Apollo

Shortly after the first of this year a Saint Bernard was running stray in a small southern MO town. Animal control caught him and put him in a holding pen that had a hole in the fence which ac had tried to block with a pitch fork. The fork bit Apollo and for 4 days he stayed in that pen as his leg became more and more infected. On the 5th day when ac was afraid Apollo was going to die he contacted a rescue friend of mine down there and told her about Apollo, who immediately went and scooped him up and rushed him to her vet. The vet said he wasn't sure he could save the leg as the flesh was rotting and dropping away from the wound. The wound was cut open and thoroughly cleaned and Apollo was put on massive doses of anti biotics and the wound was dressed. He was fitted with a cone to keep him away from the bad leg.He was kept at the vets as he had to be monitored and the dressing changed at least every 24 hours...a drain was also in place. The bill started adding up and friend was not prepared for this as she is constantly rescuing the local mill babies as well as many that are just dumped.so we discussed it and I decided to post his plight to many of my rescue lists as well as to Face Book. The bill finally got close to $1,000 dollars but the donations started coming in to where friend was left with only $150 to pay out of pocket.

While Apollo's life was being saved, north of there at my house my big boy Mountain was slowly dieing. He had arthritis really bad but could still get up and around. plus he was eating and drinking. On 2/21 I took Mountain to my vet for an exam and additional meds for pain and at that time she could find no sign of Cancer. I got Mountain when he was 9 weeks old and his 11th birthday was the 19 of December 2010 so he was very old for a Saint and had always been blessed with great health.Anyway we came back home and the new meds helped with what pain he was experiency as he was more at ease and slept better. About the last week of March he got so he could no longer get up but I was still determined to stick with him, but a day or so after that he quit eating and drinking...I started feeding him with an oral syringe and gave him water that way as well. Now he was starting to give me that look as if to say "Dad, please let me go". On 3/31 I made an appointment with my vet to send him on ahead for the next day and as I was cleaning him up and getting his bed ready for the night I noticed for the first time this softball sized lump appearing on his left shoulder. Late that night I increased his pain meds as he weighed 180 lbs and I would have to load him in my van alone and didn't want to hurt him in the process.On the morning of 4/1 I offerd him food and water but he refused both and I noticed that his breathing was really ragged. I loaded him and we went to my vet who had volunteered to send him on from my van. I showed her the lump and she immediately said it was cancer and due to the way he was breathing it had already moved into his lungs. She gave him the first shot which relaxed him and put him in a deep sleep then gave him the seconf shot which stopped his heart. My ever present Mountain was no longer there but had gone on ahead pain free to wait for me.Apollo in Honor of Mountain

Back down South Apollo was healing nicely and was ready to go. He walked and ran without even a limp with the only sign of his encounter with the fork being a long jagged scar on his foo and ankle. Friend had been giving me constant updates on him, telling me what a love bug he is and she finally came out and asked if I wanted to give him a home. I was still recovering from the loss of Mary's Mountain Man so I thanked her but declined After a few days I realized that my life was not complete without a Saint Bernard so I called her and said I had changed my mind and I wanted him. I would be medicine for him as he would be for me.

Since then I have often thought about the big picture and how all of this was timed...

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Comment by Jessie Thompson on May 31, 2011 at 4:36pm: That was heartbreaking to read. It's a big mystery to me how another wonderful canine will happen along when we're so in need of help. Twice this has happened to me, so I've known two precious saviors in my lifetime. One is living with me now and his name is Taavi.

Jessie

Comment by Kathi on May 31, 2011 at 2:25pm: Carl, that was beautifully written and I must say made me cry. You gave Mountain wonderful years and in the end you did what was best for him. That in itself takes a lot of strength and love to be able to let go. I know I have experienced it several times and it doesn't get any easier. But now you have Apollo and what a wonderful tribute that is to Mountain.

Bless you both and live long and happy lives.

Kathi

Comment by Wanda P on May 30, 2011 at 11:42pm: Isn;t that odd, they come just when we have healed enough we can open that door and say yes your love is worth the pain, for i would not get to hold you and be your furr parent.. us pet lovers will always open that door and its such a gift we can give them to easy their suffering.. its sad but they wait for us i know, i will be confused when i get there i have 2 white poodles and 2 black ones.. i am glad you opened up your heart buddy.god bless ya ww