Greta

Greta (3-27-1999) - (01-08-2003) I found her in an online "free to good home" sort of ad. in a newspaper. She was a Jack Russell terrier dog. Usually, these dogs are very expensive, but this one was different. She needed a good and loving home as much as I needed a good and loving friend---someone to take care of and to love and to love me back.

I was in a serious car accident a year earlier, and was in a coma for a few months. Most of my friends had gone on with their lives and those that had maintained contact with me had problems with my newly acquired deficits. I now had seizures and was left unable to work. As my fear of embarrassing myself by having a seizure in public grew, I retreated into my house alone where nobody would witness the spectacle. My isolation grew. I was falling down an abyss and my social skills diminished markedly because my speech was quite garbled. I was SO tired of people asking me to repeat myself; I eventually just observed rather than joined in.

Then I met Greta. I knew the minute I read the ad I had found the answer. I went to the store and bought the necessary things: collar, bed, food, etc. Then, the next day, I went to go meet her. On January 3, 2002,

I met a dog-named Gizmo. She wasn't the cutest dog there as that honor went to puppies---she was already about 2 years old. It was mutual love at first sight. I immediately changed her name to Greta (after the news anchor, Greta Van Sustern). We were inseparable. She slept with me and wouldn't get up until I did. When I had a seizure, she would lick me on the face until it was over.

Then on January 6, 2003, she had an appointment at the vets for allergy testing. The tests showed she had heartworms and I had to give consent for treatment. She had a reaction to the injection that was quite serious. She spent the night at the vets. It was agreed that I wouldn't see her, as she shouldn't have any excitement as the injection affected her heart, lungs and other major organs. Her breathing was very labored I called the next day for an update and was told she could come home but they wanted to see her at 8:00 the following morning.

When I saw her, I knew something was seriously wrong-she didn't get excited as she had always done. I took her home and gave her a prednisone pill as directed. She didn't have an appetite or drink any water or even milk, which was very usual for Greta. She wheezed repeatedly and lost control of her body functions. Her little body had given out. I called her name and begged her to hang on until I got help.

I called the emergency number and was told to bring her right in---but she had already died about 9:14 PM. I held her in my arms and saw the blank look of death in her eyes, and I wept and felt so alone.

I am a better person for having the privilege of knowing a dog who loved so unconditionally. I'll always love and miss you, Greta and today as I rode back from the vets to the house with your ashes in a box on my lap, I realize that perhaps my family is right- another dog is waiting to be loved like you once were.