Post by corrae on Jun 17, 2016 21:30:59 GMT -5
OK. I'm going to admit right off: I'm fairly certain I'm a bad person. I guess I just don't care enough at this point to change.
Very very long story....neighbor broke his femur 2 weeks ago--taken to hospital, surgery, blah blah blah.... He's a 60 something year old bachelor, and he's got his 96 year old father alone at home. I'm taking care of his dad, who is still pretty sharp, but understandably gets confused over things. The broken legged neighbor is BEYOND difficult and opinionated...he and I butt heads on a regular basis. Anyway. Neighbor is now in a rehab hospital 5 hours away. Dad is alone. If you've seen the show "Hoarders," you'll have an idea of what the house looks like (neighbor is beyond a slob and filthy...ugh.) Mouse feces on the kitchen counters and drawers. Dust beyond belief. Crap everywhere. I've enlisted my SIL and cleaning lady--and we've been hauling more crap out of that house than Carter has liver pills. We've filled 2 dumpsters already. the father is pathetically appreciative of all the help we're giving--I've laundered 11+ wool blankets that have not been washed in at least 10 years (the time the cleaning lady's been there) b/c in neighbor's opinion, "You can't wash wool." (Yes, I have mentioned to him that sheep don't shrink, but what do I know? )
Anyway...to the dog. They have 3 dogs. The eldest, Jessie, is the one I'm writing about. She's about 14. She is a 50 lb Border Collie who SHOULD weigh about 30 lbs....She's grossly overweight. Her hair is hanging in dreadlocks, matted with cockleburs, and she stinks. She also has a tennis ball sized tumor/growth hanging from her rectum. She's had that growth for at least 2 years. She's disgusting. So disgusting that I, who regularly deal with manure, bovine birth fluid, and various other nasty things, shrank from touching her.... Disgusting is just the start of what she is. (Was.) Neighbor has stated that it's time to put her down. He's even dug a hole (before breaking leg.)
Along with cleaning the house, I decided it's time to clean the dog. I had her groomed and clipped,(on my dime) and vet removed the disgusting tumor/growth this AM. When vet mentioned keeping the incision clean, and free from flies and the resulting maggots, I almost fainted--I had forgotten about fly season and maggots. Neighbor's house has a plethora of them. Result: Jessie is now at my house. She's had a small supper, some pain killer, and a joint supplement (she's very arthritic--duh--I'd be too if I were that obese.) She was the darling of the vet clinic. Deaf, mostly blind, but so happy to be loved on. And she's CLEAN.
I am having a hard time thinking about giving her back--that's MY hoarding tendency coming out.
My best friend's son just lost his dog to cancer and is bereft. I'm VERY tempted to just tell my neighbors, "Jessie's gone," and give her to my friend's son.... She obviously doesn't have lots of time left, but I cringe at returning her to that hole. The elderly father has said it's time to put her down...and it isn't. Her eyes are bright, in spite of the cataracts, she's a happy and healthy dog, and will do so much better if she loses weight.
Very very long story....neighbor broke his femur 2 weeks ago--taken to hospital, surgery, blah blah blah.... He's a 60 something year old bachelor, and he's got his 96 year old father alone at home. I'm taking care of his dad, who is still pretty sharp, but understandably gets confused over things. The broken legged neighbor is BEYOND difficult and opinionated...he and I butt heads on a regular basis. Anyway. Neighbor is now in a rehab hospital 5 hours away. Dad is alone. If you've seen the show "Hoarders," you'll have an idea of what the house looks like (neighbor is beyond a slob and filthy...ugh.) Mouse feces on the kitchen counters and drawers. Dust beyond belief. Crap everywhere. I've enlisted my SIL and cleaning lady--and we've been hauling more crap out of that house than Carter has liver pills. We've filled 2 dumpsters already. the father is pathetically appreciative of all the help we're giving--I've laundered 11+ wool blankets that have not been washed in at least 10 years (the time the cleaning lady's been there) b/c in neighbor's opinion, "You can't wash wool." (Yes, I have mentioned to him that sheep don't shrink, but what do I know? )
Anyway...to the dog. They have 3 dogs. The eldest, Jessie, is the one I'm writing about. She's about 14. She is a 50 lb Border Collie who SHOULD weigh about 30 lbs....She's grossly overweight. Her hair is hanging in dreadlocks, matted with cockleburs, and she stinks. She also has a tennis ball sized tumor/growth hanging from her rectum. She's had that growth for at least 2 years. She's disgusting. So disgusting that I, who regularly deal with manure, bovine birth fluid, and various other nasty things, shrank from touching her.... Disgusting is just the start of what she is. (Was.) Neighbor has stated that it's time to put her down. He's even dug a hole (before breaking leg.)
Along with cleaning the house, I decided it's time to clean the dog. I had her groomed and clipped,(on my dime) and vet removed the disgusting tumor/growth this AM. When vet mentioned keeping the incision clean, and free from flies and the resulting maggots, I almost fainted--I had forgotten about fly season and maggots. Neighbor's house has a plethora of them. Result: Jessie is now at my house. She's had a small supper, some pain killer, and a joint supplement (she's very arthritic--duh--I'd be too if I were that obese.) She was the darling of the vet clinic. Deaf, mostly blind, but so happy to be loved on. And she's CLEAN.
I am having a hard time thinking about giving her back--that's MY hoarding tendency coming out.
My best friend's son just lost his dog to cancer and is bereft. I'm VERY tempted to just tell my neighbors, "Jessie's gone," and give her to my friend's son.... She obviously doesn't have lots of time left, but I cringe at returning her to that hole. The elderly father has said it's time to put her down...and it isn't. Her eyes are bright, in spite of the cataracts, she's a happy and healthy dog, and will do so much better if she loses weight.