I would categorize myself more in the tier of over-thinkers. I tend to over-analyze, over-plan, over-prepare, over-read-into, and over-scenario anything and everything. Then I have situations that stand still, and I am not sure if I am more shocked at the revelation or at the fact, that I totally under-analyzed for a (possibly detrimental) moment in my pretty predictable life.
I will start from the beginning...
In November, we took our 9 1/2 Human Years, Basset Hound, Rusty to the Vet for his annual vaccinations, a toe nail trim, and a bath. We call this "Spa Day" and I really need to keep it this way so that he looks forward to it...appreciate it. Anywho...he has had a couple of "fatty tumors" for a few years now that we keep an eye on, are not concerned about, and had double-checked again. Here is where the WARNING comes in: He had a small, pinky fingernail-sized, blood blister on the side of his penis (again, not crude, just a fact) at this visit. Which we didn't give much thought to.
Over the past couple of months, this little blister did not heal, in fact it got to be just under quarter sized. And for the love of all dogs...he smelled. Not your normal smell, it was cringe-worthy. Then last Thursday night, I noticed he was really swollen "down there". So Friday morning I decided to call the Vet...psyching myself up to say penis over the phone (because I over-analyze and in my mind think they have never heard anyone say dog penis over the phone). He was his happy little self, all activities were normal, he was pumped to see the leash come out, and hear the word "ride" and bounded into the Vet...after sniffing half the building of course.
So here is where my under-analyzing comes in, mostly because, I am not a Vet. I am thinking the blood blister has become infected and we will just be sent home quickly with a dose of antibiotics. Yep, you guessed it...this is where my moment stands still. The Vet immediately grabs him "down there" and I don't think I would have panicked, if the Vet wouldn't have forcefully said "this has to come out NOW, IMMEDIATELY". I might have over-read-into the urgencey, but to me it was Defcon 1. I think I heard something along the lines of "quick growing", "need to send off", "surgery", "stay overnight"...definitely not, infection and antibiotics.
So as the Vet took the leash and Rusty from me, I was dizzy, nauseated, and in complete shock. My friend from church was sitting in the waiting room with her dog. She had heard everything and made a sad face at me as she held her arms out to embrace me in a hug...I am one of those people that has hair-trigger waterworks when hugging in sad scenarios. Then I have to hold in the ugly cries so I can call my husband, who says "if you are calling, it can't be good". Then I have to hold in more ugly cries to tell my co-workers.
Let me state that at one point in my life, I thought, I would never spend the same amount of money on a pet, that I would for a human. And Monday, I realized that was not the case. And as I began get back on track and "over-analyze"...I prayed that our family has had as much impact on Rusty's life as he has had on ours. And I thought of how God created everything. Every. Single. Thing.
Psalm 104:24 O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.
Our Vet office is fantastic and they called when he went under anesthesia, when he moved to recovery, and when he woke up. And guess what they said?...We sent off the one from his "groin". Groin people...why did I not think to say groin? And he stayed overnight and came home yesterday...with a "cone of shame". Bless his furry heart. He ran straight for his rawhide bone and drank about 1/2 a gallon of water in one slurpy session. If chicks dig scars, he is going to be a lady killer...He has a 4" incision on his side, And about an 8" one the length of his..eh.um...groin. We were so glad to have him home and everyone worked in shifts to sit by him so he could keep the cone off. And my daughter didn't want to give up her shift, so I just sat on the other side of him with her at the end of the night. And even though the cone was on overnight and still on this morning, my son sat with him until it was time to get ready for school.
You want to know what hit me right in the "feels"?
1. The Vet gave him a purple heart tag with his name on it and a certificate for "Bravery in Surgery".
2. We all cried when we saw that tag.
3. The sight of my kids holding concerned vigil at his side...not asked, not bribed, not guilted.
4. Someone was always touching him, the way he does us when he wants attention. And his incisions are gnarly, and shaved, and sutured, and stapled. Like so many staples, I can't believe the magnets have flown off the fridge...
5. And God called me to a love for this little creature that I had no idea of until I under-analyzed.
And just like humans, sometimes we appear "normal" on the outside, but there is some serious stuff going on on the inside. Whether matters of emotion, or physical quick-growing stand-still moments. I am doing my best not to over-analyze what we might hear in about a week...I want to enjoy the fact that God has given us charge over His little creature and without a doubt, we have and will continue to love him and will brag about the wicked-cool scars on his "groin".
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