By Pauline Tom
Now, the story of the Memorial Day Weekend 2015 Adventure of KissMe, our little Great White Hunter with Red Spots. That Saturday, doing what long-bodied and short-legged KissMe does, a rattlesnake did what rattlers do when threatened. RonTom and I will mark that weekend “the time KissMe spent in Emergency Hospital, his life in danger.”
Friends, if you hear a yelp from your sniffing-in-flowerbed dog followed by rattling, do not waste time trying to find fang marks and asking Siri, “How do I know if my dog got bitten by a rattlesnake?” Maybe we were in shock. And, we certainly had an uncontained rattlesnake right at our back porch.
Ron hauled in a very active and never-ceased-rattling snake with his always-on-the-back porch-just-in-case snarer (fishing rod with reeled noose-on-end cord) while I held KissMe back and looked for fang marks. Within a minute or two, Rick Thomas (Mtn City volunteer snake rescuer, 512. 393.1986) arrived to transfer one of nature’s most feared creatures from our bucket to his bag.
By then, a most adorable weenie dog collapsed on the garage floor. We discovered a tinge of blood on KissMe’s face. Ron and I headed to the South Branch of the North Austin Emergency Animal Hospital just off Lamar, near Central Market.
The seemingly-took-forever drive gave time to send photos and word through Facebook. Friends and friends of friends from here and there and uttermost parts of the earth responded with prayers and support. A staggering 124 comments stacked up.
The previous week, that facility put down several rattlesnake-bitten dogs. KissMe was fortunate his bite was on the face and not by a baby.
KissMe survived and required only one vial of $600 antivenom. But, through the weekend-long adventure, the weekend warriors working at the hospital to keep him alive and comfortable battled his 250 heart rate, vomiting, and refusal to eat. Just when it seemed he would be okay at home, his condition became critical with a severe reaction to the antivenom.
That first night, the vet who gave a phone report of improving condition heard of the prayer warriors. “Tell them to keep it up. It’s working.”
This happened during the time praying people interceded for those involved in the Memorial Day Weekend Floods. Let’s keep praying. What destruction. What needs. What opportunities.
The massive work performed by Jeff Radke this time last year kept water away from and out of our house. The dirtscaping and rockscaping directed waters away from our house. And, the bedroom chimney and guestroom window sill let in no water.
I predict a flood of Mountain Citians at the Council Meeting on Monday night, June 8, 7 p.m.
Sometimes, treasures appear in my inbox. Please send tidbits. Email ptom5678@gmail.com or leave a message at 512-268-5678. Thanks! Love, Pauline
