Monday, April 2, 2012

A Really Dumb Thing

Sometimes I do some really dumb stuff, this is how I learn.  Looking back at the dumb stuff always make me shake my head in disbelief…really? I did that?

Add in pregnancy and a traveling husband.  My husband will deploy again shortly after this baby is born- his 7th deployment!  Until then he will be here and there and everywhere and hopefully in the delivery room when the time comes (When? When will the time come???)

I have a history of events that just happen whenever he is away.  Whether it’s the hot water heater flooding the house (1998 and 2007) or a raccoon that  breaks into your coop and removes the beaks from all but one hen (2000). Car accidents, broken bones, the dog dying.  If it seems like a weird, freak thing it will happen when he is away.

A couple weeks ago on a warm and sunny Sunday afternoon he drove out of the yard for a trip to Virginia.  I made the kids some lunch and as a treat set up a little picnic outside.  We were eating and saw little Sally O’Malley (the cat) in the kitchen window so I went inside and brought her out.  She doesn’t go outside.  She pranced and danced around the yard close by like a little ballerina.  It was the sweetest thing ever. 

Then I realized it wasn’t a brown leaf in the yard she was playing with…it was a brown bat.  A bat? Out in the day?  I know enough about bats and rabies to realize this was not a very good thing at all.  We put her in her cage and killed the bat- it was showing it’s fangs and acting quite scary.  I called an emergency vet that was nonchalant and hinted she should probably be put down as she hadn’t had her 12 week rabies shot yet.  So I called more vets and kept getting similar answers.  The state wouldn’t test the bat for rabies because there was no human contact or broken skin.  I couldn’t believe I would have to put our sweet little Sal down. Just because I brought her out for less than 30 minutes and she found a bat.

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We kept her caged for a few days and I didn’t know what I was going to do. The last vet I had called ended up calling me back and found a woman willing to rescue her and keep her quarantined (the state says 6 months). 

This woman has rescued over 200 cats through the years from being put down.  She has little Sal in a sunny little bedroom with a big window all to herself.  No cage…it was breaking my heart to imagine her in a cage for 6 months. She sends me pictures and has marked Sept 19 on the calendar as the day we can have her back. She asked for no money or food.  I can visit her anytime.  Her selfless act of kindness has had me in awe. 

There are good people in the world, she has inspired me so much and I am so grateful.  Sally quickly became part of our family, I miss her so much!  I try and never spoil my kids but am just the opposite about our cat.  Cats should be spoiled and Sally was the perfect queen of our castle.

I feel lucky this has somewhat of a happy ending- I hope.  I feel confident she won’t come down with rabies, though with small kids and pregnancy the vet wouldn’t let us keep her as the risks are too great and I get that.  If you know Laura from Jaffrey hug her…she is an angel!

 

10 comments:

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

That really is a strange thing to happen but I'm glad you found a place for her to stay. And it does make you happy to know there are good people willing to help. Take care of yourself, my friend.

Unknown said...

That's crazy! You are smarter than I, Rabies wouldn't have even crossed my mind. Best of luck!

Paula said...

Oh my that is no fun. Blessings to the kind soul willing to love on Sally.

Leila said...

Our son Will got bitten by a bat and that's how I found out that basically, all bats carry rabies :(
Yes, he had to have the shots.
What I hope is that this is your weird thing! No other weird things will happen for a while.

Anonymous said...

What a nice woman!!

And I know what you mean about things happening while the husband is away. My husband traveled a lot!! If the plumbing was going to back up; if the creek was going to flood (twice!); if the child were going to be diagnosed with something awful; if the mother-in-law was going to have a stroke, the husband was always on a trip!

I hope all goes well with the kitty.

Andi said...

Oh no! Sally O'Mally is too cute to get rabies...Surely cuteness gives one natural rabies antibodies?

Barbara said...

What are the chances of that happening? Unbelievable. I'm glad you found someone to keep your sweet kitty.

Little Susie Home Maker said...

That is such a sad story. But also a very happy story. I pray it all comes out good in 6-months. You were very blessed to find someone so willing to take her in. I would have felt the same way. Gee a bat? That is crazy.
Bless you all,
Susie

Juniper said...

Gosh what a crazy thing- the happy kitty one minute and then a bat and rabies and then being told to put down your little sweet kitty!!?? She is still so new to your family! Am so glad to hear that you found such a saint of a woman to look after her!!! Wonderful to hear that you will get to have her back (fingers crossed) and that she will not have to spend all that time in a cage! Certainly an unexpected day, sorry to hear it, what heartache-and stress! Another deployment?? Am sorry. Hope he is able to be with you when the little one arrives.

Emily said...

This post makes me want to cry! I am so sorry to hear about your kitty and it breaks my heart to hear that you are going to be without your husband for yet another year. There aren't words to express the gratitude I have for you and your family. I so wish we lived closer so I could visit you and that precious baby!