Tammy & Halo
My sister Tammy, who had recently at the time, got a Shih Tzu named Halo, tried to convince me that I needed one. I worked so much that I couldn’t possibly think about one. I flatly kept saying NO. Besides, work or no work I just didn’t care much for dogs. Not really my cup of tea, for someone else, just not for me. Maybe that explains why I had never owned one all my adult life.
Tammy loved Banana popsicles; she and Halo would share one together. Halo also loved ice cubes, so as you can image Tammy loved to give them to her as well. Tammy kept sharing all the wonderful things about Halo. Telling me the kind of food she gave her, and the special treats she bought her too. Telling me how to care for her, and that she would take her to the groomer for a puppy cut and get a beautiful little bow in her hair.
She told me how wonderful Halo was and how she was the best thing for her. She loved her company and how much she was there for her.
Later as Tammy began to get sick, she didn’t understand at first what was wrong with her nor why she needed to sleep more than she liked. But the one thing that she did love was that she could count on Halo. She would say: “It didn’t matter how long I take a nap in the middle of the day, Halo is always there.”
Eventually I began to start asking questions, she had started to hook me in on this notion that somehow I might like one. Tammy never stopped talking about how great Halo was. But that was not enough; she insisted I had to have one too.
God had been merciful to me in the months leading up to her illness. I did not see it at the time. However, I soon realized had He not have given me that time I would have never had it. It was another gift from God. Bill and I were able to spend time with her. This was far from normal.
She was in the hospital and after spending the entire day there with her and seeing the deterioration first hand, it was more than I could handle. Driving home it became so clear I NEEDED a Shih Tzu. All this time Tammy was trying to convince me, and now with no explanation, all I could say was I needed one! I could not tell you how or why - just that I needed one. I could not get it off my mind.
I spoke with Bill and while he had been so dead set against it from the beginning, he had softened and changed his mind too. I could not wait to tell Tammy, that now Bill and I were both in agreement. I could start my search for that perfect little one.
Walking into her hospital room and telling her I was getting a Shih Tzu I was elated! As sick as Tammy was for just a moment her face changed, she was so THRILLED, she told me “I would love ‘em and I would not be sorry.” It would take me years to fully grasp what she was saying to me. The IMPACT that is was to have upon my life. They were to be the last hold out in my life.
After trying for two (2) years, Tammy had now succeeded! It was not long after that, she passed away.
