A EAGLES KISS

[ELAINE]

THIS IS THE KIND OF STORY YOU NEED WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE THE WORLD IS
SPIRALING OUT KF CONTROL ... NOT MANY PROPLE GOT A PICTURE OF THIS
PROUD BIRD SNUGGLED UP NEXT TO THEM !

FREEDOM AND I HAVE BEEN TOGETHER 11 YEARS THIS SUMMER . SHE CAME
IN AS A BABY IN 1998 WITH TWO BROKEN WINGS . HER LEFT WING DO NOT OPEN
ALL THE WAY EVEN AFTER SURGERY IT WAS BROKEN IN 4 PLACES . SHE IS MY BABY .

WHEN FREEDOM CAME IN , SHE COULD NOT STAND AND BOTH WINGS WERE BROKEN .
SHE WAS EMACIATED AND COVERED IN LICE . WE MADE A DECISION TO GIVE HER A
CHANCE AT LIFE , SO I TOOK HER TO THE VET's OFFICE . FROM THEN ON , I WAS ALWAYS
AROUND HER . WE HAD IN A HUGH DOG CARRIER WITH THE TOP OFF , AND IT WAS
LOADED UP WITH SHREDDED NEWSPAPER FOR HER TO LAY IN .

I USE TO TO SIT AND TALK TO HER , URGING HER TO LIVE , TO FIGHT , AND SHE WOULD
LAY THERE LOOKING AT ME WITH THOSE BIG BROWN EYES . WE HAVE HAD TO TUBE
FEED HER FOR 4 - 6 WEEKS , AND BY THEN SHE STILL COULD NOT STAND . IT GOT TO
POINT WHERE THE DECISION WAS MADE TO EUTHANIZE HET IF SHE COULD NOT STAND
IN A WEEK . YOU KNOW YOU DO NOT WANT TO CROSS THAT BRIDGE BETWEEN TORTURE
AND REHAB , AND IT LOOKED LIKE DEATH WAS WINNING .

SHE WAS GETTING TO BE PUT DOWN THAT FRIDAY , AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO COME IN
ON THAT THURSDAY AFTERNOON . I DID NOT WANT TO GO TO THE CENTER THAT THURSDAY
BECAUSE I COULD NOT BEAR THE TOUGHT OF HER BEING EUTHANIZED , BUT I WENT
ANYWAY , AND WHEN I WALKED IN EVERYONE WAS GRINNING FROM EAR TO EAR . I WENT
IMMEDIATELY BACK TO HER CAGE , THERE SHE WAS , STANDING ON HER OWN , A BIG
BEAUTIFUL EAGLE . SHE WAS READY TO LIVE . I WAS JUST ABOUT IN TEARS BY THEN .

THAT WAS A VERY GOOD DAY . WE KNEW SHE COULD NEVER FLY , SO THE DIRECTOR
ASKED ME TO GLOVE TRAIN HER . I GOT HER USE TO THE GLOVE , AND THEN JESSES ,
AND WE STARTED DOING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS IN WESTERN WASHINGTON . WE WOUND UP IN THE NEWSPAPER , RADIO ( BELIEVE IT OR NOT ))) AND
SOME TV . MIRACLE PET EVEN DID A SHOW ABOUT US .

IN SPRING OF 2000 , I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NON- HODGINS LYMPHOMA . I HAD STAGE 3
WHICH IS NOT GOOD . ( ONE MAJOR ORGAN PLUS EVERYWHERE ) SO I WAS UP DOING
8 MONTH OF CHEMO . LOST THE HAIR - THE WHOLE BIT INCLUDING LOSING WORK .

WHEN I FELT GOOD ENOUGH , I WOULD GO TO SARVEY AND TAKE FREEDOM OUT FOR
AWAHILE FOR WALKS . FREEDOM , WOULD ALSO COME TO ME IN MY DREAMS AND HELP
ME FIGHT THE CANCER , THIS HAPPENED TIME AND TIME AGAIN .

FAST FORWARD TO NOVEMBER 2000. THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING , I WENT FOR MY
LAST CHECK UP . I WAS TOLD IF THE CANCDF WAS NOT GOND AFTER 8 ROUNDS OF
CHEMO , THEN MY LAST OPTION WAS STEM CELL TRANSPLANT , ANYWAY , THEY DID
THE TEST , AND I HAD TO COME BACK , MONDAY FOR TBE RESULTS . I WENT IN MONDAY ,
AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL THE CANCER WAS GONE .

SO THE FIRST THING I DID WAS GET UP TO SARVEY AND TAKE THE BIG GIRL OUT FOR A
WALK . IT WAS MISTY AND COLD . I WENT TO HER FLIGHT AND JESSED HER UP , AND WE
WE WENT OUT FRONT TO THE TOP OF THE HILL . I HAD NOT SAID A WORD TO FREEDOM ,
BUT SOMEHOW SHE KNEW , SHE LOOKED AT ME , AND WRAPPED BOTH WINGS AROUND
ME TO WHERE I COULD FEEL THEM PASSING IN MY BACK ( I WAS ENGULFED IN EAGLE
WINGS ) AND SHE TOUCHED MY NOSE WITH HER BEAK AND STARED INTO MY EYES , AND
WE STOOD THERE LIKE THAT FOR I DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG .

THAT WAS A MAGICAL MOMENT , WE HAVE BEEN SOUL MATES EVER SINCE SHE CAME IN .
THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL BIRD .

ON A SIDE NOTE ; I HAVE HAD PEOPLE WHO WERE SICK COME UP TO US WHEN WE ARE
OUT , AND FREEDOM HAS SOME KIND OF HOLD ON THEM . I ONCE HAD A GUY WHO WAS
TERMINAL COME UP TO US AND I LET HIM HOLD HER . HIS KNEES JUST ABOUT BUCKLED
AND HE SWORE HE COULD FEEL HER POWER COURSE THROUGH HIS BODY . I HAVE SO
MANY STORIES LIME THAT .

I NEVER FORGET THE HONOR I HAVE OF BEING SO CLOSE TO A
MAGNIFICIENT SPIRIT AS FREEDOM .


FREEDOM & JEFF

[ELAINE]

GREAT STORY I MUST SAY , GOD BLESS FREEDOM .

[ELAINE]

Thank you Hippy , blessings

[Hippy]

[MARGARIDA MARIA MADRUGA]

Beautiful story. Many animals can heal, I believe.

[ELAINE]

Thank you Margarida , glad you like the story, blessings