Deployments affect the entire family. Remember when I told you about my husband’s foot locker being delivered last week? While it was super exciting to see his stuff, I can honestly say after dragging in to our formal living room to get it out of the way that I didn’t think about it again. That is, until several days later.
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while (and if not-keep reading!), you know that my other true love is named Sammy. He is my golden retriever, my best 4 legged friend, my soul mate, and my all around buddy. He was how I got through severe post partum depression, and I love him more than there are words to describe. He follows me (and the girls) everywhere, and is always there when I need a good cry. He listens to my every word (except when I am reprimanding him, then he just cowers) and loves me no matter what, even on the bad days.
Well, Sammy hasn’t done so well over the difficult months of deployment. It’s aged him, and he’s not the normal happy Sammy. He’s sad. He sleeps a lot, and he is in constant need of attention. So the girls and I happily oblige, as loving him makes us feel better, too. So even though we have all been hurting, we make time to give each other extra love…win/win.
But in this last week, he’s taken a bad turn for the worse. He won’t listen, he often refuses to go in his kennel, and he doesn’t leave my side from the time I walk in the door to the time I walk out the next day for work. For the majority of this past year, he’s slept in my older daughter’s room because her bed is smaller and he loves that feeling of security. (He’s used to sleeping between my husband and I, but since he’s left he’s only slept with me maybe 3 or 4 times.) But in this past week, he’s slept RIGHT next to me either at the head or foot of the bed. He’s touching me in SOME way. And I just couldn’t figure out why? Does he feel the giddy anticipation of my husband’s arrival? Is he not feeling well? Does he have a sixth sense about something that’s due to happen???
No.
None of those things are what is happening with Sammy.
He smells my husband’s scent from his foot locker. But he doesn’t know where he is, or if he’s even coming back. And as each day passes, his anxiety is increasing because he doesn’t understand. And realizing that this morning, made my heart physically ache for my sweet Sammy.
I am praying the scent from the foot locker, fades…that, or my husband returns quick enough to heal poor Sammy’s broken heart.
Have your pets ever reacted poorly to a family member being gone for an extended period of time?? How did you comfort them?
Cheers,
Michelle
Movin' it with Michelle 