THIS JOURNAL IS ON 117 FAVORITE JOURNAL LISTSHonor: 0 [ Give / Take ]
3 entries this month
Family....can't live with them, can't kill them....04:06 Aug 20 2007
Times Read: 773
This is a email from my Sister in law:
Hi Jayme -
First of all I want to say how truly sorry I am about Maddie being injured. I didn't realize that I should have checked her over more closely but in all honesty I was afraid of going near her since I had been previously snarled at and was attending to my own wound.
Second, I usually don't like to communicate via email in such matters as it does not allow for emotions and tone of voice to help properly get the message intended across. I understand you are upset with me and it will take some time for all of this unfortunate business to be resolved.
However, I do need to have you send the money ($2,450) I graciously let you borrow so you and Josh could find a place sooner than you would have if you had to wait for your divorce settlement and/or Josh's inheritance settlement to come through. You may have not found a place until September/October and you would have been living in limbo even longer. I loaned you the money in good faith with the understanding and assurance by you that it would be paid back shortly after August 6th. I cannot afford to be out that money much longer as I have been paying interest on that money since it came from our Home Equity Line of Credit.
I realize we need to work out the settlement and/or division of the both vet bills and the damage to our house (ie: carpet damage and two doors). However, we can work together in future emails or via phone to come up with a equitable amount agreeable to both parties. This is separate money from the loan and should be settled separately as well.
We should come to an agreement in a timely manner so that we can move pass this business and get to the business of being sister-in-laws who now live in the same state and available to help one another and become closer as was my original hope.
Sincerely,
Angie
______________________________________________________________-
My Response: (Please remember for peace in the family, I had to keep myself from truly bitching her out.)
Angie,
I am sending you a check, minus the expenses of Maddie’s trip to the vet. I have included everything you mentioned that I owed you, please see the itemized bill I have attached and I will explain. I have included before and after pics so you see the extent of her injuries.
Her first injury, they found a one inch laceration of her spine, big enough that my thumb could fit in it. The comment was made that “the other dog was going for a kill shot.” Simply ½” deeper and Sable would have pierced Maddie’s spine.
Maddie’s other injury was to her side, where she was licking all the time. It was so full of infection that they put a tube in her side to drain it all out and she had to have that in for 5 days. Again, I was told I was lucky, Sable’s teeth didn’t pierce her abdominal cavity or the infection could have killed her. Total Maddie needed 13 stitches to close up her wounds.
When I initially went to the ER vet, they wanted your information. When I asked why, they said that Washington State takes strong views on animal neglect, cruelty and vicious animals. They stated that I could have Sable destroyed or you at least, fined for what she did to Maddie. You could get a ticket for animal abuse and neglect. I talked them out of both. I told them that Sable was just out of surgery and that you walked Sable into Maddie. It was a little harder to convince them not to ticket you, but I refused to press charges. You’re family, I didn’t want it to effect the family, anymore than it has and it would look bad on Mike too. (My brother is a Commander in the Navy)
When I took Maddie and Harley into our vet, it was to get Maddie’s tube out of her side and to find out what was going on with Harley. When I told the story to the vet, including how you felt my dogs were vicious. I explained about Maddie’s seizures, where your fears are probably stemmed from; she explained that when a seizure hits a person or a dog, they aren’t there anymore. It’s an electrical problem in their brain and they aren’t conscious of what they are doing.
The Vet decided to do a Phenobarbital Blood Test to get the levels of the drug in Maddie’s system and to check the effectiveness of it, due to your fears. The results were simple. The Vet told me that there were no indications that she had gotten her medicine for over 2 weeks. That is how low her levels were. The Vet also mentioned how tough it would have been for her to go off of her meds cold turkey and this might have been another reason she was being hostile.
They did a Complete Blood Count (CBC) on Maddie because they wanted to check the effectiveness of the antibiotic and to verify she didn’t have blood poisoning from the infection, which could kill her. Blood work came back fine but she later developed digestive problems due to the strength of the antibiotic that they had to use on her.
If Maddie showed viciousness after the attack, it was due to the trauma she went through and the pain she was in. The Vet kept telling me how painful these injuries were to her, add on top of that going cold turkey from her medicine, she wouldn’t have been a happy camper.
I was furious when I left your house. You urged me to go, urged me to find a place for my new family and told me they would be alright with you. Then you call to tell me that there was a dogfight, basically blaming Maddie. Calling her vicious when all she was doing was fighting for her life. I asked you several times in that call, if Maddie was okay and you told me yes and reassured me that she was fine. I trusted you. Instead I come to find one of my dogs mauled and in pain and you claiming her with viciousness that stemmed from that pain and lack of meds.
I have calmed down a bit but it will take awhile for our relationship to rebuild. I don’t know if it will ever be the same, but we will see. On one hand, I wanted to thank you for your generosity. I did my best to pay you back with the only means I knew how, caring for your child and cleaning. While in Portland and in Marysville, I took care of Jeffrey, when you had errands you had to do. I didn’t mind, it gave me a chance to spend some time with him. While you were gone, I trained Parker and took care of all the dogs. I cleaned your house, vacuumed and shampooed the rug. I cleaned Jeffrey’s room, the dining room and downstairs. I did your laundry, cleaned up after the dog’s and mowed the back lawn. I did these things because I was thankful for you. I wanted to show my appreciation for what you were giving me. A place to stay as I got back on my feet.
I know you didn’t mean to neglect Maddie and I accept your apology. I didn’t expect it to take so long to find a place. I apologize for my dogs being an inconvenience to you. Just give me time to come to terms with everything gone on.
Jayme
My poor baby!!!20:56 Aug 08 2007
Times Read: 791
Frustrations??? No I have all out anger for my sister in law. She informed me 2 weeks ago that her dog, Sable, a 11 year old lab had attacked my little dog Maddie. Apparently, Sable had a operation and while she was still groggy and feeling bad, my wonderful sister in law, Angie, walked her into Maddie.
I get there on Saturday, excited to see my babies and finally get my dogs back with me. When I saw Maddie, I ran my hand down her back and felt the madded fur and my hand came away bloody. She had madded fur on the top of her back, right on her spine and she was licking her side like crazy. When I touched her side, she went after my hand. It was hard to the touch and again I felt dried blood, along with the fresh blood that came off on my hand.
I showed Angie. She just said Oh! I told her I am going to have to take her to the emergency vet. She didn't say anything. So, I got the dogs and got out of there before I took her head off. It made me furious to know that Maddie hadn’t even been pet during that time….or checked after the fight.
I had a 4 hour drive home to get more and more angry, as Maddie was obviously in pain. When we got home, V helped me hold her while I tried to ascertain her injuries. She had a hole on the top of her back that I could fit my thumb through. It was bleeding and had puss coming out of it. Next to it was another puncture mark from Sables canines. She wouldn’t let me near her side.
So, off to the ER Vet for Maddie. $300 later...she has 4 stitches at her spine to close the laceration there. It was an inch long and infected. She needed about 5 more stitches on her side. They had to put a tube in her side to drain all the infection out. That comes out tomorrow and she will get more stitches. The Vet told me that I was lucky in some part, since neither of the canines punctured her abdominal cavity, which would have killed her, as full of infection as she was. She is also lucky that she didn’t get septemia, or blood poisoning due to her injuries. The vet also mentioned that the amount of pain that Maddie must have been in was immense. GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!
To say the least…I am livid with the treatment of my animals by a family member. Angie kept saying that Maddie was a vicious dog. BULLSHIT!!! Considering how much pain she was in, she would not want anyone near her.
Ok…I vented. So, do I have a reason to be angry?
18:54 Aug 02 2007
Times Read: 802
NEW MEMBERS
Whelp (1)
06:46 - August 18 2025
Scrounger (4)
19:20 - August 17 2025
Follower (5)
09:29 - August 11 2025
REAL VAMPIRES LOVE VAMPIRE RAVE
Vampire Rave is a member of
Page generated in 0.0923 seconds.
COMMENTS
-