Jorj.
It all started on June 11th of 2006. Scattered about the yard, were 6 lab puppies. Ben, Lisa and I gathered them up. I called a vet that told me to just bring them in the next morning and he would “take care” of them…by putting them to sleep. Absolutely not. And so the journey began.
Feedings every 2 hours. Homemade formula. Vet trips to Dr. Bryan’s Animal clinic every day at 7 AM. Sleepless nights. Warming rice in a sock to keep them warm. Tears when I lost three of them: Tony, Tippy and Bear. Laughing when the other three first started eating mushed puppy food mixed with milk. Taking them everywhere in my Xterra. Even into Walmart in my purse. My mother having a child swimming pool filled with puppies in the middle of her living room. The late night talks when Dad would get up and help me feed them. Mean comments about how I should have let nature taken its course with them. But I did not have school that summer and there was no reason why I could not at least try to save them. At 3 weeks they got pneumonia, from not having the colostrum from their mothers milk. They were going to die, unless I let Dr. Bryan give them antibiotics. I did what every mommy anywhere would do. I gave it to them. I fed, bathed and cared for the puppies like a new mother would care for her newborn. I remember mom came out on the screened in porch and asked if I was ok, because I was so exhausted. At 6 weeks I gave the other 2 away to good homes. But was insistent upon keeping Jorj.
He was the runt. He was scared of his two sisters that were bigger then them. I would often find him yelping from them trying to play with him. He was my baby. He rode in my shirts for the first 3 weeks of his life. Mainly, because the other puppies would “suck” all over him and keep him wet. It was the beginning of the best thing that ever happened to me. He went everywhere with me. He slept with me. Went on dates with me. We did everything together.
We celebrated Jorj’s 1st birthday on June 11, 2007. Birthday cake, hamburgers, presents and all. In July I took Jorj to the vet to have a simple surgery. I opted to do pre anaesthetic blood work. ……..Later that day, I got the phone call. Jorj had a high BUN. Which signaled Kidney damage. I begged for the vets to tell me how much time I would have left with him. They couldn’t. They only told me to enjoy every day that I had with him. I took him home and vowed to make his life the best that I could humanly make it.
We went to the park. To grandma’s. Four wheeler runs. Swimming in the lake. Bluegrass festivals. On cool days, he would go to nursing school with me. At every hour break I would get him out and walk him around the parking lot. He wagged his tail at everyone he would pass. He was famous all around Decatur. Banks and restaurant drive throughs all knew him by name.
Jorj made for dog hair in my bed. Slobber on my car windows. Paw prints on back doors. Chewed up flip flops. And most famously, I never had a “pair” of socks.
You see, Jorj loved socks. He had a sock in his mouth 90% of the time. He would get them out of Ben’s boots. Out of laundry baskets, drawers, and bathroom floors. Wherever they were, dirty or clean Jorj would find them. In fact, his Granny Lisa could always tell when Jorj had been to her house whether she was there or not, by discovering that one of her socks was gone. I would put the sock on the top of his snout and tell him he looked good. He would then parade around the house showing off his sock. He never wanted to give it to you. Just show it off.
Healthwise, Jorj had many ups and downs. We vistited Dr. Bryan often for bloodwork, check ups, and sometimes after hours emergencies. I don’t know how I would have gotten through if it weren’t for Daddy’s credit card and parents that so unselfishly gave me their money whenever I needed treatment for Jorj. I called Daddy many times in tears , only to hear him say “ Don’t worry about the money, I will take care of it.” How great of an example of type of love that God our father shows to us, did my dad show to me.
Jorj’s 2nd and 3rd birthday came and went.
In July of 2009. Jorj had a urine like odor on his breath. Being a nurse, I knew. I knew what this meant. That his urea levels had gotten to high in his blood, that his kidneys were no longer being able to filter it out. I knew, but I couldn’t come to terms. I let him enjoy the next 2 months. I let him eat anything he wanted. Took him to the lake many times with his sister Susie. Ride in the car anywhere I went. We went to summer town to see his Daddy play bluegrass. We enjoyed every second we had together.
September was the month. The month I was going to say goodbye. I knew it. I wrote in my journal 3 weeks before he died that I knew I was losing him. Everyone tried to convince me that I was over reacting. But I knew better. Mommies always know.
The week of his death, he spent hooked up to IV fluids. I took him in the mornings to get fluids and picked him up at night. He gradually quit eating. On Saturday night September 12th, he was bad. Ellen came by and said he looked very skinny. I called my mom squalling. She got in her car at 9:30 pm and headed over. She sautéed Jorj a piece of chicken. He would not eat it. She cleaned up my house while I sat on the couch with Jorj. I called Ben, who was playing bluegrass, I told him to come home. I knew Jorj was going. The next morning (Sunday) he was so weak. I called Dr. Bryan to so graciously met Ben and I at the clinic. I asked him if there was any hope. He said. NO.
I told him that I trusted his opinion. He said that he thought Jorj was developing pneumonia. Lisa met us at the vet. Dr. Bryan followed us to our house. My mom, dad, grandmother, and Allison Green met us at home. With everyone looking on,Ben and I held Jorj. We told him how much we loved him, how wonderful of a dog he had been, how we did not want to do this. We knew he was suffering. We just could not let him suffer any more. I told him goodbye. I kissed him on the mouth. And went inside. I just couldn’t stay while he was put down. Ben held him and looked in his eyes while Dr. Bryan gave him the shot. It is comforting to say that Jorj saw Bens eyes last, then went into Jesus’ arms. That was it. All that was left was memories.
I think a lot about the love that Jorj showed me. Unconditional love. Jorj reminded me of the unconditional love that Christ shows me. More than anyone on earth, even myself.
Jorj was always there for me. He always forgave me for yelling when I had a bad day. He always understood when I hadn’t taken my medicine. He never said things that put me down. He never sent me hurtful text messages. He never talked behind my back. He never intentionally did something to me because I did something to hurt him. Regardless if I forgot to feed him, left him with Nonna and grandad to go on vacation, When I came home from anywhere. He was always there- Tail wagging, with a sock in his mouth ready to see me.
He often visits me in my dreams. Or sometimes Banks burps in my face when I go to kiss him. Or sometimes Banks just randomly brings me a sock. I just look up to heaven and smile. I thank God for every day I got to spend with Jorj. In 3 short years he taught me how to love, like a mother loves. That love can never be matched.
