One Week

It's been one week today that we first noticed Goliath showing signs of being sick. Before I was called at work and had to rush home, I was looking forward to the following day, Monday January 17th. The vet had decided he was finally healthy enough to get his second set of shots. I made the appointment for Goliath, and my cat Salem to go in and get check ups and necessary shots for Monday at 1:30pm.

When I was called over the walkie talkie at work to come to the front of the store to receive a phone call, it felt like the floor was being ripped out from underneath me. No one calls me at work except for my boyfriend Patrick. Patrick was babysitting Goliath that day. In a daze I walked to the front to answer the phone, knowing in my gut something was terribly wrong. When I answered the phone my heart sank. Patrick told me Goliath started "freaking out" as soon as he started eating. On cue, Goliath started SCREAMING in the background. I panicked, and tried not to start frantically crying in front of all the customers. Luckily, my manager is a dog lover, and let me go home a little over 1 hour into my shift.

I sat with Goliath for 4 hours. During those 4 hours he laid almost completely still. Every time I tried to pick him up, or move him at all he would start yelping. I felt so helpless looking at his little face, so sad and scared. I just sat next to him and told him I loved him, and he was a good boy, and everything positive I could possibly think of. He gradually moved himself onto my lap to be as close to me as he could. It was a struggle for him to get there, which broke my heart into a million pieces. He first dragged his head into my lap, then his front paws, then he used the last of his energy to pull himself up onto my lap. I sat with him from 2:30pm until 6:30pm until I couldn't bare it anymore. I scooped him up in a blanket, and sobbed uncontrollably when he started yelping. I brought him to Capital Area Veterinary Emergency and we arrived at 7pm.

Sitting in the exam room I felt as if someone had knocked the wind out of me. It felt so sudden, so unexpected. Just that morning I was thinking about the great feat we had overcome. I was thinking it was so exciting that he was finally ready for his next set of shots!

X-Rays showed severe aspiration pneumonia in his little tiny left lung. The vet left me with the heart-wrenching choice to put him at peace, or fight to keep him alive through the night. I battled with myself over this decision, and after many tears and phone calls to my parents, grandparents, and sister, I decided Goliath was the bravest warrior that ever lived. He was my little hero in so many ways. Therefore, I needed to give him one more chance, one last fight, to see if he could win one more battle. Whether that was the most selfish choice I ever made, or not; I guess I will never know.