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Long time no chat :) This is an update of my daughter who is the recoverying alcoholic/drug addict in my life. My daughter 21, finally has been staying clean and sober for over 6 months and is struggling still with anxiety and depression. Christmas was hard for her. She went to AA on Christmas day and did what she needed to for her. For some reason she really bonded to her puppy, Burton. I didn't realize how much until Thursday night. Burton was run over by a pickup from slipping on ice in the driveway! She called us right away upset and looking for any vet open to help save him at nightime! Her boyfriend was driving and she saw the accident and was traumatized. She found a vet and they got him stabalized. She called the vet the next morning and told him to do whatever needed to save him! Well,the vet met with her to discuss this huge cost. He wanted a downpayment and she didn't know how she was going to get it. She came to my house and I had never seen her so upset. While using she was very emotionaless for years. She kept crying and saying how NO ONE UNderstood, NO ONE! I found an agency online and had her fill out forms to help out. WE both felt some hope. I took out my poket book and dug deep inside and donated my entire Social Security Check when I saw how desperate she was and how much that dog meant to her! That dog has done more for her depression and sobriety than anything. It was half of what the vet wanted so I told her to go present it to him and I called and gave him the name of this agency that was out there to help too. He still needed more money so she gave him all she had from her first paycheck from a brand new job. She then was broke. They agreed to do the major surgery on Saturday. I had to leave town with my parents to help them and off I went.
Burton had all his muscles torn off his legs and they had to bolt or screw them back in! His one ball joint was crushed and they had to remove that but feel the muscles may take over the place and help him walk since he is only 7 months old. His other leg was broken and his scrotum was severely herniated. Thank God the wheels didn't run over any vital organs or break his back which we didn't know right away. I saw him today and he is one sick puppy :( He is a mixed breed black lab and the sweetest dog.
This organization turned down my daughter based on the fact that the vet said he would let my daughter make payments. She got the paper work in and the vet got the fax in as required but one little criteria and no help. WE had our hope crushed. A friend of mine is going to try to do a fund raiser online. My daughter couldn't belive that there were people out there who cared. It brought a smile to her face and a sense of how humanity comes together to help. WE are not the kind that asks for help but we do help when things happen and are needed for others. My daughter is a very giving person. After she gave the vet the money we came up with, he accepted it even though it was less and then my daughter went right to her AA meeting. She missed work and we were wondering if she would get fired after only working a few days.
On Monday at work, the people were so nice and caring about her and her dog. I am hoping she finally found a low stress job with people that care about each other. It seems like a relaxed, friendly environment which is good for her anxiety problems.
Now, tonight she is not sure if her boyfriend is out drinking :( He is the one that recently got out of prison. I see her working her program so hard. I felt honored when she reached out to me to talk about him and how she felt tonight. I still keep my mouth shut and my heart open. It is like we bonded more too with the situation with Burton. I hope she can stay clean and sober and I feel strongly that she will. She has Burton to be there for now! He will be in the hospital at least 2 weeks!
Just think, when I wanted my daughter back the way she use to be, God/HP gave her Burton. She is the person she use to be before her disease of alcoholism along with normal growth in age of course. Burton has brought out the loving, caring, compassionate person that she has always been but was covered up by the disease for so many years. I would have never thought that her one big blessing would come in the form of this puppy!
Thank you to all who have prayed for her and for my family for the past couple years I have been here. I see where miracles can happen and in the form of an animal too.
As for me, I still have my struggles and my anxiety is still high with the situation with my failing parents. I am taking care of me and staying around safe, supportive friends. I am using my alanon tools and program and growing and changing. I hope you are all doing the best you can too and that you find miracles in your life no matter how small. I guess God/HP does work in his own time. Keep on hoping and keep on praying. It works if you work it. cdb xoxoxoxoxoxox
I am glad to hear your daughter is doing good. I'm so sorry to hear about Burton, but it sounds like he is going to be okay after surgery and recovery. As you can tell from my username I LOVE animals - especially dogs and am partial to labs because I have 2 of my own. Have you checked out labmed and vetmed? They are agencies to help with bills. I don't have their webpages handy but I'm sure if you google them it will come up.
I'll keep you and your family and Burton in my prayers.
Hi Cdb it is so good to hear from you again. I am an animal lover and I hate to see them suffer. I hope this puppy makes it I will pray to HP for you and your daughter. Burton is giving her unconditional love and she is responding to it. You are a great Mum CDB and it is so nice to find out that you and you daughter are bonding again. HP works in strange ways sometimes. Luv Leo x
It still amazes me how our Higher Power's work. None of us can predict what he does at all or his timing either. To me now, guardian angels may come in the form of a pet such as Burton. Thank you all for your caring replies and concern. I just wanted to share my experience, strength and hope (ESH) here as I know now that it is true that alcoholics/drug addicts can gain control of this disease and for some it also comes with the added love of a pet. Yes, a pet loves my daughter unconditionally and ty dogscribe for those sites! xoxoxo (((((((roomies))))))) cdb
wow, cdb, what a heart rendering story!!! prayers comming ur way for U/ puppy/ daughter.....isn't it amazing how our 4 legged friends can do such miracles for us????
i swear, i would have suceeded in my suicides, if i didn't have my 4 legged "kids" to hug and love......as down as i got...as down as ihave been, i have had some real joy from my pets..........god be with u all....rosie
I'm sorry this accident happened to your daughter's beloved Burton. The bond between people and their pets is amazing. i once read a book about an addict who found recovery in the end he spoke of his cravings and his decision to get his first dog, i cannot remember the exact quote but it was something like this .... Every time I think of using I remember that (dog's name) hasn't ever seen me high. I thought about that so much and used it to help my recovery too, I don't want mine to see me upset, and acting as crazy as living with this disease can be sometimes. I wish you and your daughter the best and will be praying for Burton's speedy recovery,
Thank you rosie and Jennifer for sharing what you did. I guess in my life I never bonded that much with our family dogs but I did with our cats and that is not quite the same as the cats are so darned independent LOL. I am sure my daughter would agree with the stories both of you just told. I sat with Burton today for about an hour and took pictures for an online fund raiser a friend of mine is planning to help with the expenses. They told me that burton stays back in his cage when we are not there but perks up and is happy when we visit him. I have such a hard timd getting out of the house so this is good for me to get up and go see burton and touch him and talk to him and say prayers with him. He does not have much feeling in his back legs yet but the vet said he is slowly getting feeling back. They are doing physical therapy with him now to get him on all 4s. He is sure a fighter. I plan to see him everyday and give him that human touch and human voice that he needs to hang in there. I may have him at my house too when he gets out during the day while he still recovers and I am sort of looking forward to that. He won't be walking very well so I can handle him then. He is such a beautiful 7 month lab puppy. I got pictures of him too for the fund drive. My daughter and I met out for a bite to eat after she got off of work and it felt so good to be with her. I really feel like I have so many prayers answered! I have been waiting for this since about her freshman year of highschool when her diesease started to progress and we started to lose her. A person needs to always have hope. I still will have hope and in the meantime keep the focus on me. your friend in recovery, cdb xoxoxoxox PS,,, thanks to all of you that pmed me here too,,, your friendship and support is invaluable to me!
My therapist told me that animals are here for us to be empaths & this is why they are such lil healers for us. You are right, now ur A will have to be there for her doggie, for strength. I'm sure with you visiting him, touching him, talking to him will speed his recovery.
Without my cats to unconditionally love me over these last few dark yrs, i don't know what I would have done. Whenever I cry or am upset all 3 of them, take turns coming to check on me, kiss my hands, kiss my tears.
This disease is such a dark pit, you just never know what is going to be that spark to get u going again. But I am grateful for the cognitive shifts I have had since July.
I too am trying to spend my time with supportive ppl & work on myself daily, the more I pray the more HP shows me... I ask God, the Angels & Saints to keep a special watch over you & ur daughter at this time, to keep you from despair, heal your family & keep your daughter strong in dealing w/ her b/f. Amen.
I am so happy she has gotten so much love from Burton & am sure all of ur love for him will heal him. Keep up the good work... sure aave u missed u (((((( cdb )))))))
love, -K
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Light, Love, Peace, Blessings & Healing to Us All. God's Will Be Done. Amen.
