Posted by Dinah on May 26, 2010, at 7:35:33
In reply to Re: My therapist is extraordinary sometimes, posted by workinprogress on May 26, 2010, at 1:59:21
Thank you.
I can't say I always handled this with grace. I've never had much experience with health problems of this magnitude in young dogs. And this is the second in such a very short period of time. I felt overwhelmed at being faced with the fear and uncertainty that comes with an ultimately fatal illness again so soon. And angry at being faced with losing a pal.
I'm not feeling angry right now. I think I'd rather deal with the fear and uncertainty than lose a friend even sooner. She doesn't appear to be sick at all. Sunday she was gamboling at my feet as if nothing was wrong, and yesterday her eyes might have been a shade less bright to a mother's eye, but she still danced after a leaf across the parking lot, and the vet didn't notice any outward signs of illness at all.
While I'm mentioning extraordinary, I should add my husband. He's not really a dog person, but when I told him (at the time when I was facing chronic rather than acute liver failure) that it was going to be different with her now, he said that of course it would. That we would no longer be on equal footing. That to some extent, I'd be her caretaker rather than her friend.
I think it was pretty remarkable of a nondog person to refer to "equals" without hesitating or batting an eyelash.
poster:Dinah
thread:948895
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20100425/msgs/948950.html