My precious Jewell

My Precious Jewell

Where do you begin to tell how great a pet's love is to a family? I know when she sleeps with me I feel her heart beating next to mine. In the morning when she lays so still I look to see if she is breathing. I love her as I did my newborns when I first brought them home from the hospital. I can tell you an instance when I thought my heart would break into pieces if I didn't find my lost Rat Terrier, Jewell. Her name given for being such a Jewel; I compare her to one of my very favorite stones a blue star sapphire. A stone that makes a beautiful star in the sun light. Although Jewell is my sunshine all the time.

Last year while I was at work I got the phone call that can change your life drastically the moment you say hello. I got the news that my husband, Tim was in a near fatal car accident. A coworker rushed me to the hospital only to hear my husband's injuries were so life threating that he was sent to a larger city nearby to get the best care. I got in the car with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. I then receive all the details of what had happened and how horrific the accident was because Tim was driving a small pick-up. The ride to the hospital seemed incredibly long but was only 30 miles away from home. Sometimes the silence was unbearable it was during this time that my thoughts starting spiraling out of control. My mind conjured up all kind of images. Then I asked the dreadful question did Tim have Jewell with him? In my mind I knew he did because Jewell was his mentor after being injured in a coal mining accident a few years ago. They were inseparable and went everywhere together. She is our love; so loyal, smart, and devoted. Everything you could ask for and more especially since we were suffering from the empty nest syndrome. Jewell became our third child. My mother-in-law tried to assure me that Tim probably left Jewell at home. I think we both knew the truth because Tim was going to her house and he usually brought Jewell along to play with Nipper, her Jack Russell Terrier. When we arrived at the hospital Tim was in the trauma center. The first thing he said was, “I've killed Jewell, didn't I?”

I told him, “No she's fine we just don't know where she is.”

Three days went by and Tim was strapped down to his bed, with tubes in his throat, nose, mouth, I.V.'s, and surgeries began to save his life. With just notepaper on a clipboard he wrote messages mostly about Jewell. It was so hard to look at Tim and see his salty tears running down his face. Tears of heartbreak in thinking Jewell may have critically been injured. He thought of her instead of himself and maybe this saved Tim's life because he didn't think of his pain. Tim thought of Jewell and how much he loved her. The thought of not knowing was drowning him and the rest of the rest of the family in terrible sorrow.

The local newspaper did a human interest story on Jewell and placed a recent picture of her on the front page of the paper. She even made the news not only in our small city but the city Tim was in during his stay at the hospital. We got several calls but none of them were our precious Jewell. Meanwhile, everyone searched. People from work, strangers, family, friends, even a young girl who was to deliver a baby boy the very next day. It was so hot and humid during May and the summer rains scared us even more. As the rain poured down making it impossible to even see the cars outside the hospital window, I thought of how spoiled our little Jewell was; how could she survive in the woods all alone? She was only 12 pounds and the “what ifs” popped up constantly in my imagination. People prayed, preachers prayed, and one priest was going to contact an organization that specialized in locating lost animals.

We soon got the call we had been anticipating on for four days in the hospital waiting room! A little lady was feeding a stray dog on her front porch when one of her neighbors approached her and said, “Isn't that the dog from the newspaper?”

They recognized Jewell and made a phone call to the newspaper and in turn they called me. It was one of the absolutely happiest moments of our family's life. Our dog was going to be returned to us. There was a $300.00+ reward but the elderly lady said she wouldn't take a reward. Her award would be in heaven. Just knowing that the gentleman in the hospital may regain his health much quicker knowing his constant companion was finally safe.

You know a few people ask how I could have prayed so much for my dog. My husband was more important. I indeed prayed for Tim and my precious, Jewell. I knew my husband would never forgive himself if our dog wasn't returned. I'm sure God felt my tears and Tim's as they beat down on our faces all those lonesome nights. Some wonder how I could love a dog so much. I told them that dog spelled backwards is God and that is as close to His unconditional love that we'll ever see on earth. I do believe in heaven we will have our creatures back to love once more. In the meantime I enjoy every moment that I have Jewell. She is an extraordinary dog that has taught me so tenderly of God's unconditional love for me.