Unexpected birthday present

[sonorared]

Today is my birthday, my sister is taking me to lunch, already knew what hubby was giving me.  No great celebration, this is the last one before the big 60 (where has my life gone?)

Yesterday I was in the kitchen, cleaning out the refrigerator.  I cook my dog's food and had some leftovers I was adding to it.  It was a chicken/rice casserole (no onions).  I had made too much.  No use letting it go to waste.  So I was adding it to the last bit of dog food I had made.  There was too much so I decided to feed the dogs early (Bichon, Lhasa Apso and a Pomeranian).

Usually when I feed the dogs in the kitchen I leave so I don't get in their way.  I have to be careful around the Pom (Half Pint) when he is eating or he will just walk away and the other dogs will gobble up his food.

But fortunately I was still puttering in the kitchen this day.  I glanced to my side and there was Half Pint lying on his back away from his dish.  He is a little round furry ball and has trouble gettng up if he is on his back, sort of like a bug or turtle.  I went to turn him over and he was limp.  His tongue was hanging out of his mouth.

I freaked, he was dead.  NO,!!!  my neighbor just lost her little dog last week.  I helped her take Cinnamon to the vets for cremation.  I have known Cinnamon for 12 years and I miss her even though she wasn't my dog.  And this is my BABY!!!!!  I am home alone, no car.  Even if I could drive him to the vets, he would be gone by then.  It was all up to me.

Food was coming out of Half Pint's mouth so all I could think of was the Heimlich maneuver.  No joy there.  It didn't work.  So I put my finger into Half Pint's mouth and pulled out food, tried to blow into his mouth.  His tongue was blue and I am crying and yelling at him not to die.

I pulled more food out his mouth and tried to blow into his mouth again, nothing.  His little body was so limp.  No air was going into him.

So I stuck my index finger all the way down his throat.  There was another piece of food there but it kept slipping down.  I don't remember if I pushed on his neck or throat but that forced it up enough for me to get it out. 

And then I closed his mouth and put his nose in my mouth.  (I know, ick, but I just didn't care.  I was going to do whatever it took not to lose him.)  I blew gently into his nose a few times.  His paw moved a little so I stopped but nothing.  I was so scared. 

It has been 33 years since I learned CPR but it came back to me.  Little breaths into his nose, I could feel his chest rising with it.  Gentle compressions on his chest, have to get the heart started too.  I don't know how long I did this, it seemed forever but  finally, I could hear him start to exhale noisily.

His tongue started to pink up again, a few more breaths and he was breathing on his own.  He looked dazed and scared.  I put him over on his tummy and he laid there on the floor for a little while.  It is impossible to describe how I felt at that moment.  I picked him up (he needs a bath and smells a bit) and sat down with him on my lap for a long time.  He is not a cuddly dog and usually doesn't like to be held but he stayed there until my husband came home an hour later.

So I learned a few things yesterday - the Heimlich maneuver doesn't work on dogs and dog noses do not taste good.  I felt like I had doggy breath all day.  I didn't care.  My baby is alive.  I can barely stand to have him out of my sight.  I feel like he will suddenly fall over and die anyway.

It really hit me last night, I saved a life.  I can't describe the feeling, it must be how doctors and paramedics feel the first time.  It is not pride in what I did, more a feeling of awe.  Did I actually do that?  A lot of people will scoff because it was just a dog but my babies are precious to me.  This has to be the best present I have ever gotten.

I am not writing this to toot my own horn.  I just needed to share it with someone.

[meanmomma]

Nov. 6, 2007 at 2:07 AM    KATHY , I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU FEEL AS YOU DO. I LOVE MY LITTLE DOG ALMOST AS MUCH AS MY CHILD. IF I NEVER HAD ANY CHILDREN I KNOW I WOULD BE A BIGGER DOG LOVER THAN I AM ALREADY. MY DOG LAY ON MY ANY TIME I AM SETTING DOWN, SHE ACUALLY THINKS SHE IS HUMAN I BELEIVE. MAYBE YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT BUYING HER SMALLER KIBBLE OR FEEDING HER SEPERATELY FROM THE BIGGER DOGS. SHE PROBABLY CHOKED BECAUSE SHE WAS GULPING THE EXTRA GOOD STUFF DOWN SO SHE WOULD GET HER SHARE BEFORE THE BIGGER DOGS GULPED IT ALL DOWN. DAMN THEM BIRTHDAYS SURE DO KEEP COMING FASTER AND FASTER AS WE GET OLDER DON'T THEY ? HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR, AND MANY , MANY MORE.

[MrsC.Gaston]

Apr. 2, 2008 at 2:49 PM Awww sweetie that was a story that tugged at my heart, as I have a dog and a cat whom I consider my babies as well, my dog sleeps in bed with us, and she is about 60lbs....maybe more, and my cat was a runt, so is is small for his age....but they are both my babies. I was just thinking about cpr about two days ago, and was worried that should something ever happen to my kids, would I know how to revive them.....I can't imagine how scared you must have felt....I am glad you were able bring him back....HUGS hun you sure need them, and take care of your baby...

[ImAishah]

Apr. 21, 2008 at 10:02 AM Thats amazing.