Tails From Rainbow Bridge: Fred

During my first weeks of public life, after I first joined the late Doggyspace, I made many friends.  But one of the friends had already shed his mortal coil and gone to the Bridge.  I had never had a friend on the immortal side of the River but one night Fred popped into my dreams and showed me the paradise that awaited me when I crossed over.

Fred arrived at the Bridge before dogs began social networking.  The crowds that now greet pups who cross the River were not there when Fred climbed the stairs.  Just  personal friends and family members.  But as soon as his Mom’s dogs, Junior and Luca, got online and made thousands of friends, whenever one of those pups crossed the River Fred was there to greet them.

Before dogs began blogging learning how to adapt to life at the Bridge was an adjustment for new angels  but Fred began teaching them their duties as soon as they got their wings.  He not only taught them how to be angels for their pups and parents but he trained them on how to teach others to do the same.

Now there is an army of dogs waiting at the Bridge, myself included, to greet our friends and to train them the way Fred trained us.  To honor Fred I recently appointed him an Angel Captain.

We haven’t barked as much with Junior and Luca was we would like in the last few years.  Human issues crept up and blocked block our barks.  We know their wonderful Mom would like to giver her dogs the Freedom to Bark they had in the past and hopefully they will in the future.

But for us angels at the Bridge we have Fred to bark with everyday.  And we are better angels for it.

Luca is our April 3, 2011 pup fo the week

Oh I do not like when one of my friends has an operation.  But when that someone is Luca, who brings so much fun and excitement to our playground with his brother Junior and late brother Fred by keeping track of everyone's birthday so we get to have lots of parties, has the best contests, including the current Most Exciting Adventure of my Life story, and is such a friend to each of us, it is very troubling.  Luca was going to have to have an operation for hip dysplasia.  I did not know much about this disease until I put on my big dog St Bernard suit and my hips started aching.  It is no fun.  Then his Mommy put up a video of Luca's brother Junior having the same surgery.  It was like watching Saw for dogs.  I haven't walked on my back legs in three weeks. 

Luca lives in Argentina.  This has caused some confusion because it is summer here when it's winter there and visa/versa.  I think their calender runs backwards.  It's so confusing.  But Luca was able to have two different doctors.  I know from my parents that in America, if you have two different doctors, you need to give one of them your house to be able to afford treatments.  I am very happy Luca had a choice because I want him to have the best doctors in with world.  There was a surgeon who operated on Junior in the Saw video and a surgeon their vet recommended .  They went with the surgeon their vet suggested which made me happy because I do not believe he owns a camcorder.

When Luca went to the hospital for the surgery it had to be delayed because his cardiac rythym was 60 points higher than normal.  Which was no big deal because mine was 90 points higher than usual.  At least Luca got a shot to make him calm down, I didn't get anything except the back of the couch to pace on, look out the window, and bark at any paper bag that happened to be blowing by.  My nervousness was doubled by the fact that, while I knew what time Luca was being operated on at his time, I didn't know how that translated in our time.  Their calendar runs backwards, how about their time, and are they in the central time zone, the eastern time zone, or do they have their own time zones like EST, CST or PST (Evita Standard Time, Chavo Standard Time and Peron Standard Time?  (OK, so my entire knowledge of Argentina comes from musicals.  I can't help it, I love Broadway.)

Luca was able to go home at 5:00, which I have no idea how that translates to time here on the American East Coast, here, after midnight, we let it all hang out, there, I think it's around 10:00 AM.  They had to keep Junior away from him because, believe me, after the day he had, the last thing you want is chatty, sniffy visitors who may destroy your sanitary environment by pissing or pooping on your sterilized zone.  Luca got some pain medication but still moaned all night.  Daddy has lots of medication to stay calm, but he wouldn't give me anything, for my nerves, so I too lay moaning all night.

In a couple of days everything was back to normal.  For me.  Luca was still recovering, but was  much better.  He was able to get around his flat on three legs.  He did have to wear the cone of shame, but let me tell you, I got a message from his big brother Fred at the bridge and he said he rocked that cone.  Luca could be a cone model. 

Luca's vet came to her house to check on her.  If you are American I will pause here while you recover from shock.  OK, we're back.   Yes, the vet went to his house.  Her name is Adrianna.  That's her with Luca art the top of the blog. She gave Luca some antibiotics and painkillers.  When I read about the visiting vet I said to my sister, "Pocket, next time I say let's go to a place like Buenos Airies let's go to a place like Buenos Ariies."

So here is to Luca, our Pup of the Week, who, so bravely faced surgery and came through perfectly, who holds us together with kind words and fun games. 

Even without surgery, Luca, our great friend, would be pup of the week.  Sometimes it makes something like a surgery makes us realize how much we love them.

Luca is our February 21 2010 pop of the week

Gosh, Pocket and I can’t remember the last time we honored a dog of the week who wasn’t either at the bridge or in grave danger of catching the next train to it’s shores. It has been a hard start of the year for our Brigade, but we’re still going as strong as the day we were formed.

And we’re happy to announce this weeks pup is nowhere near the bridge, even though he did have quite a scare. But before we announce the winner I would like to say that every member of the Brigade could be named Pup of the Week because we’ve never been prouder of our colleagues.

First, we have all welcomed the Hammies, who were unceremoniously swept out of the castle. Here they have a happy home where we’ll all watch out for them. I have already asked Hobo to work out a peace treaty between them and the cats so there is no unnecessary violence.

Then there is Lily who has added another fun aspect to our site: the photo shopped pictures: of Smoochy taking our newest members on a bobsled ride, and of Hattie doing the ski jump (the picture of Pocket and I was totally real.) Then there was Kolchak who did the greatest Olympic event of all, the counter surf, combined with the daring eating of chocolate, and came through all of it no worse for the wear.

But this week’s pup of the week put a lump of fear in all our throats almost the size of the one on his back. Dogs aren’t meant to have lumps. They are usually a sign of a very bad thing. We all thought “Oh no, not another sick loved one” but thankfully his lump got debunked and he should be just fine.

As you have already surmised, our pup of the week is Luca. Hopefully, his Mom, who is going on holiday, will see this. If not, it will be a pleasant surprise when she gets back. Luca didn’t earn this just by having a non-lethal lump, with his story contests and his smart, wonderful, comments he is one of our major contributors and a beautiful friend.

Luca, Junior, and Rainbow Bridge’s wonderful Fred have been one of the driving creative and emotionally supportive forces of the Tanner Brigade. We are a better site because we have them and their wonderful Mom. So here’s to her, our Shining Star Mother, to Luca, our Pup of the Week, an honorable mention to Junior, and a Rainbow Bridge Pup of the Week reward for Fred. Well deserved for all.