Project Outcome Followup: Puppy and Gail
Remember these two ladies from our last newsletter? That was Puppy and Gail back in 2017. Back then, Puppy was keeping Gail’s spirits up after Gail lost her husband and her son. The two were inseparable and TASP made sure Puppy received the care she needed to remain healthy. After all, she had an important job to do as Mom’s primary companion.
It was a rough winter for Gail and Puppy. Gail’s health continued to fade and the little mobile home suffered from frozen pipes and way more snow than Gail could deal with. Meantime, Puppy needed occasional modification of her heart meds to keep her coughing under control. Over the long winter, Gail made a couple of emergency trips to the hospital for her breathing problems and ultimately, her invitation to heaven came. She reluctantly left Puppy and went to be reunited with her son and husband, her beloved goats and all the others who left this world before her. That left Puppy alone for the first time in her life.
Before Gail was loaded into the ambulance for her last trip to the hospital, she gave her house keys to a kind neighbor and asked her to watch over Puppy and to call TASP if she didn’t return. It was the neighbor who notified us of Gail’s passing and Puppy’s new status. The next day, a TASP volunteer visited Puppy and taught the neighbor all about the medicines Puppy took three times each day. For the next few days, this good neighbor visited Puppy regularly, feeding & medicating her, running the TV and keeping the little dog company until Gail’s daughter could arrive from Florida.
What a wonderful moment for Puppy when Sis walked in the door! She remembered Sis from the old days, and what’s more, Sis has the same distinctive voice as Gail! After what seemed like the loneliest time in Puppy’s little life, being gathered up into Sis’s arms and hearing her voice made the world seem beautiful again. A new chapter had begun!
Again, the TASP volunteer visited Puppy’s home, this time to meet with Sis and teach her how to administer Puppy’s meds. TASP provided a month’s supply of meds and a spreadsheet listing each medication, dosage and other important information for Puppy’s future care.
Over the next days, Sis closed up the little old mobile home and took care of Gail’s final business; and then she and Puppy left for Sis’s home in Florida. Puppy flew with Sis right in the cabin, as a VIP comfort dog, and she made it through the flight like a real pro. Now, little Puppy lives the pampered life and travels everywhere with Sis in the land of sunshine. She has a human family, a cat and other dogs to cuddle with and the warmer climate and more active lifestyle have done wonders for her heart & lungs.
Puppy knows that someday she’ll receive her invitation to heaven and will eventually get to be with her Mama, Pop and Bro again. But for now, she’s enjoying the benefits of her new life and family. It feels good to know Puppy remains loved and is getting the excellent care she deserves. As Gail’s loyal little companion, she gave her all. Now it’s all coming back to her in spades!
