Archives at Zinester: Storytime Tapestry Newsletter Special Bulletin: Update on Hart, from Rocky and Helen. Storytime

From Helen: I want to start out by saying thank you to the dozens and dozens of you who have responded to Rocky's last email. Some of you, I hear, did not get the first email--the one that Rocky and Helen wrote together telling of Hart's having been taken to the hospital by ambulance on Wednesday of this week. AOL and a couple of other email servers would not let our message through. So our apologies to those of you who didn't get the first message. Chiefly, it was to ask you to send any emails to hmdowd@telus.net, the address I am writing from now. Helen

Now from Rocky. Here is today's update: But first let me tell you about last night. When Helen came in from the hospital--and I had been with her--she dropped my big green towel by the front door and left my leash beside it. She was so busy that they stayed there all night. Helen always puts some milk biscuits on the bed for me, which I don't eat until Helen comes to bed. Well, last night I was a bit hungry, so I ate the biscuits early. But then I went back to the towel instead of going to bed with Helen. She came out a couple of times in the night to tell me to come to bed. I did, but went right back out to the towel and slept there ALL night. When Evelyn went to put the cat food out for the strays, I growled at her. I thought she was going to take my towel away, and I thought that might mean that I wouldn't get to go to the hospital with Helen. And I wasn't going to let that happen.

puppy." Not only was he sick, but he was depressed--and so was Helen. It isn't like either one of them to become depressed and I was very worried. A few days before my Hart went into the hospital, they snapped at me a couple of times when I barked. AFTER ALL, I WAS JUST TRYING TO PROTECT THEM!!! (By the way, I NEVER bark in the hospital.)Back to yesterday... Remember, I told you in yesterday's email that they gave Hart some blood? I didn't like the looks of that red stuff running down the tube into his arm. But today when Helen brought me into the hospital, after she had done all the necessary things for my Hart, he was MUCH better. His colour was better, his breathing was better, his spirit was better. He sat up in a chair for quite awhile today, so I got to share his bed. Helen had a short snooze on the bed while I curled up at her feet. And then the nurse came in and put that red stuff in his arm again. But if it helps make him better, then that's okay by me.

Now for Helen's words. As Rocky said, Hart and I were both depressed, not knowing what the answer to Hart's leg problem was, or how it was going to be resolved. Sure we prayed, and we believed, but still the leg seemed to keep getting worse. Neither of us wanted Hart to go to the hospital, and Hart protested strongly when the doctor suggested it; however, in the long run, we are both glad that he was admitted. Hart never wants to tell people that he isn't well. He always tries to keep a positive attitude and send out inspirational messages to his friends. His theory is that there are so many hurting people out there that he wants to encourage, not to mention his problems. But my thought is, God told us to bear one another's burdens. My though is, that his friends would like to be told that he isn't as well as he lets on. .... Ever since his knee operation just over a year ago--the operation that was supposed to fix the problem he had 3 years ago--he has had repeated flare-ups. Since November of '06, his knee has just been getting worse. .... So there seems no other solution than another operation. What they are going to do, we don't know yet, but next Wednesday--the 18th--he will be taken by ambulance to the Vancouver General. As to the details, I don't know yet, but will keep you posted when we hear further. ... I am telling you this because so many of you have asked what the problem is, and if it had something to do with his previous problem. It does. There are more things going on too in his body, but that is enough for now, and MORE than Hart would have liked me to say..... We know that there are hundreds of you praying. And that means a lot. I wish I could write to each of you who have written a concerned note. Please be assured that I appreciate EACH note. I am keeping them in a file so that I can show Hart when he is back home.