Update on Winston - And It's A Good One!
First, let me just say that two days ago it was 70F outside and today it is 30F and there is snow on the ground. Damn you, Spring! I knew you were a tease, you fucker!
Now that that’s out of my system - I want to give a big THANK YOU to everyone who commented on my post about my mom’s dog and who has sent me emails and PMs and inquiries about how he is doing and all the offers for help and support and good wishes. My mom has been in tears at every good wish and prayer in her name, just clearly moved by the love she has been shown.
Winston came home last week and is doing well. It seems being home has done him good - his spirits are certainly up these days. And he managed to stay infection free! And today he had both the stitches on his leg and the staples in his stomach removed. He has had some digestions issues; loss of appetite, bathroom accidents, vomiting - but considering the damage done to his insides, I am not surprised. It will probably help to get off all the pain killers and antibiotics - hopefully by the end of this week if he keeps improving - as those have to be messing up his stomach as well.
Mom's little guy, Winston.
They had to shave him for the surgery, so my sister got him this shirt, figuring he was probably cold. Plus the shirt helps stop him from licking his wounds and lessens the time he has to spend in that awful, humiliating cone they had him in!
The most surprising thing has been the way people have come together, family and friends wanting to donate to help Mom, strangers we don’t even know offering to help. My aunt was having coffee with her neighbor and telling her what happened and her neighbor wrote a check on the spot. The café where my mom eats breakfast put out a jar for donations - it’s a place for senior citizens, cheap, serve yourself, for people who can’t afford to eat out but want a cheap coffee or a small plate of eggs, people with next to nothing - and the jar was filled when we went to get it. Neighbors bringing Mom food and offering to testify. Both vet places calling to check on Winston, the pound keeping us informed of what was happening with the other dog. Friends of the family, friends of us kids, friends of friends, offering to help, coming forward, an outpouring of goodwill. It has been amazing.
We are still in a serious fight to keep the attacking dog from coming home though. Without a ‘stay’ from the county attorney, the pound can’t hold him any longer and in fact, he may be home already. But it’s not considered a ‘high priority’ case, so no one has even moved on it and Mom finally managed to hook up with a Victim’s Advocate who is going to help her push the case along. I know if something had happened to my mom, the prosecutors would be taking this more seriously than they are, but I just want to march into their office with the photos of Winston before his surgery; with the gaping stomach where you could see his insides and the shredded leg and just shove the pictures at them and ask them if they ‘take it seriously now’. My mom is so stressed out trying to fight this fight and I feel she shouldn’t have to be. She’s the victim…they should be fighting for her. All the crime shows I watch lied to me, because where are the people fighting for the victim here?
Definitely some frustrations still going on, but when Winston came up in our house the other day, prancing all over, showing off his new shirt and greeting our cats, it was a wonderful moment and we will just keep fighting for him, as long as he keeps fighting too.
Now that that’s out of my system - I want to give a big THANK YOU to everyone who commented on my post about my mom’s dog and who has sent me emails and PMs and inquiries about how he is doing and all the offers for help and support and good wishes. My mom has been in tears at every good wish and prayer in her name, just clearly moved by the love she has been shown.
Winston came home last week and is doing well. It seems being home has done him good - his spirits are certainly up these days. And he managed to stay infection free! And today he had both the stitches on his leg and the staples in his stomach removed. He has had some digestions issues; loss of appetite, bathroom accidents, vomiting - but considering the damage done to his insides, I am not surprised. It will probably help to get off all the pain killers and antibiotics - hopefully by the end of this week if he keeps improving - as those have to be messing up his stomach as well.
Mom's little guy, Winston.
They had to shave him for the surgery, so my sister got him this shirt, figuring he was probably cold. Plus the shirt helps stop him from licking his wounds and lessens the time he has to spend in that awful, humiliating cone they had him in!
The most surprising thing has been the way people have come together, family and friends wanting to donate to help Mom, strangers we don’t even know offering to help. My aunt was having coffee with her neighbor and telling her what happened and her neighbor wrote a check on the spot. The café where my mom eats breakfast put out a jar for donations - it’s a place for senior citizens, cheap, serve yourself, for people who can’t afford to eat out but want a cheap coffee or a small plate of eggs, people with next to nothing - and the jar was filled when we went to get it. Neighbors bringing Mom food and offering to testify. Both vet places calling to check on Winston, the pound keeping us informed of what was happening with the other dog. Friends of the family, friends of us kids, friends of friends, offering to help, coming forward, an outpouring of goodwill. It has been amazing.
We are still in a serious fight to keep the attacking dog from coming home though. Without a ‘stay’ from the county attorney, the pound can’t hold him any longer and in fact, he may be home already. But it’s not considered a ‘high priority’ case, so no one has even moved on it and Mom finally managed to hook up with a Victim’s Advocate who is going to help her push the case along. I know if something had happened to my mom, the prosecutors would be taking this more seriously than they are, but I just want to march into their office with the photos of Winston before his surgery; with the gaping stomach where you could see his insides and the shredded leg and just shove the pictures at them and ask them if they ‘take it seriously now’. My mom is so stressed out trying to fight this fight and I feel she shouldn’t have to be. She’s the victim…they should be fighting for her. All the crime shows I watch lied to me, because where are the people fighting for the victim here?
Definitely some frustrations still going on, but when Winston came up in our house the other day, prancing all over, showing off his new shirt and greeting our cats, it was a wonderful moment and we will just keep fighting for him, as long as he keeps fighting too.