SUNSHINE’S STORY (as I know it)

Sunshine was found under a truck, she was rescued from under there, taken to the vet and operated on to pin the leg.  She stayed at the vet clinic for quite some months to help heal, instead she chewed through all her crates and chewed through doors and walls.  She moved to the shelter and although got a little more used to people, still was chewing on doors etc.  All this wood cut the inside of her and with her constant vomitting, she was diagnosed with megaesophagus; put on a range of medications and would need assistance to help keep her food down and would have this for the rest of her life.  

I first met Sunshine end of February 2019, when she was almost PTS (put to sleep) with these many health complications after complications to then she stopped eating.  The Bahrain Animal Rescue Centre manager, Sandi Thom, saw something in her that she recognized as a will to live and brought her to her house to help nurse her back to health.  I worked with Sunshine 2-3 times per week.  At this point I had not done my Applied Zoopharmacognosy course but did have the book and some essential oils and thought I could try it out whilst also giving her a mixed bottle of Bach Flower remedies.  Sunshine never engaged with me and whenever she heard me coming she would scurry quickly to her bed and lie there.  I knew the oils were doing something from the many sighs she would give and her heavy eyes to then sleeping but there didn’t seem to be anything tangible.  After 3 weeks Sandi saw a difference in her – she was eating better, barking, playing with toys and being much more interactive.  Another month after that she is off all her medication, there is no more vomitting, she is putting on weight.  She is now in a healthy state to have her leg amputated as it is just hanging there and she doesn’t use it.

With the operation a success and I am foster-free, I decide to take on Sunshine and her one-eyed friend, Popeye (see Meet PopEye in the Blog Page).  As Sunshine has never lived inside a house, she is overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of family life.  She finds herself a safe spot in the kitchen that she plonks herself down but after a day realizes it is one of the busiest rooms!  Then she moved herself to the bathroom and we all give her time to adjust to us.  In the meantime, even with a cone on Sunshine manages to contort herself to open up her stitches.  I try to think of creative ways to keep her off them – girl’s underwear, a t-shirt, cut the bottom of my leggings to make a mini skirt.  She manages to get around each of them in someway but eventually her wound heals, she has settled with us and we get into a routine.

After 5 months of being with us, Sunshine is in a good state, she is now able to walk on a leash nicely, she is less anxious and loves her runs on the beach.  She is ready to be adopted!  She goes to get neutered and at the same time has her vaccinations, rabies and microchip done.  It takes a toll on her.  She starts vomitting and diarrhea over the following week.  She withers back down to skin and bone.  Then she stops eating.  Even just writing this brings tears to my eyes and a sick feeling to my stomach.  She has come so far and there is nothing I can do to get her to eat.  By this stage I am using my essential oils, remedies, prayers, to help anyway I can.  I then make a desperate call to my teacher and the founder of Applied Zoopharmacognosy, Caroline Ingraham – she advises me to rub a couple of the oils I’m using on her femoral artery.  She falls asleep and the following morning I couldn’t believe it – she follows me in the kitchen and eats out of my hand.

Everything seems to go back to normal.  Two weeks later I am heading away for a long weekend.  I feed the dogs breakfast before I leave for the airport and Sunshine doesn’t eat..  I ask the family to keep an eye on her.  The following night she collapses and passes away.  I am not even there to comfort her.  An autopsy reveals she had a low level infection from when the pin was inserted to attach her hip, from her spaying it triggered the infection that then went into her blood stream.  It is such a sad-ending story but she had come through so much and I wanted to honor her journey and how she touched my heart.