Jack Russell Story Jack Russell Story
Story Name: APRIL ANNE THE MIRACLE
From: DEANNA WADE
My Jack Russell Story:
I HAVE HAD APRIL ANNE FOR TWO YEARS NOW. SHE IS JRT AND CHIUAUHA MIXED. WE GOT HER ON A FARM IN DECATUR, ABOUT 50 MILES FROM HERE. SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE OF HER KIND LEFT AND SHE QUICKLY CAPTURED MY HUSBANDS AND MY HEARTS. LITTLE DID WE KNOW WHAT AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR LIVES SHE WAS TO BECOME. APRIL WAS TINY. SHE WEIGHED LESS THAN ONE POUND WHEN WE GOT HER. WE HAD TO GET HER A KITTEN COLLAR. I TOOK HER TO MY PARENTS HOUSE TO MEET HER "GAMMA" AND "GAMPA". MY DAD LOVED HER AT FIRST SIGHT. SHE WOULD SIT ON THE FOOTREST OF THE RECLINER OR ON THE ARM OF THE CHAIR AND CRY FOR HIM TO PUT HER ON THE FLOOR. SHE FINALLY GOT BRAVE ENOUGH TO JUMP. HOWEVER STAIRS WERE STILL AN OBSTACLE. MY DAD WOULD GO UP AND DOWN THE STAIRS WITH HER, SHOWING HER HOW TO CLIMB. DURING THIS TIME, SHE HAD COXIDIA (I THINK) A TYPE OF PARASITE THEY CAN GET FROM CHICKENS, SINCE SHE WAS ON A FARM. WE DOCTORED HER AND BOTTLE FORCE FED HER PUPPY FORMULA. THEN SHE HAD A BOUGHT WITH WORMS IN GENERAL. THEN SHE GOT DISTEMPER, ALTHOUGH IT NEVER DEVELOPED FULLY. I HAD TO GIVE HER VITAMINS AND ANTIBOTICS AND (FORCE WHEN NECESSARY) GIVE HER FORMULA AND WATER. THE DOCTOR SAID IT WAS A MIRACLE SHE DIDN'T DIE. SHE FINALLY GRADUATED TO BEEF BABY FOOD WHICH I SPOON FED HER. MY HUSBAND AND I CRIED AND PRAYED FOR HER DAILY AND WE THINK GOD GAVE US THIS SPECIAL LITTLE ONE.
APRIL ANNE IS NOW TWO AND VERY HEALTHY. SHE IS ABOUT 18 POUNDS AND THE MOST HAPPY AND LOVING DOG I EVER MET. SHE ATTACKS EVERYONE WITH "PIGGY LOVE" WHERE SHE GRUNTS AND SQUIRMS TO GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO YOU. MY DAD HAD A STROKE. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE SAID AFTERWARDS WAS THAT HE WANTED TO SEE APRIL. I SMUGGLED HER INTO THE HOSPITAL. HE RESPONDED TO HER IMMEDIATELY. HE SAID HE COULD MAKE IT THROUGH THE STROKE AND PARALYSIS BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING APRIL MADE IT THROUGH. HE IS IN A NURSING HOME NOW AND STILL ASKS IF SHE REMEMBERS HIM. YOU CAN ASK HER WHERES GAMPA AND SHE RAISES HER EARS AND STARTS LOOKING FOR HIM. I THINK SHE REMEMBERS. SHE ALSO GOES CRAZY WHEN I ASK HER IF SHE WANTS TO GO TO GAMMA'S. SHE STARTS CRYING WHEN WE GET ON THE STREET GAMMA LIVES ON. SHE HAS A BROTHER RIKKI WHO IS FULL JRT AND I WILL WRITE ABOUT LATER. RIKKI IS AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS ANY OTHER DOG EXCEPT APRIL. IF SHE WANTS TO PLAY ROUGH, HE LAYS ON HIS BACK AND LETS HER. APRIL'S FAVORITE GAME IS BALL.
I HAD A WRECK A FEW MONTHS AGO AND MY BACK IS PERMANENTLY INJURIED. ANY TIME I AM IN PAIN AND IN BED, SHE STAYS RIGHT BESIDE ME AND WON'T LEAVE ME. IF I CRY, SHE GIVES ME SUGARS OR THE BALL. SHE ALSO THINKS EVERY TIME I SNEEZE, SHE HAS TO LICK MY FACE. SHE GREETS EVERYONE WITH LOVE AND SHE IS THE JOY OF OUR LIVES.