It has been a long day.
I got up immediately when my alarm broke the silence at 0615. I sent a message to my sister who promised to give me a morning call at 0630. I thanked her and told her I was already up. I got Ben’s breakfast ready with his sedation pill. He took it without any suspicion.
I took him out to the park at around 0900. There were no irresponsible dog owners to bother us. Back home, I could feel the medicine taking effect. Ben was not himself. He kept looking for me. At 1135, we left home. His surgery appointment was noon.
I was given a buzzer, and we waited outside the clinic as Ben did not like to be around other dogs. The buzzer buzzed after noon. I brought Ben into the room, and I was asked to leave. I could hear Ben putting up a fight. I could hear him scratching at the glass door.
Dr Lya came out to talk to me. They inserted a line. They would put Ben in a cage and sedate him via drips when it was time for his surgery. I asked and I was told there were four surgeries today including Ben’s. There was one additional emergency surgery. Ben’s would be the last. Something to do with his dental surgery would splash blood and fluid all over.
So, even when we are told to go at noon, his surgery could be done at 1700.
He kept on barking. Dr Lya went to check on him every now and then. I told her Ben would not stop barking. He was looking for me. She asked whether I wanted to be with him. They could put Ben in a caged chamber. I told her Ben would expect me to bring him home and that would make it worse. I pleaded to have the surgeon consider moving Ben’s surgery forward. I could not imagine Ben barking for four long hours in a cage.
Dr Lya spoke to the surgeon, and he was moved to the second slot of the day, at around 1400. I sat there listening to Ben calling for me. At 1400, they started his surgery.
Dr Lya went to check on the surgery at around 1500. It was done. No extraction. Tartar and plaque removed. Nails clipped. After a while, the surgeon carried Ben out from the back. Ben was placed in the chamber. I joined him.
Being the fighter he was, Ben kept on fighting to stand up. This is just like the time after his neutering surgery when he was three. Dr Lya asked me to protect him and prevent him from knocking his head. After about 30 minutes, he finally regained enough strength to stand up. Dr Lya and her nurse came to remove her line. Ben seemed to have made friends with them. He whined as they removed the line.
I took Ben home and fed him half a meal as instructed by Dr Lya. I would feed him another meal later. Ben is recovering well. I thank God. All glory to Jesus!
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