Recipients of Generosity

I've had about a half dozen spectacular, memorable and truly meaningful moments in my life.  This week I added an experience to my list.  Adam, Crockett and I were recipients of generosity like never before.

But first, the beginning of the story...

Crockett is about to turn 9 years old.  In the past few weeks, it was like he aged overnight.  His cute little flat pug face is losing it's darkness as grey hair takes over.  He was closing his eyes and almost falling asleep while standing up, lethargic, ravenous, and drinking full bowls of water at a time.  This of course was followed by indoor tinkle accidents.  These were different than the occasional indoor accidents that are the fault of his humans not getting him out quickly enough. These accidents were, after coming in from a walk where his bladder was emptied, to walk into the room we're in, make and hold eye contact, and empty his bladder on the floor. These tinkles also looked different and were sticky.  My alarm went off......Diabetes.

After a weekend of mopping up the floor, I booked Crockett in at the Vet for an appointment on Tuesday.
Diagnosis: Diabetes.  The Vet said that Crockett was 2 days away from requiring hospitalization and potential death due to Ketoacidosis.  Thank goodness we got him to the Vet in time.

What we have been doing since Tuesday is giving Crockett 2 insulin shots a day. He goes back to the Vet tomorrow for some more blood work to check his levels and for us to work with the vet to determine his treatment. I am so thankful that Adam is at home during the day to look after Crockett.

Vet bills are crazy expensive.  With only me working, we are already on a tight budget that does not have any wiggle room at all. None. The stress of financial worry alone has got the better of me lately. Add on to it not only the heartache and stress of a sick pet, but the worry of an expensive condition to treat and well....let's just say my mind has been on overload.

Yesterday at work Adam called me and started the conversation with, " You won't believe when I tell you this. I'm blown away..."  My stomach fell as I was anticipating more bad news.  I almost got irritated and was about to tell him to get to the point when he said, " This is amazing.".

He got a call from the Vet's office and the receptionist said she had good news for us. Was it a misdiagnosis? Is Crockett fine?  Turns out, someone had overheard Adam and I talking to the Vet about treatment options, the cost of diabetes management, and my current financial situation.  We were in the back of the clinic, not talking loudly, and not exposed to people in the waiting room. There were staff moving about but our focus was on the Vet & Crockett. The Vet was teaching and having us dose out the insulin into the needle and then give Crockett saline injections to see how competent we were with the needle. I basically stated that I was willing to do whatever I need to do to look after Crockett in the most cost effective way. Become educated about Diabetes, take blood samples to read and document his blood sugar levels and give him injections ourselves. The Vet even said that he'd be willing to communicate with us via e-mail to review Crockett's data to assess his treatment.

This person who overheard said that it was obvious that we love our dog and was sympathetic to our situation. They donated $500 towards Crockett's Vet bill.

SERIOUSLY! 

When Adam asked who did this for us, the receptionist said that the person wishes to remain anonymous.
I was so taken aback that I started to cry.  This person literally has NO IDEA of the impact they have made.  A stranger helping us just because.  Thinking about it gets me overwhelmed and teary eyed.  Faith in humanity is restored. Not all people suck.

We are the recipients of generosity and kindness. Something that has humbled us and made us realize just how lucky we are to have a portion of Crockett's care covered. We will certainly find a way to Pay It Forward!

Adam will be taking with him to the Vet tomorrow a Thank You card.  The receptionist said she would pass it on for us.  It was difficult to write.  I wanted to convey just how thankful and grateful we are. It doesn't seem like enough of a Thank You. I want to hug this person!

 I drew a small Gemma Correll Pug in the card and enclosed a few photos of Crockett.

How lucky are we?  Wow. Lucky.

Gratitude and Post Update Nov 5'10

Life can be difficult at times. 

Stress, fear, anxiousness, vulnerability and uncertainty on occasion
creep into my quiet mind.

 I have consciously made an effort to replace these negative thoughts with thoughts of

GRATITUDE.

If I made a list of negative vs. positive things in my life, positive wins by a land slide.

The tough part for me has been to focus on and recognize the positive.

I am a worrier, always have been, always will be, but I am getting better.

I'm not one who could keep a daily list of things I'm grateful for. 

It would make me think about it too much.

I need to learn to recognize these things organically as they happen.

There are the basics, Adam, love, health, family, dog, laughter, gainful employment...

Today, I am grateful for the roof over my head, the food in my pantry, the warm blanket,

perfect pillow, cozy jammies and bed I get to sleep in next to my husband.

I leave the house for work between 6:15-6:30am.

Twice last week and again this morning I came upon a lady

who has been sleeping in the bus shelter at my bus stop.

The City of Toronto over the last year has, with the beautification

of Yonge Street, replaced all the bus shelters.

It is almost as though they were designed specifically so that homeless people

would not choose them as a place of shelter.

The walls are 6 inches shy of the ground.

The wind hits your ankles and goes up your pant leg.

If you have to wait for more than 15 minutes in the cold, your toes freeze.

The seats are divided into 3 sections with a cold raised piece of steel.

You have to be a size 6 for it not to dig into your thigh.

Again, anything longer than a 15 minute wait and your leg would fall asleep.

The lady is about 5'4".

She wears a red winter jacket at a length just above her knees.

The fake fur trimmed hood is up, covering her face.

She wears a long jean skirt to her ankles and flat ballerina type slippers.

By the time I get to the bus stop, she seems to have been up for awhile.

As I walk by, she is putting belongings into a bag.

The seat is covered with boxes.

She's put them under and over the seat dividers to fashion a home made mattress.

She's placed other boxes up the side of the glass so she has a

barrier against the cold glass.



Red Coat Lady's boxes tucked behind the shelter.

 I walk past, she doesn't look up. By the way she moves and holds herself, I'd say she's in her 50's.

I sit on the other bench a few feet away waiting for my bus. We can't see each other because of the ad wall of the shelter. I'm happy for this as I feel I'm invading her

space and privacy in a way.

She takes about 4 trips from the bench to the garbage can, folds up her boxes and places them behind the bus shelter so that they will be there for her to reuse tonight.

I wonder what her story is. Are there people who worry about her? Wonder where she is? Wonder if she is alive? I fear for her saftey.

My bench at the corner by the bus stop.



Seeing homeless men is always sad, but seeing a homeless women hits me in a different way.

She seems so much more vulnerable, exposed.

I wonder why sleeping on the street is better than going to a shelter. I wonder if anyone has tried to help. I wonder what I can do. I am going to hurry up and finish knitting my red scarf so that I can offer it to her.

It seems so little, but if I put myself in her place, I

would hope that someone would do the same for me.

POST UPDATE Nov 5'10
I haven't seen the Red Coat Lady since Monday.
It has this last week cooled down fast, so I hope she's found
warmer and safer shelter.