Lady Is Our Hero

My husband had been sick with some virus that left him weak and fatigued. So he had stayed home from work for a few days to rest.

That night, I came home from my work, my husband was in bed asleep and I stretched out in my chair to read for awhile.

Usually, the dogs are quiet and in their beds sleeping after I get home.

Not tonight. Lady, our collie/husky mix, was pacing the floor and looking into the bedroom.

I tried to get her away from the door so as not to disturb by husband.

She went into the bedroom and put her front paws on the bed and kept trying to wake him up.

My attempts to restrain her finally woke up my husband. He fussed and got up, came out to the kitchen, then on to his office.

Lady followed him. I sat back down and heard a loud BANG! I ran into his office and found his chair slammed against the wall and my husband unconscious.

He was pouring sweat, and at first, unresponsive. I immediately called 911.

While I was on with the dispatcher, he came to but was groggy. The EMT's arrived about 20 minutes later to take care of him.

I had to lock the dogs in another room so they wouldn't interfere with the paramedics.

When they got my husband stabilized, he was transported off our mountain and to the nearest hospital.

He passed out again in his office while they were there and in the ambulance on the way down to the hospital.

I don't have to tell you, I was a wreck! My husband just turned 60 and has a history of heart problems in his family, so you can imagine what I was thinking.

When the EMT's left, I let the dogs out while I packed up to follow the ambulance and Lady was going crazy trying to find Jim.

I petted her, and told her "Daddy would be alright", I hoped.

I raced to the hospital, went into the ER and found Jim sitting up on the gurney, strapped to gizmos and IV's but he looked 100% better than I found him.

He was severely dehydrated from the virus which reeked havoc with his vital organs.

He didn't have an event since leaving home to go to the ER, theykept him overnight, set him up with an event monitor for two weeks, and go about his daily routine as tolerated.

Anyway, Jim is fine and back to his old self. I'm getting fussed at because I called 911, and "if the dog hadn't woke me up I would have slept through it."

I keep telling him Lady is our hero of the day.

Well, I saw one of the EMT's a few days later and he told me that if Lady hadn't woke Jim up, he could have had a major event in his sleep, such as a heart attack or stroke.

She should be given a big, juicy steak for her reward. She got a nice marrow bone instead, which she loved.

So if anybody tells you dogs are stupid and don't know anything, I can tell you from experience (this latest one and others through my life) that they are full of (insert your own word!)

Yes, Lady is our hero. She is lying in the hallway snoozing, Jim is in the bedroom napping and I am writing this piece.

Such a good girl!