Mama

My experiences while living with my mother and her Alzheimer's Disease.(her birthdate = January 2, 1925)

Tuesday, May 11, 2004

Some of you already know that I had a tough decision to make today. I had to decide what to do about Duke. He was showing signs of being overly protective. He had growled and bared teeth at everyone except Mama and me. Penny has worked with problem animals before and had offered to observe Duke to see if he could be calmed down if I would chain him up. I hate chaining dogs up, but thought it was worth a try.

I gave him his morning dose of antibiotics. I put his pill in a hotdog and he took it without any problem. He sat when I told him to, he waited until I gave him permission to take the piece, his tail was wagging.
I had intended to chain him to a tree in the front, but it was raining this morning so I ended up chaining him to one of the carport posts. My last view of him will be with me always--he looked so sad chained up and as far back in his doghouse as he could get.

I told Beverly to ask David Green if he knew anyone who wanted a cowdog. She said she knew someone who had stopped one day to ask who Duke belonged to. I told her to call him. If he had to go, I wanted it to be before I got home.

Around 10:30 my cell phone rang. It was Michelle telling me that the guy had come over and tried to get Duke, but Duke wouldn't let him near enough to get him. They thought he was going to break his neck going after the guy. When Penny and Maddie (her daughter) came, he went after them, too. I told her to call Animal Control. I just didn't know what else to do. I teared up all day thinking of how sad I was.

When I got home, I called Beverly. She said Duke was so violent when the guy from animal control came that he couldn't get the collar thingy on him. She said he tried and tried and tried, but Duke was just not going to let it happen. Beverly tried to help, but Duke wouldn't let her near either. The guy ended up having to shoot him. Beverly said he apologized over and over again for having to resort to that. He thought maybe Duke had rabies and it just took a while to show up. I just can't believe that since he never snapped at me. Of course that does not mean it wouldn't have happened.

Poor Beverly is probably going to have nightmares for ages since she saw Duke get shot.

I had to call the vet to cancel my return appointment. Evidently the guy stopped in to talk to them about Duke--am not sure if it was before or after they came out here. Joyce (the vet's assistant) didn't have much to say.

I took a short nap to escape and am now watching A Wrinkle in Time. This show is based on a book I have read with classes since the 1980's. So far I am focusing on the things that are different from the book. I am taping it to use with the class in the future. Most of my kids said they were going to watch it, too. It will be interesting to see what they think of it. A couple of kids from previous classes stopped me in the hall to tell me the show was going to be on. This is such a neat book--just hope the movie is half as good.

Need to go,

Hugs to all,