Living alone can be very difficult but having pets can make a big difference for a senior like myself. I got scooter when he was almost 3 years old in 2014 as well as his little sister as I call her. Daisy was just a puppy. I took them both because the lady who had them couldn't keep them anymore. Scooter and Daisy's original owners had both died. At the time I got Scooter and Daisy, I still had my German Shepherd mix ,Murphy. My kids were still at home, so I had plenty of company. I really enjoyed those days. I had my Gallbladder out the following summer and like they always did when the kids were in school, the dogs stayed by my side. My mom calls in "Nurse Matting" Even though they were furry four legged friends, they stayed by me as a care taker.
For those first few months I had Scooter, he would sit in my bedroom and howl by himself, missing his previous owner but as time went by, he started to sit by me more and more like the other dogs did.
Everytime I let them out for a run, Scooter would always stand beside Murphy and bark. Murphy was a medium size dog and both Daisy and Scooter were small. Their breed was what people call Pomchi's basically a Pomeranian and Chihuahua mix.
The scene was so cute, as long as Murphy was out with Scooter, Scooter would act tough like Murphy as if he was his little side-kick.
I have been around dogs and cats all my life, some always make an impact more so than others,especially dogs I think. I have had kitties that were dear to me as well.
I lost my husband December 13,2006 from complications from Cancer, my children then were 8 and 6. I was a single mother struggling with anxiety and depression so my kids became everything to me
Our pets became our family. Two years after I took Scooter and Daisy, Murphy died on December 14th, Murphy was just a little puppy when Jeff and I got him and the kids took to Murphy right away, so losing Murphy was very difficult for all of us. Since we lived in the suburbs, we couuld't bury him were we lived, so we buried him out on my parents property in the country. Needless to say, Scooter missed his big buddy.
2017, rolled around and my son graduated from Highschool , two years later my daughter graduated from Highschool. Eventually My son and my daughter moved out on their own, while I stuck with a relationship that really I had no business being in. The man I was with was an old classmate who was an alcoholic, narcissist and bi-polar. His first wife left him , also his girlfriend afterwards. I wasn't very smart because those were major red flags. Gradually he became more abusive. Scooter and Daisy stayed by my side through all of that and were my little rays of sunshine.
I broke my foot and had to have surgery, my son took me in and brought me back to the apartment where this man and I lived figuiring that he would take care of me. He though continued to drink to the point where he slept most if not all the time. I had give up my jobs because of my foot. Soon after as Covid hit, I came down with it. Since this man that I lived with had copd, I urged him to go to the hospital because at that point we both had covid. I stayed in the apartment and nursed myself as best as I could. After my friend got out of the hospital, he returned to drinking , seemingly getting more abusive everytime he drank. by 2021 I couldn't take it any longer, my nerves were shot, and I was scared that his verbal abuse would esculate, he had already thrown something at me that bruised my leg.
I reached out to my kids and my future daughter-in-law who took me out of the situation and to a safe house; they took care of Daisy and Scooter while I was in there.
It was a long two and half months without Daisy and Scooter. It was then they diganoised Daisy with Diabetes, now I needed too administer insulin two times a day to Daisy. It didn't matter to me, I wanted to take care of Daisy.
I finally got SSI for my disability, now I was battling the effects of covid, arthritis in my knees and back. So I took a remote job and with my SSI, I was only able to get an apartment in Marion, Ohio. My kids wanted me to live in Delaware, Ohio where they and the rest of my family were. Still to this day I'm in Marion because of my finacial difficulties.
I had and have been going through jobs because of anxiety and since the two years I have been here it has gotten worse but thank goodness when I did move here two years ago , I got my dogs back. I have a great neighbor, a single mother with two children.
On September tenth, 2022, my son got married and then in May of last year, my daughter graduated from OWU.
Last year as well My Uncle Carlton passed away at 88 right at Easter, Scooter had gotten out the door on me and for a long time I couldn't find him, my daughter- in -law posted his picture on Facebook and sure enough , the dog warden found him about two miles away from home and brought him back to me, little did I know things would change for my little guy because of it. I did get a job working for the SACC/YMCA program in Delaware that I enjoyed so very much but then my car completely broke down beyond repair. I then took a remote fundraising job in November working for St Jude Childrens Reaserch Hospital. That didn't last long because I came down with a nasty virus, that took over a month to recover from.
All and all, it has been such a blessing having my two dogs with me these past two years being on my own. Scooter was always a quiet dog and you could always make him howl by howling at him. Scooter always was my cuddle bug, laying by my legs at night, it had become a source of comfort to me. I adopted a kitty from The Marion Humane Society because I had been battling mice in my apartment, but "Patch" my kitty just would sit and watch the mice so ironically, Scooter became my mouser. Ever keeping watch over the mouse situation. Last year too , I had stepped out of my apartment and twisted my ankle so bad, my daughter took me to the ER. They had to put a cast on it. I had to keep it elevated, so I sat in my chair, elevated my leg. I slept many nights like that and always Scooter would lay in my lap.
Its funny because even though my kids and the rest of my family are always supportive. I came home to Daisy, Scooter and Patch. Scooter and Daisy always wagging their tails so happy to see me. Even Patch would greet me when I came home from visiting my kids, my sisters and my folks. Scooter always was by my side and I would return the favor when it would storm because he was so scared of the lightening and thunder. I would stay by him or hold him til it would pass.
They had become my family too. Now I know exactly how a person feels and what they mean when they say that pets are family
Christmas came and New Years this year sadly brought me despair. Scooter had been coughing so much since his little run that took him two miles from home. It seemed he got better but he didn't and on January 3rd he went down. I picked him up and laid him the couch, I sat beside him, petting him. He once again cuddled up to my leg and at 5 am he died from congestive heart failure. My daughter and I buried him on my folks property.
To be honest, his death was so hard for me. I was already fighting my anxiety, then like a flash, my thoughts started racing, intrusive thoughts which are the worse and that awful feeling of dread came over me.
I never went off my antidepressant, I had faithfully taken Paxil since my doctor prescribed it in 2007. It dawned on me then, that I possibly been suffering with anxiety and depression since I was 16, it was the same feeling I went through then, back then though my parents and my siblings didn't know what I going through.
Now my Paxil has been upped to 60 mg, I am seeing a therapist, I know sooner or later I will end up going to a psychiatrist. I am feeling better and everyday I think of Scooter, Daisy now never lets me out of her sight. When I come home from visiting my folks and my kids, Daisy is there barking and wagging her tail.
What is such a comfort is knowing that animals know who God is, they belong to Him. Along with my family in heaven, Scooter and all the rest that had meant so much to me in my life will be there. Thank you God for letting me have Scooter for a time. Be free little buddy, I love you
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