2017 July August

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Flynn
Bret Kofford
Imperial Valley, California
A Miracle Dog
“Flynn is the miracle dog.”
“It’s amazing Flynn is still alive after
all he’s been through.”
“Most dog owners would have given
up on Flynn a long time ago. It says a lot
about how you guys feel about him and
all you’ve done for him that he’s still alive
and doing fairly well at his age.”
Those were among the things that friends, family members,
employees at our local veterinarian’s office, and others
said as our Australian Shepherd, Flynn, approached his
12 th birthday on June 8.
And it truly is amazing that Flynn has made it through nine
years of a severe case of epilepsy, which involved hundreds of
horrific grand mal seizures, countless falls as a result of the seizures
or after-effects of seizures (including seizures so strong his fangs
have the points busted off from him banging his head on the floor),
and thousands of pills gulped to forestall the seizures. Then there
are the side effects of such medications, which also don’t do Flynn’s
body any favors.
So yes, we too are overjoyed, and sometimes amazed, that
Flynn is still alive. We agree he is a miracle dog in many ways.
And yes, we have dedicated a lot of time, money, and energy to
keeping him alive and as well as possible, and few dog owners
would have made such an effort. The truth is, though, we do what
we do out of love for an extraordinary friend with a deep soul and
a sweet, good heart. It has as much to do with the individual Flynn
is it as it does any special traits we have as Flynn’s human
companions.
That said, there is little consolation in knowing we now
measure what is left of Flynn’s life not in years but in months and
weeks. The prospect of soon losing my best friend, my multipletimes-a-day
hugging buddy, my constant companion and sidekick
of the last 12 years, is not eased by the fact that it is extraordinary
that he is still around and ambulatory, more or less, at this advanced
age. Age 12 is getting quite old even for a healthy Aussie, but I still
wish for more time with my best buddy.
Yes, I try to prepare myself for the inevitable. I try to console
myself by considering that dogs get old faster than we do, that is
simply nature, and that really sick dogs get old even faster than
healthy dogs. But there is only some consolation there, certainly
not enough to ease the sense of foreboding I feel.
Even now, when Flynn has to be hospitalized for a week or so
a couple times a year when his seizures get out of control, we feel
a big hole in the household. A big part of the essence of our home
is not here when Flynn is not here. We all miss him, humans and
his fellow canine alike, when he is gone.
Flynn is a deeply respected and beloved family member. He
is our protector and, quite often, our peacemaker. He is wise, even
beyond his considerable years. All in our family, and all else who
know him well, know he is a special dog.
Yes, it is extraordinary that Flynn has made it to age 12, which
is a long life for any large dog. We are hoping Flynn somehow
makes it 13. Then Flynn truly would be a miracle dog.
Bret Kofford is a university English professor,
columnist and screenwriter. His movie, “12 Dog
Days Till Christmas,” is available on Netflix,
Amazon, and various other platforms.
88 AUSSIE TIMES May-June 2017