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Freya started limping. Had she hurt herself? She wouldn't let me examine her closely - in fact, when I tried to probe the area with my fingers, Freya snarled and nipped at me. She had never done anything like that. That was a clear enough message. I took her to the vet.
They took a set of some of the most expensive X-rays in human history. It's a mystery to me why hairdressing salons can charge such extortionate prices, but I had learned firsthand that pet owners are also routinely fleeced. I could afford it, but there are many who can't.
I got the bad news: Freya had hip dysplasia (border collies are only one of the many breeds that are prone to it).
- "If she was an Alsatian, I would recommend trying to reduce her weight, or restricting her exercise." said the vet.
I could only shake my head. Freya didn't have much weight to lose, and restricting her exercise would be taking away one of the most important aspects of her life. It was akin to asking me to go without sex.
"We can do physical therapy, and there are medications... anti-inflammatories, or even steroids..."
That didn't sound very promising. Expensive, of course, but that wasn't the main issue: what would it be like for Freya? Border Collies usually live from 10 to 17 years. Freya was 13. In cases like this, you end up hearing that phrase 'quality of life'.
First things first: I moved Freya's bed and all of her toys to the main floor. I had to put her in the living room (which Mom never used). I'll say one thing for Mom: she didn't make a fuss about it. Freya was the closest she'd ever had to a grandchild.
The move was to spare Freya the trouble of going up and down stairs. It struck me at once that I'd rearranged Mom's house so that two of its occupants would be able to live on the ground floor.
Freya didn't like the medication that the vet had prescribed. I couldn't hide it in her food; she was too smart for that. She invariably found it, and refused to eat it. I tried mixing it with meat, or with her favourite treats, but that only worked a third of the time.
Finally, I resorted to a new morning ritual. For years now, I'd been giving Freya a natural supplement to keep her coat healthy: cod liver oil. Believe it or not, she loved it. I shouldn't have been so surprised - after all, the dog loved to roll in anything smelly (the more disgusting, the better).
So I began to stick the medication in her mouth, and then hold it closed until she swallowed. Only then would I give her the stinky cod liver pill. Everybody was happy.
Then, in July, Mom had a stroke.
It was a mild one, the doctor said. Her speech was slurred, and she had trouble with one arm and hand. She wasn't paralyzed, or anything, but she had serious problems with her balance and coordination - even handling a fork or spoon was difficult.
Mom was often in pain, and got tired easily. The doctor prescribed a whole series of exercises, to help her regain control.
- "She should recover in a matter of months." said the doctor.
- "How many months?"
- "It could be six months. But it could take longer. Just be thankful that it wasn't a more serious stroke."
Sue had taught me a great deal about strokes, information gleaned from her years of volunteering with the foundation. Once you have a stroke, it's usually only a matter of time until you have another. And they get progressively worse.
The long-term prognosis for Mom wasn't great, especially given her age and physical condition. But she didn't ask, and I didn't tell her.
I couldn't help it; I just felt a little sorry for myself. Sue, Freya, and now Mom. Some say that trouble (or bad news) often comes in threes. Thanks.
What I needed, at that point, was someone like Lisa. Or maybe someone like Holly. Or Brenda. Support, a lack of complications. Sex would be nice, too. But it was more the knowledge that there was someone who cared about you, willing to help shoulder your burdens when it became necessary - and even sometimes when it wasn't.
It was precisely what I'd provided for Sue, until I realized that she didn't appreciate the gift, or value the giver.
It had been six years since my bargain with Tansa. I'd used eight of my fourteen chances - now I had to be much more selective, and more careful with the ones I had left.
*****
- COMMENTS
Progamermoveabout 1 year agoInteresting outcome with Sue, in the fact that maybe Dan isn't the nice guy he thinks he is? Dude better slow down with the wishes lol
Anonymousover 1 year agoSince no other commenters said it, I suspect Sue's going to head to a doctor, get some bad news, get it treated in time and be very grateful soon. I sure hope things don't stay this dark.
cma68over 1 year agoI agree with cliquegge about trying to analyze (spelled properly!) your stories; every time I try to predict the future course of events you come up with something better and more convoluted. (Though, to be fair - I KNEW that Dean and Jazz had to end up together, and I still think you were wrong about Chris and Nina; he would/should have followed her to Phoenix).
To Comentarista82 - obviously you've never owned a dog (or maybe loved ANYONE). You don't just KILL your dog because he's become a little inconvenient. Hip dysplasia is not a life-threatening condition, and many dogs can live good lives with reasonable treatment.
cliqueggeover 1 year agoIm not smart enough to analyse the story - but Im smart enough to know I enjoy it - thank you - it is great - as usual.
Anonymousover 1 year agoI agree with comments by Comentarista82. AspernEssling has created a great story with an engaging plot and really interesting characters. I look forward to the next chapters. Probably at least 7 more chapters. Six more women and a year working for Tansa. I am really curious about his year working for Tansa.
I think the author is scripting a journey of maturing and personal growth of Dan. I suspect the author has Lisa as every reader’s favorite match for Dan.
I also think the author may have a little sadistic streak and when Dan has a second chance to mate with Lisa for life Dan elects to work off his year for Tansa to be free to be with Lisa. The assignment is to work for Holy as she competes to get her final promotion. Holy drives Dan to work the same schedule that Holy puts in and leaves no time for anything or anyone else. Holy wants the promotion and Dan. Lisa feels abandoned and Dan hates Holy and is in the same trap as with his wife and Sue. We’ll see.
Comentarista82over 1 year agoLife hits hard, and it hits harder when something happens with someone the SECOND time around (Sue). The major thing is Dan's FINALLY reflecting on his choices and what he's put into them, as well as what he has (or hasn't) gotten out of them. A relationship has to be as equal for both as possible to work well, and if it isn't, it isn't a relationship. The BIG irony he didn't realize is that while he saw Sue fawning with her mom and knows he was fawning with his (although Sue did help him see he had to get some teeth with his mom and show her he was NOT her slave), he doesn't realize that he was and is effectively a SIMP during his marriage to Connie and now...with Sue. While he's learned to "let go" with Sue and cut his losses with someone like Alanna, he has NOT learned to do the same with Freya and his mom (anyone with half a brain knows once a dog has it, your only option is a major surgery or euthanization); with Freya, he needed to euthanize her on the spot, and so bury the major ball-and-chain-experience that Connie imposed on him (without asking him)--and with his mom, he should have just said "to hell with it" and put her into assisted living. Cold hearted? Nope...breaking the rest of the chains. Reason why Dan didn't do it is because (sadly) he still has NOT matured to the point to realize that honor has more than been satisfied and it's just time for him to have his life. About the only part of him maturing shows in him realizing he has only six "contract" opportunities remaining. He should also try one or two without any "contract" ties because he at least has learned enough to please a woman sexually without "help."
It fascinates me most that while the story states "Lisa had more presence," she also hugged Dan harder AND Paul did NOT stand out; Lisa may "like" him, but neither Sue nor Dan spotted anything exceptional: I'd bet you're trying to hide that Lisa is STILL carrying a torch for Dan and I suspect she's hurting for him in BC after his mom having a stroke. The thing is the story hints Dan will still go for Holly once she gets her next "promotion," but that would be too painful to read--because once someone is only motivated by promotions--they NEVER learn to "settle" or otherwise stop to smell the roses: the only person that possesses that balance is Lisa--and everyone else to date hasn't compared to her at all. Of course, we still have the likely outcome that Lisa "bargained" with Tansa too (the ONLY way that explains Lisa remembering the phrases Dan used).
Looking forward to the next chapter. 5
