Al-Anon Family Group

The material presented here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method to exchange information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal level.

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: "Animals" as a resource


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 210
Date:
"Animals" as a resource


I was hurt really badly several years ago now and have serious complications including chronic pain (yes I take medis and no I never abuse them).  I found that reaching out to help someone or something else made me feel better so I wanted to share with others.

i was concentrating only on me and the pain (Both physical and emotional) because I have never been able to return to work and chronic pain is a terrible thing.  Enough about that.

I begged and begged (yes, a grown woman begging an AH) to get something to keep me company while I was home alone (which was most of the time).  I finally stumbled across a very sick Pomeranian that needed me and AH agreed to let met had her on the condition that I would give her away if she was too much trouble.  Yea...I know...I needed a lot of work on me, but that is for another time.

Anyway, the very old, very sick dog was nasty, wormy, stinky, and sick with heart worms.  She had virtually no hair and gouge marks in her back from the cutters they had used on her.  I later coin she was the breed dog for the puppies they sold, but was too old and too sick to use anymore, so they just kept her locked up in the very hot, very humid area we live in.  She was also at least 3 lbs underweight (she should have been around 10 lbs).  I took her in, bathed her very well and took her to the vet.  They told me she wouldn't live 2 weeks...and she almost didn't.  I had to use a dropper to even give her water for a while.

it has been around six years now and she is the dog in the picture.  She has given me something to love and has returned my love a thousand times over.  I have also closed down the place she came from.  I then adoped a few more (yea...a little excessive), but I have two Poms, a Yorkie, a Hairless Chinese Crested, and a chocolate Lab.  Four at inside and the lab is outside.  All have brought their own personalities into the home and all are big piece of my heart now.

i wanted to mention these adoptions/rescues because I have personally experienced the joy of giving to an unloved and unwanted animal.  Many of us are predisposed (IMO) to give of ourselves to another (generally our A's) and they don't return the love the way we need it.  We are often starving for affection and a need for unconditional love.  

For me, this has been a very great way to gain the feeling of love I so craved and literally begged for.  So many her sound so very lonely right now that I could not help but tell this story.  I love "my babies" so much and they love me...unconditionally.  

I do NOT recommend adopting an animal as a way to deal with alcoholism in any way and am not a "crazed rescue person" but I do feel that having something/someone to love can help people heal in many, many ways.

MODERATORS:  Please feel free to delete this without notice if it is not appropriate in any way.  I will not repost or refer to it again if it is not relevant to this site.  Thank you for the review and for any direction on this type of post.  I will not be offended or leave this group if I have overstepped my bounds on this post and apologize in advance if I have.



__________________

There, but for the Grace of God, go I.



~*Service Worker*~

Status: Offline
Posts: 17196
Date:

Welcome doing my best, I think your share was very encouraging and heartwarming. I do agree that reaching out to the world and giving unconditional love is a true gift that we can give and it is returned a hundredfold.

Living with the disease of alcoholism is certainly not easy, I have found that face-to-face meetings, answering Al-Anon phone calls and being a sponsor has helped me tremendously. I do hope that you search out face-to-face meetings and attend, as you continue to live your puppies.

Loved the avatar.Please keep coming back

__________________
Betty

THE HIGHEST FORM OF WISDOM IS KINDNESS

Talmud


~*Service Worker*~

Status: Offline
Posts: 11569
Date:

Doing my best -

I have a rescue pup and she's awesome! She had an awful life before we got her and she's so grateful each and every day - it brings great joy to my heart!!!

We've been doing rescue dogs for about 15 years, but I only do one at a time as we don't have a large yard and we have city code restrictions.

But - I get 100% what you are saying about the love and warmth from a fur-baby!

(((Hugs)))

__________________

Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging.  Pause before assuming.  Pause before accusing.  Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret.  ~~~~  Lori Deschene

 

 

Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.