Nelson 3rd birthday, August 2007

Nelson 3rd birthday, August 2007

Nelson 1st birthday, August 2005
Nelson 1st birthday, August 2005

Radio Host and Best-Selling author Mark R. Levin writes in his book, “Rescuing Sprite” that “Every dog lover has a dog story”.  This is mine. 

If any of you saw the movie “Marley & Me” you know the kind of mischief and havoc that having a puppy in the house can cause.  Yet, having a dog is the most wonderful of experiences that you can have in my opinion.

Today is the 1 year anniversary of the sudden and unexpected death of my dog Nelson.  He was 3 years and 8 months old when he died on a Sunday Morning.   I’ll never forget the day.  7 days before he died, I was on the phone with a girlfriend who lives in Richmond and Nelson let out this painful & horrific yelp.  I dropped the phone and ran out to find him wincing in pain.  I immediately took him to the vet, but they could find nothing wrong.  I knew something was very wrong with him those few days, but he could not tell me.  He knew he was going to die though, because he kept laying near me and looking at me with those pretty hazel green eyes of his with deep sadness.

Two days later he succumbed from a cerebral hemorrhage, that was caused by him getting into some rat poison peanut butter scented pellets that he got a hold of while visiting someones home who was watching him for me while I was on travel.  I found him dead in the downstairs powder room where he had walked from his bed to get some water most likely.  I was devastated to say the least.  I wandered outside in my pajamas at 6:30AM on  Sunday morning and knocked on my neighbors door.  Mike and Kim down the street own two pugs and Mike came and covered Nelson up and carried him outside and put him in my SUV so we could take him to the Animal Hospital in West Virginia which was open on Sundays. Jeff & Sara were great and they came over when they saw all of the commotion. 

That was a tough day.  I think I cried for two days and my neighbors all converged on me to offer comfort.  I received wonderful cards and flowers from friends from all over-dog lovers all–who understood that losing Nelson was indeed like losing a close member of my family.  I was so distraught, I got in my SUV and drove to Texas from Virginia with my mom to see my best friend & sorority sister TJ and her husband. 

I wanted to share more photos of him on this post this morning but could not bring myself to look at anymore pictures of him with my two nieces Alex & Mikaela, or my favorite photo of Mikaela at age 3 sleeping in the car on the way to the beach with Nelson’s ear in her hand as he lay sleeping next to her and Alex.  Or the family photos we took in the summer of 2006, with all of us and Nelson in Middleburg Virginia.   I got Nelson when he was  9 weeks old.  He was a full bred Cocker Spaniel with two parents that were show dogs.  Nelson was a feisty, energetic, funny (sometimes downright bad puppy) who was a fierce protector of his home and of me.

We endured some wonderful and tough times together. The toughest of all was when I had surgery in 2004 and was very sick.  You see I got Nelson on doctors orders, she feared I would not do well with all I was enduring at the time and she feared I would get depressed and stay in my bed and never recover.  Dr. Martin (also a dear friend) ordered me to get a puppy to take care of.  I thought she was nuts, but it was the best advice I have ever gotten from a doctor.

Nelson probably saved my life (emotionally).  Yet, when he depended on me I could not save his.  Tough stuff, but from that experience I grew as a human being and learned that the human heart and soul have boundless depths.  That love is this magical emotion that cuts across all humanity and for all of God’s creatures. 

I loved my little “buddy” as I called him.  I have some regrets.  I travelled too much.  Left him more that I would have liked and no matter what kind of day I was having or what kind of mood I was in–Nelson was there with a loving nuzzle, a doggy kiss, and those pretty green/hazel eyes gazing at me.

My point: Dogs are special beings.  Very special.  And I want to encourage every person that can or wants to, to go and rescue a dog if you can TODAY.  Yes, they cost money and are full of mischief, but they are a great gift to your home and your family.  My desire before the end of this year is to get a new puppy or rescue a dog who needs a good home.  I am ready to move forward now–never forgetting my buddy Nelson and hoping that one day when I cross over into the great unknown of death myself that I will see him running around crazed with his floppy ears, and running toward me to greet me like he did each night I came home.

If I have not love, I am nothing

Sophia