This is my old friend Leroy. And I do mean old!!! My son Eric brought him home in 1994. He was a baby and among a litter of puppies waiting to be adopted. He was in a box in front of Ranchland Market in Norco, California. I took this picture a week ago while visiting in California.
He was mixed breed for sure. shepherd, lab, etc. But he was the most gentle dog I ever had. A sweet patient spirit, who was a survivor too. We can learn much from our animal friends. They are loyal, patient, trusting and give you the unconditional love we all desire.
In 1996 Leroy was hit by a car and ran into our home bloody, injured and whaling. We were in Las Vegas when I got the call from my children that they had to take him to the vet and the vet was positive he needed to have his injured leg amputated. I rushed home in a flurry and told the vet to hold off amputation until I returned.
His leg was indeed split wide open, with the bone and tissue exposed. I asked the vet if there was a way to save the leg, he said only with daily dressing changes and cleansing of the wound 2 times a day. I am a nurse and thought I would be up for the task, would Leroy?
As if he knew what I was thinking and feeling for him, Leroy would lay down while I unwrapped his wound 2 times a day, packed it with medication and re wrapped it for the next 6 weeks. What did I learn from him?
He taught me about trust. He trusted that I would help him heal. He never growled at me, tried to bite me or run away from me. So I often think about him and do miss him.
When I moved to Arizona I left him with a family that loved dogs, they have 4 of their own, a huge yard for him to run around in, but most of all he has his freedom and a peaceful place to live with all 4 of his extremities in tact.
In dog years he is 102 years old. He is slow getting up, has difficulty seeing and hearing but when I visited him his tail wagged like the old days and he instinctively laid down as if the smell of me was a memory recall for him to be taken care of and loved. I kissed his sweet face and rubbed his old injured leg.
And with a gentle softness in my voice I whipsered good bye in case the years may catch up with him and he is to return to dog heaven.
I thank him for his loyalty, his love and the lessons of patience, endurance, trust and to love those around us unconditionally as he loved me.
Gerri, thank you so much for sharing Leroy with us. What an amazing spirit teaching everyone he encounters to love and be loved. God bless Leroy, he will surely rest at the feet of our Heavenly Father when his times comes. xo Jen
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