The Dog...

Jac: Yes I believe my Mum bought that dog for me when I had my transplant. I'm pretty sure I got it for my transplant anyway, because of all the teddys I own (much of which were put into storage after my transplant) I wouldn't think she'd pick that one! Either way, it's from Freeman's (or The Freeman...whichever you call it).

The reason:

I got called for my transplant on a Saturday. Four days before this, on the Tuesday, my 12ish year old dog popped her clogs. Her death was planned for Wednesday actually, but she had had enough by Tuesday. My dog was a hoover for food. All through her life she would steal from us, from the table, from other dogs, she would pick up stray food on her walk.

Anyway she began having strokes and gradually lost the strength in her back legs, causing her to slip and slide. On her final day, she couldn't walk at all. Something had happened and we knew the end was in sight. The final confirmation of this was when we gave her a biscuit to eat but she refused.

So off she went and the loss of our precious family pet was terrible. We still had another dog, but she (at the time) was our favourite.

This was her (the bow was for photo purposes only...really only resting on her head):

So after the transplant, the first few days were pretty tough, not hard as such, but tough all the same. So my Mum came in one morning saying she had a present for me. I closed my eyes, squinting with anticipation and then she whipped her hands out from behind her back showing me the little teddy, her face gleaming with delight, waiting for me to say sometihng.

I took it slowly, rolled it over in my hands, anger building up in me, and I threw it across the room.

What is this?!" I exclaimed

"It's...it's a new dog" she answered

"A *new* dog?!" I said, aghast, "I don't want a *new* dog, I want CHAMP..Suki! You can't replace a best friend, that's what me and Champ Suki were. She's only gone less then a week, how can you do this to me?"

With that, I reached out and flung the *new* dog across the room, watched as it bounced off the window and collapsed to the floor. My Mum, teary eyed, pleaded with me to see sense, going over to rescue the poor teddy. In a calm, but piercing voice, I said "No. Leave it.".

Skip a few minutes...and all was right with the world again.

Anyway, some details of that story may be slightly off, but the general jist of one or two words is about spot on! For anyone who cares, the dog and I got along very well, and now she/he sits on my bookshelf.