We Lost Our Little Harper, And Christmas Time is Already Here

Are you ever just speechless?  Wordless?   That is how I've felt lately on blogging...What do I say?  

 

We lost our little Harper puppy Nov. 2nd.  She became ill, we noticed she was throwing up large amounts of red salvia plant.  Our youngish vet treated her for such.  The next morning she was not doing well at all.  We rushed her back to the vet's office that Saturday morning and our little Harper died in my arms in the car...I can't even hardly write this.  The vet on call that Saturday morning, a vet I've dealt with before at a sister clinic when we lost Coffee, she claims it was a virus.  We do not know if it was one or both or what.

 But all that matters is we lost our little Harper.  I wonder if they took care of her properly the day before since they were so booked and busy, we had to drop her off for care and pick up later.  The vet we normally deal with, I had talked with him on the phone that Friday as Harper was in his care, a nice young gentleman had done a blood panel and cheerfully said she was just two points off but very normal for a puppy.  It's all so bizarre and troubling to our hearts. 

The next day her brother, Leelo fell ill and I knew he had also eaten the red salvia.   He could also have had the same virus if that is what Harper had also beside the poisonous plant.  I immediately jumped into gear hydrating him with syringe fulls of  Pedialyte.  Giving him pepto bismal, black charcoal, herbal medicines I had on hand and everything our vet had given for Harper including probiotics in a syringe he had given.  This was every 30 minutes or so...for more than several days and some things like charcoal capsules for two weeks, hydration was key.

I just stuck to it praying and serving that little pup, morning til night.  Leelo survived thank the good Lord!

All Red Salvia is out of our flower beds to put it lightly, I had that flowering plant all the way back from my Italian grandma's yard.  Sorry Grandma, it had to go and I had no idea that Red Salvia was poisonous if that is what caused the death of our puppy.  I don't know...I just.  don't.  know.   But I will say she was spitting up a large amount of it.   Please look up flowers and things in your flower beds and make sure they are not poisonous to pets or humans.  

Can I just share something here that hurt my heart even more?    I got a call from the vet's office 2 weeks after Harper died.  I called them back and the woman who answers the phone, brusquely told me I needed to come and pick up my sweater and water bottle.  I had accidently left it there the morning Harper passed in my arms as we had followed the assistant into the building that morning, she had gently taken Harper out of my arms and as I waited on the lobby bench and I got up to meet the vet, and later left with Harper in a little blue body bag....I left my sweater and bottle on the bench.  Understandable of course.  

The woman who I've dealt with over the years who answers the phone there who I considered a friend was so shockingly rude to me on the phone asking when am I going to come and get my sweater and bottle.   I explained we live a little ways away and (this is only 2 weeks after Harper passed!).  I had a very old vintage autumn pumpkin-man pin from the local jewelry store open since 1920.  The elderly lady who owns the store sold it to me for a couple of dollars since I knew her and she knew I appreciated it, it was priceless to me, it was on the much loved black cardigan that had been patched several times and she is telling me she was going to throw it all away!   It just broke my heart, everything about this just screamed a lack of respect.   I quickly told her...

Oh no!   Don't throw it away!   That's my favorite sweater and vintage pin!    

I felt like a little girl who was being mistreated.   Her answer was, Well, you need to come pick it up.  I stammered that my husband would probably be there that week, we live a stretch away and don't go that way that often.  This animal hospital is a premiere facility, it's huge, they have plenty of room.  It broke my heart.   What is wrong with people?!   I've had teensy Chinese buffets not to mention a funeral home kinder to me than that when I've left my sweater!   I knew the woman was a tough cookie but oh my gosh...My husband was bewildered too, this woman has seen us go through several losses and then behaves this way.  Some women are such complex people to put it nicely;  jealousy, envy and manipulation  and every dark thing seems to be working in some.  I went the next day with my sweet husband to get get my sweater, pin and water bottle and I was ready for that gal, thank God she was not there because by that point I had words of wisdom for her. Yes, this Italian-German (quite the collision) girl is a quiet force and when pushed, the velvet curtains will fall.   I'm still very bothered and my heart is hurt by it but I know her lack of respect and coldness tells me something about her, not me...

 

To say that November was just a sad and tumultuous month is an understatement.   I had two weeks of taking care of our pups and then I was so behind for Thanksgiving.  And that kind of leaked into December.  I'm putting out the basics, and still wrapping gifts.  Usually I'm on that around Thanksgiving.  Our youngest daughter, Grace has been very upset since Harper passed away because she was very close to Harper, Harper and Grace really bonded since Grace took Harper and Leelo to the vet that very first day after they were cruelly dumped as tiny puppies.  Grace was out of state for a class when Harper passed away and not with poor Harper, what a nightmare.  

 

So maybe that explains things why I've been gone for a while.  I'm so thankful that Leelo is okay, my 94 year old mom is doing okay too.  We're dealing with dementia and are learning that the bad occasions are a chemical imbalance and dementia combined but as a whole she is being a sweetheart and very nurturing even calling me sweetheart and oh that does my heart good.  Everyone is accepting that the bad days will usually be forgotten by the next day.  Many things like foods she eats are experimental, what affects her and so forth....she is on a healthy diet, but some things a bit too close to the edge can throw her temperment off within minutes.

Here's some shots of little Harper, there are some on my last blog from last September too.

 

 Little Harper taking a little nap.

 Leelo and Harper resting...after

...playtime!

 

 

Harper and Leelo fitting both out of the dog door...So cute.

 

A Walk

 

 

 

 

Christmas...So Dear to My Heart

 

I have my little tree on top of this old bookcase that my dad and my Uncle Bennie, (my mom's brother) made when they were young. 

 

The little tree, with little doggies and deer.  The brown doggy at the top is made in Germany, our eldest daughter, Janie gave this to me on Thanksgiving because she thought it kind of had the same look as Harper.   This little doggy really does!  Harper would have that same darling expression.

 

I thought these choir boys with the little tree were so cute, I found them at Dollar Tree in a package.  They are plastic and are with the miniature houses and figures there.   Simple things make me happy.

Under my little tree.   I had this exact little Baby Jesus on Hay when I was little.  The original was stolen and I found this one on ebay.

 

Our little-big tree.   This little tree is four and a half foot tall and I have it setting on the coffee table from my childhood home.  The little treeskirt is from Walmart, I had gotten it on clearance one year for hardly anything and I just adore it.  The ornaments are doggies, kitties and little pink and gold bulbs.  The pink and gold bulbs are from dollar tree.  

 

  

The general setup in the living room, I was watching Bocelli and Sarah Brightman.  This song gets me every time.   This rendition was sung at my Italian grandma's funeral in the old stone chapel...Oh my heart.  

 

 

This is my little four foot tree by the breakfast area near the living room too....It's an open area.  I have this smallish tree on an old cedar chest made for me when I was born.

 

The pink deer (here) and blue snowman (below)ornaments are from Dollar General, Zuzu gave those to me.  The wooden doggy is from Hobby Lobby after Christmas.

 

Wooden kitties too from Hobby Lobby after Christmas.  The wooden snowman faces are from the sweetest little cozy gift shop in smalltown...The owner is so nice.  I got these after Christmas too.

 

Here are some links from Last Year's Christmas that show the rest of my decorations and some Christmas thoughts too including 'Don't be a Heelot!':

Dec. 13. 23. 

Dec. 17. 23. 

Dec. 23. 23 

 

 One of my favorite Christmas stations:

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Nothing like Bing at Christmas...Another time and place that I prefer to keep in our home.

 

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Time to Say Goodbye by Boccelli, one of my very favorites, this touches my heart so much.

 

I sure hope everyone is having a nice Christmas season so far.  I have some presents to wrap and supper to think about...God bless and  be with you all.

 

Please remember your comments are a Gift to me and helps me to know that friends are reading here.  Let me know how you are doing too, I'm interested in your lives too.  How is your Christmas going?  I think at this point I'm at a standstill besides maybe putting a few garden banners and some poinsettias outside here and there.  We sha'll see.  

In closing....

If I can stop one heart

from breaking,

I shall not live in vain:

If I can ease one life the aching, 

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain

~Emily Dickinson  

 

Have a sweet and most precious Christmas,     God bless you, you are preciously loved by God.   ~Amelia