by Laura Thacher
BADEAUX'S GIFT....
PRAYER AROUND THE WORLD.....
BADEAUX'X RAINBOW.....
This page has been most difficult for me to put together, but I feel as if Badeau'x story must be told, for little Badeaux accomplished more in her 8 short weeks of life than some humans accomplish in and entire lifetime. Please take a few moments to read her story.
Badeaux was born a perfectly healthy little girl. She was one of what I like to refer to as Echo's Angels. Little did I know how much this would apply to my gentle little girl. Badeaux was extremely sweet and gentle, probably more so than most puppies. She had a way of always approaching you softly, where she would sit and look at you waiting for you to notice she was there. Always polite, always a little lady. She had the sweetest softest eyes, and to look into them was to fall in love. Badeaux encompassed the word love.
At six weeks after worming the pups, Badeaux developed diarreah. Two other pups had it for a day, but nothing bad and recouped immediately. Badeaux got worse the next day. I brought her immediately to my vet, who after testing said it was gastric entritis , which is basically a very irritated stomach due to any number of things. We thought it might be her food, or the worm medicine, but it could have been either. I lean toward the medicine myself. I separated Badeaux into a separate room and spent much of the night with her so she would not be lonely by herself. By morning, she seemed on her way to a full recovery. I had spoken with her new family and they were very excited about bringing her home. So was I, as her new family seemed quite wonderful. I should probably mention here that Badeaux was named after her new mom's favorite or special place. It all seemed meant to be. But as fate would have it, the night before going home, little Badeaux started up with the diarreah again. I called her future family after I had called my vet to get meds for her and they were still willing to take her home. This said volumes to me about the commitment of these folks. She spent most of the night in my room with me or on my bed with my daughter. She seemed very content with our company, although her sweet little eyes looked terribly sad. I now think that perhaps she knew what we did not, that she would be leaving this world and us, sooner than any one of us knew.
Sunday AM, Badeaux ate her breakfast and vomited a tiny bit, she went to the bathroom and seemed a bit better. This was around 9AM. By 12 she had taken a horrible turn for the worse. She was passing watery blood and was very lethargic. Her new family was on their way from another state and I could not reach them. My husband and I decided we could not wait, and my husband was about to take her to the hospital, while I stayed behind to wait for her family. Just as he was leaving, her new mom and dad showed up. Her mom rode with my husband to the hospital holding our sweet girl in her lap. I soon received a phone call that Badeaux had what is called an intussuception brought on by her diarreah (a twisting of an intestine, back inside of itself, causing a blockage, which I should mention her is NOT hereditary and NOT the same as gastric torsion volvulous or bloat) It was decided to go ahead and try to save her life, through surgery. At this moment, I called my friend Mother Marija and asked for prayers for our baby girl as she faced surgery. She said of course, and called the 14 sisters to tell them of Badeaux's plight. I also asked for prayer from an internet group of longcoat shepherd lovers like myself. I went to the hospital myself to relieve everyone else, and stayed until it was done and I was able to see her. She was so very tiny, with all those tubes, but she seemed to be resting peacefully. The night was uneventful, but we received a phone call Monday AM saying that Badeaux needed a second surgery, as her protein levels were so very low. Apparently infection had set in. At this point, Badeaux's mom placed a call that started another prayer chain. At this time, there were people praying for Little Girl Badeaux across the USA, in Russia, in Scotland, in Europe, Venezuela and New Zealand. Even Africa! She had adults and children, Nuns and priests, rich and poor all praying for her! Badeaux came through her second surgery and all seemed well. I was to call at 8:30 PM to visit her. As I picked up the phone to call, the vet called me. Badeau'x heart had stopped 45 seconds earlier and they were performing CPR. They said after 10 minutes they would stop. It was the longest 5 minutes of my life until I got the call back that they had a heartbeat, but she was not breathing on her own. I told them I was coming, but if her heart stopped again, to let her go. I never made it to the door before she was gone. Thankfully my husband drove me to the hospital, as I simply could not drive. My nine year old daughter who was still awake told me she was happy and sad at the same time. Because Badeaux was with God and happy, but she would miss her. When we arrived at the vet, I held her little body in my arms and told her how very sorry I was, and although her sweet soul was gone, I know she heard me. I made the terrible call to her family, then just sat and cried. When we came home, I called Mother Marija, and told her the news. Her words to me were "When we have finished our work here on Earth, we are called home. Badeaux accomplished more in her short life, than many do in a lifetime. Look how many raised their eyes to God in prayer today because of her." I found much peace in that thought, and I hoped her other family would to. We made the decision to have our sweet , gentle Badeaux burried at a wonderful pet cemetary, where a memorial plaque will hang in her name, for "The pup who brought prayer around the world." After many tears, it was decided that our extra special puppy Flutter would go to live with Badeaux's family. I think Badeaux herself would have wanted it that way. I think perhaps Flutter would have otherwise stayed with me forever, as I could not find that extra special home for her. I found it in Badeaux's Mom and her family. Never could I have dreamed to meet such incredible, unselfish, loving people, and Flutter's joyous nature can aid in the healing of such loss. So that is my little girl Badeux's story, I hope as you read it, you will perhaps say a little prayer yourself, so as Badeaux's legacy may live on.