as their own children there
would be a lot less lost, injured or dead animals. Spaying and neutering
would prevent the needless killing of helpless little puppies and kittens.
If a person decides to get a pet they should remember that it will be a
long term relationship. A pet should be part of the family not something
you discard when the newness wears off. A dog should not be put in a yard
and forgotten. They need attention and love - animals
have feelings also! PETS ARE NOT THROW-AWAYS.This
is my pet peeve!
An
infortunate accident happened back in October, 1997 when my mare went lame
while I was riding.. Susie had to have surgery in November to remove scar
tissue around the annular ligament in her leg. The veterinarian also discovered
she had a "core lesion", in other words, a bowed tendon. There was a tear
in the deep flexor tendon. Her prognosis was not that great. An older horse
doesn't heal as fast as a younger one. As long as she isn't in pain I will
keep her as "my oversized pet". I'm sure it will take quite a few months
before she can be ridden. I might never be able to ride her the way I use
to but I love her. I will do all that is necessary to be able to ride her
again, even if it is only at a walk. In the meantime, I am spoiling her
and giving her a lot of TLC.
Susie is not showing signs of improvement. One
day she seems fine, next day, lame. I guess this will be a long time recovery
but I haven't given up. I am now trying acupressure, acupuncture and chiropractic
care through Kris Ahlberg, DVM out of Solvang, CA. Susie really enjoyed
her first treatment. She will have another in a couple of weeks. I discontinued
using the magnetic wrap on her leg. She is now in a larger area where she
can walk around on her own. I hope this will help to strengthen her leg
and get her back in shape. I am supplementing her with Farrier's Formula
and Select Nu-Flex Maximizer with EsterC. I believe these extra nutriments
are really helping.
UPDATE -
January 1999 - I'm back in the saddle again - Susie is doing great, no
lameness.
Susie was not very photogenic when this picture was taken. This was
before her leg injury. One of these days I'll try to get a better picture
of her.
My little, 12 year old American Eskimo
dog, Remi was
diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma in the neck of his bladder on
February 18, 1998. He underwent blood test, urinalysis, x-rays, prostate
wash and finally an ultrasound biopsy. Through it all he was a real trooper.
Two different veterinarians did different tests. They both said what a
good little dog he is. He lay still without anesthesia while the vets poked
and prodded.
He is a sweet, happy, go lucky dog that follows
me wherever I go. I hate the thought of losing him one day. My veterinarian,
Maggie Wagner of Mesa Veterinary Hospital prescribed the drug Piroxicam
(Feldene), a drug for humans, specially formulated for a dog.This is a
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) which has been proven to help
slow down this type of cancer and make him comfortable. I spoke to my alternative
medicine vet, Kris Ahlberg and she suggested giving him Ester-C, Flor-Essence
and shark cartilage also. He loves it and gets the mixture twice a day.
So far his appetite has improved and he still has quite a bit of energy.
If you saw him you would never think anything was wrong. Dr. Wagner and
I discussed surgery, radiation and chemotherapy but there was no guarantee
that these options would help. I could never see putting him through the
stress and pain for nothing. Meanwhile, I will give him a lot of love and
attention.
Had a scare a few days ago and I thought Remi
was leaving me. He didn't want to eat and looked real depressed. As of
May 25, 1998 he is starting to improve. He is eating, drinking and playing
- what a relief. I have been spending a few sad days thinking this was
it.
June 20, 1998 - I had to let my little
guy go. He had stopped eating and drinking. He stopped following me around,
would only watch me if he wasn't asleep. I was not going to hold on to
him for selfish reasons, I knew his quality of life was gone. I loved him
so much it was the only thing to do but to release him.
July 3, 1998 - Remi's ashes were returned
and he was laid to rest in my backyard where he and "Z" ran around and
played. I planted a pink flowering shrub on his grave. The plant is Mexican
Heather. I replanted new flowers just recently on his grave
due to a freeze that killed the Mexican Heather. I also have a little
fence around the plot. Hopefully I can get closure to this sad time.....I'll
miss you Remi.
I wrote this poem in memory of my Remi
TO MY LITTLE REMI
I said goodbye to my litle Remi today,
There was no other choice, no other way
The dreaded disease cancer, took him so far away
My heart is heavy and my tears are still flowing
But his memory I know will help keep me going
And in time my tears will cease and stop showing
I will never forget your wagging tail and your
little bark,
Your shiny brown eyes with their own little spark,
Where 'o where is my little Remi today?
Oh, I know where you are this very day,
You're waiting at the Rainbow Bridge so we can
play
Someday we'll be together, my little friend
And all of my heartaches will come to an end
Goodbye my faithful little dog that I miss so
much
Forgive me for letting you go without having
my touch
You knew I wanted to be with you till the end
I know you understand, my little white furry
friend
Goodbye for now, Remi
I love you
Buzz's Story: In October, 1998 I took Buzz
to the vet for a health check only - nothing was apparently wrong with
him. His blood test came back showing a high hematocrit and packed cell
volume. The vet took x-rays of his lungs. She wasn't sure about what she
saw so suggested we take him to a internal medicine specialist in Ventura.
We took him down and had to leave him overnight. They performed a lot of
tests, i.e., ultrasound, blood gas, etc. to determine why the increase
in red blood cells. They were not able to determine specifically what was
causing this but did a phlebotomy to decrease the PCV count. The specialist
referred to the condition as polycythemia vera. After another phlebotomy
at my vet a few weeks later we both decided this was too much stress for
poor little Buzz. I started him on a chemo pill (hydroxyurea) that is used
in the treatment of Sickle Cell Anemia and HIV in humans. He was doing
great and his blood tests were in a more normal range. A complete blood
panel was run and my vet was very pleased.
Friday night, March 12, 1999 Buzz all of sudden
without warning lost the use of his hindlegs and was in extreme pain. He
was rushed to an emergency clinic in Arroyo Grande. Dr. McKenna said
a blood clot had cut off the blood supply to Buzz's hindlegs....there was
nothing she or I could do but to put him out of his pain. It was such a
shock and so unexpected.
My Buzz will be brought back home in an oak urn
tomorrow, March 26 (my daughter's anniversary). I will put his ashes on
a shelf in my hutch....he was an indoor cat so he'll be back in his home
again.
It is hard enough to lose one pet but I've lost
two within nine months. Cherish your pets each day and give them all your
attention and love that is possible. They are with you such a short time.
A large void is left in your heart when you lose a companion animal. You
don't realize how much they are missed until they are gone.
"IF IT SHOULD BE"
(author unknown)
If it should be that I grow weak, And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then you must do what must be done, For this last battle cannot be won.
You will be sad, I understand, Don't let your grief then stay your hand,
For this day more than all the rest, Your love for me must stand the test.
We've had so many happy years, What is to come can hold no fears, You'd
not want me to suffer so, The time has come, please let me go.
Take me where my need they'll tend, And please stay with me until the
end, I know in time that you will see, The kindness that you did for me,
Although my tail its last has waved, From pain and suffering I've been
saved.
Please do not grieve, it must be you Who had this painful thing to do,
We've been so close, we two, these years, Don't let your heart hold back
its tears.
Dedicated to the millions of animals who are euthanized & their
owners who have to make this very difficult decision each year. May God
Bless You and comfort you in your grief.
. Pet
Loss Grief Support Web Site
GENEALOGY SECTION
My other hobby is genealogy.
I am researching the surnames DE SHIELL/DASHIELL, CLOSE,
HUDDLESTON, Enos
P. Huddleston and ancestors,
LUCOW/LUCKOW/LUCKO, MILLS, HESTER, STANBROUGH.
Thanks to the Rootsweb Mailing Lists, i.e, NORCAL
and USGenWeb and some very helpful cousins that I found on the "net"
I have managed to locate my MILLS, HUDDLESTON, HESTER, HODSON, STANBROUGH,DASHIELL
and
CLOSE ancestors.
If you have a geneological interest in Quakers
there is a very informative site listed below which also includes my Mills
ancestory from Hur Mills and Rachel Harrold starting with
John
Mills.. There are other surnames which I also have in my Mills
and Huddleston lines, i.e. Coffin, Beals, Hodson, Macy,
and too many more to mention.
Our
Quaker Surnames
My ancestor is "Goodman" JohnClose
on my father's side, born about 1600 in County York, came to America about
1642. I am a descendant of "Goodman" through his son, Thomas,
then Benjamin, then Nathaniel who married Hannah Knapp
in 1770. Peter was one of their sons and my gggrandfather was John,
son of Peter and Delilah/Rebecca Scofield, born in Greenfield Township,
Saratoga County, New York on October, 1792. He married Polly Pike and they
had eight children, one of which was Devillo, my ggrandfather.I
have received quite a bit of information from the Chenango County Historian.
I have a lot of information if anyone else is researching the Close
family.
My second challenge has been accomplished
by proving my grandfather, Denwood De Shiell Denwood
and Florence (Huddleston) De Shiell b 1857 near
Petaluma, CA is the son of Thaddeus William Dashiell from Maryland.
I was able to obtain a copy of their marriage license showing Elizabeth
Norsworthy and Thaddeus William Dashiell were married on April
8, 1856 in Sonoma County, California.I also obtained a copy of their divorce
papers which mentioned Denwood Dashiell as their lawful offspring. The
divorce was started in June 1861.My grandfather, so the family story goes,
changed his name from Dashiell to De Shiell when he was older
because his father ran off with a young girl when Denwood was around 4
years old. This girl was pregnant by Thaddeus and he ended up marrying
her Her name was Keziah Julia Vann. They were married in October 1961 and
their first child was born in 1862. I guess there are always a few skeletons
in everyone's closet but now at least I know that Thaddeus was my ggrandfather
and that I have quite a few more relatives out there on the Dashiell
side.My ancestory on the Dashiell side goes back to Jacques de Chiel,
gentleman, son of Guillaume de Chiel, born in 1595 in France. He emigrated
in or about 1595 from France to Scotland.
If anyone is researching the Dashiell family
I have all three volumes of the Dashiell Family Records and will
gladly do lookups. Email address below.
My mother, Hazel Rhoda De Shiell and father,
William E. Close were married March 24, 1929, Little Church of the
Flowers, Glendale, California. This is a picture of my parents on their
wedding day.
If you are researching your family tree and need a place to start, Cyndi's
site is great!
Click below for Cyndi's Web Site
Cyndi's
List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
My grandson has a new web page
for his business. Please check it out by clicking on banner below.
My daughter,
Jo, grandaughter Jenifer and grandson, Tommy
My son, Jim and his Malamute, Milo (not a recent picture)
My grandson, Mike, his girlfriend and my daughter, Karen, Mike's
mom
My grandaughter, Katie and I
My grandson, Jimmie and my grandaughter, Jenifer
Just thought I would add more to my site. The roses pictured below were
ordered from Jackson and Perkins. They were planted December of 1996 and
they were doing beautifully. Spring has arrived and all my roses are full
of new leaves and buds. Can't wait till they start to bloom again! I am
amazed how fast the new growth started because I just cut them back late
January, 1998. From left to right: BRASS BAND, FRENCH LACE, INTRIGUE,
SENTIMENTAL AND SUN FLARE - New pictures taken in April, 1998.
You are visitor number
Revised March 25, 1999
If you have comments or suggestions, please email me at kpreast@concentric.net
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