Sunday, May 13, 2012

It's starting to get so nice outside…

"Those that discuss why they cant should spend more time talking of how they CAN!" --- Kjell

Monday was a pretty busy day, I love busy days. I got up and took Robby on our regular cruise and then went down to by where my dentist is to Quest Diagnostics  to have some blood taken for food allergy test. It was a little hot so I was trying to decide if I should come home and get Robby some water or just cruised through downtown, a lot of the businesses have dog water bowls outside but of course today they didn't. When I got to Quest a lady offered Robby water from her water bottle and I think he drink that +3 other small bowls full… poor guy was really thirsty.

Tuesday started out to be a really good day but ended really bad. The weather was perfect, not too hot and not too cold. I went to Claudia's shop and got my hair touched up and trimmed and got a manicure and pedicure. When I was leaving I cruised down the wharf, over to the boardwalk and on my way home I stopped to lay back for 15 min… I'm so glad I looked at the time. After I started cruising back home as I was going by one of the benches I saw a dog but assumed that it was on a leash either held by its owner or attached to the bench. As I got closer I saw the dog lunge towards Robby and I realized he didn't have a leash on. He attacked Robby and they rolled into the street and almost got hit by a Metro bus. The 2 guys that were with the dog went running after them and brought their dog back, I looked at them and said “are you kidding me?” The guy said “I'm really sorry” and walked over and sat down and said to his dog “bad dog”, Robby's leash was all twisted up and nobody even tried to help me… Robby couldn't get the leash and hand it to me because it was all twisted up. When the other dog attacked Robby it ripped the leash off of my arm and left a bunch of Burns and a lot of bruising. Finally the lady stopped and helped me and I went home, not even thinking about dialing 911 for stopping by the tollbooth and having them call the police… attacking a service dog is a misdemeanor. I came home and Teresa drove back  but of course the guys and their dog were gone. We went down to the police station to file a report but it was closed. I called my friend Gabe, he used to fix the buses and knows everyone at the Metro station, to see if he could help me find out who the driver was and if he witnessed anything. I also called the CCI representative in this area and I'm heading back down to the police station again tomorrow to file the report even though I have no clue who these people were. I just want to know what I can do if I see them again or if it happens again. This is about the 4th or 5th time that Robby has been attacked and I don't want to get to the point where I am afraid to leave my house and I'm already fearful of what could happen to Robby. I'm really sore and stiff and Teresa said everything is going to look a lot worse in the morning but nobody really got to injured. I'm just tired of it and I don't want it to happen again.



Wednesday was a really great day. I was still stiff and sore but I had a couple of Advil PMs the night before so I said pretty good and I slept pretty much through my personal care, I love it when I wake up and I'm already dressed. I met Theresa and Karen down at the police station and of course they were no help, they will not help me unless the dog bites me… even though it's a misdemeanor to attack a service dog. I also called to have an officer come over to fill out a report but of course nobody ever called me back. They referred me to animal control. I e-mailed them more control and haven't heard back from them either. I contacted the CCI rep in this area and she suggested that I contact the local news and try them. She said it is really not a good idea to have a service dog keep getting attacked by other dogs because it's going to make them fearful and change their attitudes, that makes a lot of sense. I'm going to write an e-mail to the local news and see what happens. Wish me luck. After we left the police station I took Robby and went cruising around all over Santa Cruz, I'm trying so hard not to let this one don't bother me but I found myself watching the ground everywhere I go for dog feet and moving all the way over out of the way when I see them, that's probably not good for me or Robby. It will take me some time but I will get back to not being afraid around every corner. Heather came by and we chatted for a while and then decided to go get some tacos, I have been craving them for a while and although they're never as good as Heather's they were pretty good. I came back and hung out for a while. Phil came over earlier to finish the work that he was doing on my porch and hang  up a couple of In the hallway by the bathroom, I really need to start wearing hats and I figure if they're right here I will remember… we will see. I have never really been a happy person but now I'm getting older and getting lots of weird looking barnacles on my face so I need to be extra careful.

Thursday I got up and took Robby for our regular long cruise. I have to be back here at 2 PM because the editor from the Santa Cruz Sentinel was coming over to interview us about what happened on Tuesday. I talked to her for a while and the photographer didn't show up so I guess I will meet with him on Saturday. Apparently they contacted CCI because one of my team trainers called me this afternoon to see if everything was okay. Teresa came by and we went down to the animal shelter to file a complaint and then went on to my doctors appointment. It sounds like this time hopefully something will happen. A police officer called and of course gave me another number to file a complaint.

Friday I didn't get my massage, she rescheduled for Monday. I was really tired so I slept most of the morning but got a nice long hot bath, that just made me more tired. While I was sleeping Karen made some bacon brownies, I saw the recipe on Pinterest and just had to try it… needless to say they were killer,  how could you go wrong with brownies and bacon? Lee and Claudia, my uncle and aunt and my mom and I played cribbage… my mom was my partner and we won $3. I was really tired while we were playing the game but after I was wide awake, why does that always happen? I need to get up early on Saturday to do the human race and then meet the photographer from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.


Saturday I was once again reminded why I promised myself that I would never do the human race again. I really liked doing it and I love hanging out with the CCI people and their dogs but it's way too early and went to cold, walking along the ocean makes it even colder. It was really great to see Risa, Linda, Susan and of course  Robby's grandma Inez. I didn't get there in time to get a T-shirt and a bandanna for Robby before I met everybody at the beginning of the natural Bridges Beach Park. It was kind of cool sitting there for an hour and watching all the people going by, they get so creative with their groups.   I made it as far as a lighthouse and the sun was coming out so I decided not to go back to natural Bridge's Park and just go home from there, I was just a couple of miles from home and I was FREEZING. I did run into foster Anderson from shared adventures on the way to the lighthouse. It is always really nice to see him, he is such a sweet man. I got about halfway home and the photographer for the Sentinel called and said that he would be at my house and about half an hour to take our picture for the article. That only took a couple of minutes and he was on his way and I was back in my house trying to get warm. It seems like if I get too cold or too hot and always takes a really long time to get my body to feel good again.

Sunday was a really great day, it's always a great day when I can get up and cruise around. Robby and I went on our regular cruise and as we were coming down the hill we ran into Max Montgomery from the best day organization, I went to high school with Max and I knew one day I would run into him and it was great to see him again… he hadn't changed a bit. The best day organization takes disabled kids and puts them on surfboards, on boats… pretty much anything fun to do. I just love watching all the pictures, the kids have so much fun. It was pretty cold out but not as cold as yesterday and of course when we got home the sun came out so we rested and got some water and went out for another cruise before my evening caregiver came. 


2 comments:

betty said...

Oh Tammie, that is just awful about what happened to Robby and you! Your arm looks just awful and I am sure it was very painful. I can't believe they can't (or won't do much more unless a dog bites you). I also can't believe the guys that had the dogs didn't offer to help you in any way, but I'm sure they were just trying to get out of there as soon as they could to avoid any trouble. Cowards!!!! It just infuriates me with people who disregard leash laws and let their dogs roam free and have no respect for other people and other dogs. I can't tell you the times dogs come up to Koda with their owners yelling "he/she is friendly". And I'm yelling back "he's not" and they almost get indignant that my dog is not friendly and they have to control their dogs. Outrageous. And more outrageous what happened with you and Robby. I would hope the news or paper would run your story.

do take care of yourself and Robby!

betty

chippertue said...

Thank you Betty, you are always so sweet and caring. It is very frustrating but luckily in the local paper is going to do an article, I hope we will get the point across to people. Take care.