Amazing tales of survival, recovery, and medical triumphs

Darlene the Survivor
The dog with nine lives....

Darlene is a rat terrier, and when she was a puppy, she got stepped on the head by a horse. We rushed her to the emergency vet clinic, which was about 20 min. away. She stayed overnight, and the next day they called my Dad and told him that she wouldn't make it through the day. She had a severe concussion, and wouldn't even wake up, but at that time, was still alive.

They asked for my Father's permission to put her down. I was about 11 or 12 at the time, so he talked to me about it, and I begged him not to let them do it. Always being "Daddy's little girl," he called them back, and said no, to keep trying, to try everything, no matter how much it cost.

I called several times a day from school. The counselor let me call from her office, to make sure Darlene was still alive. For a week, she lived. Everyday after school I would go and visit her. She was in a coma and in an incubator, but I looked at her and talked to her, and begged her not to die.

During that week, they said she would 'go' anytime, I overheard them tell my Dad to prepare me, because she probably wouldn't make it through the night. This was the routine for about 2 weeks. She didn't wake up, but after that 2 weeks the doctor said she had about 35% chance to make it. That wasn't much, but a lot better then the 0% chance she did have! As the weeks went by it increased, till finally it was 50/50 chance.

Finally, they started taking her out, and letting me hold her. Everyday, I would spend about an hour or two just holding my little puppy after school -- talking to her, singing to her, and begging her to live. She was in a coma for 3 long weeks, then she started to come around! After another 2 weeks or so, I was able to take her home. I could finally care for her all the time, I was so happy!

But the storm wasn't over, she suffered from some brain damage. Not enough to be abnormal, she was unable to do some things. Then we found out that she was blind, she had no sight in either eye. With eye drops, pills, and salve, we treated her eyes three times a day. This went on for months, maybe even a year or so. Finally, the time came. They told us one of her eyes had to be removed, so one day my mother and I took her up to the campus. It was about a 3 hour drive, the surgery was kinda experimental there, but it was worth a try, and it worked. She was short an eye, but also out of pain, finally! And she started getting around again like a normal dog!

She is definitely our miracle dog. That was 8 years ago, she is doing great now. She was attacked by a German shepherd 2 years ago, had to have stitches, but still, is doing great now, she knows tricks, she is very obedient, and such a playful and lovable dog, she just had way too much life to live to let go to soon!