Tonight's picture was taken on August 22, 2009. Almost two weeks before Mattie died. Mattie was dealing with a great deal of pain and yet look at his excitement as he just lost another tooth. He put his tooth in his tooth fairy box and eagerly awaited what he would find in the morning. I bought that tooth fairy box with Mattie in Florida when he was well. By that point, he had lost one tooth already, and I figured he would love the box as more teeth would be popping out. Most kids want money from the tooth fairy. Not Mattie. With each tooth that came out, Mattie requested something different. So different that we had to write a note and leave it for the fairy with his tooth. Requests ranged from hot wheel cars to even a necklace made out of dry pasta!
Quote of the day: Yes, I have doubted. I have wandered off the path, but I always return. It is intuitive, an intrinsic, built-in sense of direction. I seem always to find my way home. ~ Helen Hayes
Though we haven't received our rescue dog, Sunny, yet, I feel the need to get things in place for his arrival. Which means having a vet and place to board him when we go away. I thought we were all set vet wise, but last week our vet contacted us to let us know she is leaving the practice she is a part of in DC. We were saddened to hear this since she cared for Patches for many years, and was even with us when we put her to sleep. A very sad day indeed. I have asked her for referrals to other vets and also for boarding ideas.
In any case, today, Peter and I visited the first boarding facility on my list. This facility isn't new to me, since prior to having our DC vet, we used to go to this facility in Virginia to board Patches. However, we never saw the dog end of this boarding equation until today. We received a tour today and frankly the woman who toured us around SHOULDN'T be touring anyone. She was a very bad representative of the facility. A facility which was been around for decades. Nonetheless, I wouldn't board a pigeon there much less a dog. The first set of kennels at the facility looked a lot like this photo. Though I admit to downloading this photo from google images and it isn't of the actual facility we saw today. To me the kennel looked like a jail and if that wasn't bad enough, then we found they were sand blasting something in that same room. Literally there was drilling noise and dust everywhere. So much so that the woman giving us the tour started coughing and did not want to be in the room. I really wanted to ask her how she thought the dogs who were caged there must have felt. But I didn't go there with her, I just knew NO WAY would I put a dog there.
She then toured us through their penthouse kennel for dogs. This was clearly much better, it looked cleaner, happier, and full of sunlight, but boarding in this area is close to $100 a night. Truly amazing to me, but the more researching I am doing the more I notice this isn't that off base. It is getting closer to the going rate.
2 comments:
Wow Vicki, From the beautiful picture of Mattie with his tooth, to the quote, the about Kennel boarding, I am not sure where to start.
I will start with Mattie - it is so wonderful, he had the tooth fairy box and lost teeth just like other kids, his age. The irony, if that is the best word, to be loosing baby teeth and dying is such a stark reality of what kids go through a long with all the pain & suffering. Yet, his smile is joyful over loosing the tooth and getting a tooth fairy visit. How great, Mattie want an unconeventional route for his tooth fairy gift, just to keep her on her toes!!!!
I love your quotes, they are so meaningful. I ponder all of them!
Sorry about your vet. I am sure you are sorry about this! Those kennels were horrible. So in other words, those with money get the upgrade. How terrible for the other dogs. I can't wait until you get SUNNY. He will be happy in his forever home too!
Margy
Vicki,
After sending the message out this morning, that I wrote last night, I read it again! I have some additional thoughts that I would like to share.
Looking at Mattie's picture, his smile captures you first. I feel positive when he flashed this smile, he lit up the room. I am glad, he had the chance to experience loosing a tooth, something kids look forward to doing for the money aspect. Mattie just wasn't any child, he found tangible items for his teeth. Those create lasting memories, not how much money would be given. Mattie smiled for pictures, even though he hurt and had been through so much because he was wise beyond his years. He knew, even at 7, you would have them forever. While all he went through with surgeries, radiation, chemo, all aspects of treatment are vivid memories for you and Peter, Mattie left you with many smiling pictures to also cherish. That is why the loosing the tooth picture is so great. Mattie took a regular event, and made it spectacular with his smileđź’–
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