Fear 7-- I Don't Want to do That!

When I was a puppy, I almost died. My mom was afraid to leave me by that door.

Earlier Aunt Petunia said, “I heard of a place that can help Squeaky. They fix the broken there. They mend and fatten them up and adopt them out. You may never see him again but it will save his life.”

There we were by the green door. Mom looked at the door and a tear slid down into her brown fur. She turned so I wouldn’t see. The sound of barking could be heard and a strange smell assaulted my nose. I didn’t want mom to leave me.

Momma licked my face. “I can’t help you. Your leg is broken. That car tore you up pretty bad. I think there is more wrong with you too. I want you fixed and this is our only option. They will take good care of you. Squeaky, I need you to stay right here and wait until a human comes out that door to get you. I’m going to bark and they will come. I’ll run off to take care of your brothers and sisters”

“But Momma! I don’t want to! Don’t leave me! ”

“Sweet heart, I have to. They will take care of you. You will need to do whatever they ask. It may hurt but it will be for your own good. Be my brave dog. Someday, we may be together again. Always remember, I love you!”

She threw her head back and howled and barked until the door swung open. She ran away. I saw her stop and look back before she darted around the building at the end of the block.

“Kim, there’s a puppy out here and he looks injured,” said a red haired human.

Another human came out and they lifted me. The pain shot through me. I yelped. “Shhh. We’ll take care of you,” said the red head which I later learned was named, Rose.

Inside they carried me and placed me on a big hard table.

They gently positioned my leg. Kim, who had dark hair, pulled a big thing to hover over my leg. Then they both left me and walked out the door. In a minute, they came back.

Kim rubbed my ear. “We will have to poke at you and I am sorry it will hurt. I wish you could understand us and we could explain what we are doing. We want to help you.”

Rose had something in her hand that she put on the wall. Then she put a light on behind it. “See here Kim, I thought he had a broken leg. In two places. It looks bad.”

“Rose, I think there is more wrong with this little guy. He may have internal injuries.”

I didn’t understand a word of it but I could sense a kindness in them. The pain was bad and I wanted my momma.

“Rose hold on to him while I examine him.” Kim reached out and touched my belly. I jerked and yelped.

“See, I think his gut is messed up.”

They moved another large object next to me. It had green lights that ran across it. Kim took something from it. “I’m going to run this across your stomach while Rose holds you so you can’t move. We will try to be gentle but it may hurt.”

I saw compassion in her eyes. Rose took hold of me keeping my head down and grabbed my front paws in one of her hands. Kim held that thing over my tummy and pushed it across me. I whimpered and tried to kick with my back legs.

I hardly noticed the sound of the door opening. All of a sudden a big human had hold of my back legs. Oh no! I can’t move at all. What are they doing to me? That hurts! I want my momma!

What came out of my mouth was, “Yelp!” I growled at them which was hard to do because Rose had my snout clamped down. I didn’t want to do this. I wanted to go home!

They kept holding me as Kim ran that thing over my tummy. She stopped it and pressed on the big thing and moved the smaller thing on my belly. This went on for a while and I remembered what my momma had said, “Be my brave dog.” I closed my eyes tight and tried not to cry.

Finally, Kim finished and slowly the big man let go of me. Rose kept a light touch on me. Kim put that big thing away and then took hold of me as Rose left the room. “You are doing a good job, sweetie.”

Rose came back with a tall thing like a stick that had branches on it. She hung a clear bag on it with what looked like a rope coming out of it. Kim and the man held me down again as Rose took a tiny thing and stuck it in my leg. I yelped and a tear fell out of my eye. Rose fixed it to my leg so it wouldn’t come out. I thought about biting it out when they let go.

They wheeled the table with me on it to another room that had bright lights. Another human was waiting and said softly, “Hi pup, I’m Roger and I’m going to put this mask over your snout. You’re going to take a nice nap.” He rubbed my ears as he slipped the mask over my nose and mouth. It smelled funny and then…

The next thing I knew, Rose spoke softly to me. I couldn’t understand a word but it was soothing. I realized I could only move my head. I was tied down. I looked at my front legs. One still had that prickly thing strapped to it. There was a bunch of blanket like things on my belly. Blanket is the only thing I knew of like it. It was smaller than a blanket but it wrapped around my middle. Another rope thing, like the one in my front leg, ran out of it down to the floor.

My back legs were held tight to the table. Under me was another blanket and my head was on a soft plump blanket. It was soft like the one Mom, the pups, and I slept on. Mom…I wish momma was here! I miss her.

Rose interrupted my thoughts. “Are you hurting or sad, sweet boy?”

I couldn’t answer her. She pushed on the rope going in my front leg, smiled at me, and rubbed my head.

Soon, the pain in my gut wasn’t as bad.

Every day, I got stronger and better. There were times when I was in pain or just uncomfortable. A human came in throughout the day and repositioned me. The next day, they set me on the floor. With shaky legs, I took a few steps except for the one they said was broken. I held it up. Walking on three legs was strange. It was more like a hop. The big human put a ridiculous object around my neck which made it impossible for me to lick my wounds.  

I had to wear that awful gadget on my neck for what seemed like a long time. Every day, they took me for walks or more like hops. I slept in my own tiny room. It was a box but I could see out. The thing around my neck made it hard to get comfortable.

I thought about my mom and the pups. They would probably laugh at me with this thing around my neck. I wanted desperately to see them. To cuddle next to my family would be wonderful.

As the days went by, I managed to get stronger and the pain lessened. I even used all four of my legs. Then, happy day, they took the gadget around my neck off. Relief! I sniffed and licked all over myself to make sure everything was fine.

One day, Rose didn’t close the door all the way and I took a risk. I snuck through to freedom!

I ran the way my mom had gone long ago. I ran and ran. That night, I hid under some bushes to sleep. In the morning, I was so hungry. I had been taken care of with tasty regular food behind that green door. I was used to being served enough food to be full every day. I could go back but I wanted my family more.

Off I went in search of my family. Around the corner, I ran into Skippy. He said, “I saw your mom two streets over.”

I skedaddled over there fast. With a bark and a leap I jumped on mom. We laughed, whined, and rubbed against each other. We were together again.

There was so much to tell her! After my story she said, “Squeaky, you’ve been my brave dog. I am so proud of you! It was worth the pain and separation you had to go through to get well. Look at you. You’ve grown a foot! They must have taken real good care of you.

My stomach growled. We were street dogs so we went to look for our dinner. That night we all curled up on the soft blanket.

Sometimes we need to go through things that are difficult and even painful.

I know a little girl who routinely needs to go to the doctor and get poked with a needle to draw blood. She has spent many days in the hospital to control the effects of her disease. It is painful and I’m sure she gets frightened.

Just like Squeaky, she doesn’t know what the machines and procedures are that the doctors use to help her. She has to trust her parents and the hospital staff to help her. She is a brave girl. She goes through all the tests and pricks even when she is afraid. She has probably said, “I don’t want to do that.” But she has to.

You may need to do something that makes you afraid. Those times, when we go through them, makes us stronger. Trust your parents and the Lord to get you through.

Memorize one or more of these verses: Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 in song by MrEMediaNetwork

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Psalm 56:3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

Verses in NKJV unless otherwise stated