I wasn't ever allowed to play with socks. Little did I know it would cause so much pain the day I found that sock. I had a lot of fun chewing and playing with that sock but then, I made a awful mistake, I swallowed it! No one even knew what I had done.
Jim and Sandy started to worry about me that night when I got sick. The next day, I tried to act as if nothing was wrong with me but by that night I knew I had made the wrong choice by swallowing that sock. Jim and Sandy was growing more concerned about me so the next day I had to see a vet. The vet gave me something but nothing seemed to help my belly ache, I was in so much pain. Again the next day they took me to vet because I wasn't getting any better. They checked me all over, they gave me some blood test and took a x-ray of me but that sock didn't show up. They kept me that night and put me on IV's because I hadn't ate anything for a few days, that made me feel a lot better. By the next morning I was feeling so good that I even ate some special dog food for them. I was so glad when Jim and Sandy came that afternoon to take me home. However it was later that day, I started feeling ill again from that sock. I didn't want anything to eat and every time I took a drink, it soon came up. They all started to worry again for me. The next morning the vet called to check on me. Jim and Sandy was at church, but Jim called him as soon as he got home and got the message. Jim told the vet I was sick again and not eating and even water wasn't staying down. The vet said if I wasn't any better by morning to bring me in and they would try something else. Sandy took me in the next morning. She loved me so, we had a very strong bond, I was her dog. They decided to do surgery to see if they could find out what was wrong with me. Before they did the surgery they were pushing around on my belly and could feel something, little did they know it was that sock. They gave me something to make me go to sleep so I wouldn't feel any pain. Soon into the surgery they found the sock mostly in my lower intestine, however more was leading up toward my stomach from me chewing on that sock. It took four different cut before they found the end of the sock that was in my stomach still. When they got into my stomach it was worst yet. That part of the sock had attached it's self to my stomach lining and every time I had a bowel movement it pulled and pulled on the sock causing it to make a hole in my stomach. Everything from my stomach had been dumping into my body. I was in surgery for two and a half hours. The next day I felt somewhat better. I felt the prayers of so many praying for me. Jim called the vet the following day to see how I was doing. They told him I was doing much better, but that I hadn't ate anything. They told Jim to call back around three o'clock, to see if I had ate and kept it down. If I did I could go home. Jim call back at three and they said that I was doing better, but still hadn't ate. Jim asked, if it would be ok if him and Sandy came it to see if I would eat for them. He felt maybe I was just home sick. The vet said that would be fine, and if I ate and kept it down I was out of there. Jim and Sandy got there at four o'clock. The vet came in and said I don't know what happen but within this hour since I've talked to you Peyton has taken a real turn for the worse. The vet told then, what they was afraid might happen, they were now afraid it was happening. And that was that my stomach lining was pulling away from my stomach. My stomach was dying and so was I. The vet told Jim and Sandy if they felt like anytime during the night I was suffering they would call them and let them know they were putting me to sleep. The vet then came and got me to take me into Jim and Sandy. They both tried so hard to get me to eat but I just couldn't. I could see the pain in their eyes as we said our final good-byes. I felt their love so strong for me as they held me in their arms and cried. Oh how I wished I hadn't ate that sock! They didn't give up on me instead they prayed asking God for a miracle. Jim left the room and soon returned with my mom and half-sister (Addie & Princess). Mom just knew, as only mom dogs can, that it was good-bye for me. She wouldn't even look at me. Instead she turned her back to me. And sis, she just wanted to play not understanding how sick I was and couldn't play. Jim and Sandy gave me kisses and said good-bye. Sandy whispered in my ear, "Peyton if God wants you to stay, then in a few days I'll come and take you home. But if God wants you, then He'll call you to His home and there will be a collie named Laddie up there waiting to run and play." Jim and Sandy went home and called all to pray for me, not wanting to give up on me. Jim even got on the Internet and told all his Internet friends to pray. Prayers were going up for me all over the United States and Canada. Jim was praying with a fellow groomer in Texas, named Annette. As they prayed she could see angels all around me. They thought God was healing me. Well He did, in His way. The angels were just there waiting to carry me home to my eternal home. By the next morning it had all taken place in a twinkle of an eye. I was carried home by the angels of God.
I say don't cry for me, I have no more pain. My Creator had need of me, to make some little girls and boys happy up here, who's lives to were cut short. Oh I know you will deeply miss me and tears will be shed. I'm not far, when those lilac that you buried me under bloom in the spring, remember I'm with you as you smell their sweet fragrance. As you see the butterflies in the summer breeze, knowing it's a symbol of new life as is mine. In the fall when leaves turn their beautiful colors and start to fall you'll know I've came for a visit to cheer you up since you lost me in the fall. In the winter when to look up at those snow clouds and the snow begins to fall you'll know it must be time for my grooming from the groomer in the sky. Season to seasons, each one starting over again. So the next time hear the birds singing you'll know it's angels singing, the same ones that carried me away that November day. I know I was loved while I lived on earth. I was your chosen from form my momma's litter, you kept me. I was loved by so many, those at the grooming shop and event those on the Internet that did even really know me, you still prayed. Someday we will all meet, no more suffering, no more pain and no more sorrow.
