I Believe
I wanted to title this "I Believe in Miracles" but somehow it seemed
redundant. If I believe, then I believe in miracles. First I should describe the
situation. My Irish-Setter mix, Katie, the first dog of my three dog household,
started to get ill this summer. My vet said she had tick fever and prescribed
the medicine for the illness. However, she started to fade. I became alarmed
because she is a young dog, about three and a half years old and we took her in
within hours of noticing her behavior. I asked my wife to take her to the
Oklahoma State University Animal Husbandry Clinic, which is considered the best
in the state. They noticed a golf ball sized growth close to her spine. All
tests for tick fever were negative. Her weight had fallen from 33 lbs to 23 lbs
in just three weeks. The hard news of cancer loomed. Costs of tests would be
about 1,000 dollars. To remove the growth would be 1,000 dollars if it was not
cancer.
If it was cancer, she would have to be put down. The growth had already weakened
the L4 and L5 bones. This seemed so technical....
Katie...
During an ice storm, I fell outside and she came to my side and stood beside me
and allowed me to use her to help myself up. Then she walked me to the house.
When I would cut myself she would lick my wound. If my wrist hurt, she would
somehow 'know' and lick it. She and I had a connection that I have never had
with any animal. Katie.... We communicated at some level. I could understand her
different barks and whines. Once sh! E had a panic bark and I found her with a
curtain cord around her neck. I unwrapped it, else she would have died. She is a
grateful dog. She loves to go to garage sales. She would peek on the tables and
pick out a stuffed bear and carry it in her mouth and I would pay for it. She
never tears them up. We would play catch with it and later she would toss it in
the air and she would play by herself. Katie...
Wednesday they said they would phone me so I could be there if they had to put
her down. I wanted to hold her. The growth now was the size of a softball. I was
warned not to get my hopes up. The previous Sunday I took my dogs to a
professional photographer in case something happened. I wanted memories....
Katie...
The call came...four pm.
They had never seen anything like it. The growth was gone! Katie had removed the
growth herself. Yes, there was a lot of blood and poison, but she appeared to be
fine. She could come home the next day after they cleaned up and bandaged the
wound.
When I arrived home from work the next day, Katie met me at the door. She hugged
me with her neck. Her eyes glowed. She lived! A miracle had happened. I had
prayed every day for Mercy, for Grace.
Thank you Lord.
B. J. Cassady