Part Three Of Three— A Tribute To Sam

My Loyal Dog Sam Saved Me — Part 3

Sam’s recovery mirrored my own, and our bond grew stronger

This three-part story (parts one and two are attached below) is a tribute to my beloved Sam. He’s passed on now, but he’ll always remain my angel. He’s a hero in my Memoir: Silent Fright, and he saved me from my abuser more than once.

Part Three of Sam’s Tribute

Sam wouldn’t budge from the car when we arrived at the vet.

We tried coaxing him with a treat, but he wasn’t interested. Eventually, Matthew had to pick him up, and we headed through the veterinarian’s entrance with anticipated hope.

The girl at the front desk turned to greet us with a smile, but her expression changed to shock and concern the moment she saw Sam.

“OMG, where did you find him?” she gushed.

Explaining that Sam was my dog and what Chad had done, I saw something else in those concerned eyes of hers.

She dashed away to a back room and returned with a doctor before Matthew and I could even exchange looks. “What’s going on here?” the doctor exclaimed. He stopped short as he came around the counter to have a look for himself.

“This is your dog?!” he practically shouted.

I saw other pet owners in the waiting room look towards us without meeting our eyes. More angry tones and long hard looks came my way, and I was unable to defend myself.

Now I realized what was happening; I was being blamed personally for the condition Sam was in.

None of the staff would listen to my reasoning and whisked Sam away from us without further explanation. We stared after them, unable to share our story.

The Parallels in our Journey

A peek at Chapter #31 — Come Get Your Dog…continued.

It was a rough day, but eventually, I calmed the vet down and explained more of my circumstances with my brother's help.

After the exam, we were told Sam was malnourished, dehydrated, sunburned, and completely stressed. The hair loss was due to a flea and tick infestation. There was also an infection in his paws where he’d been chewing.

He was bathed and had his nails clipped, but they insisted on keeping him overnight to be sure he was rehydrated, jumpstart some antibiotics, and confirm they hadn’t missed anything.

I was completely wrung out when they handed me the whopping bill and asked me to come back the next afternoon. I was also required to provide an address and phone number where Sam would be cared for so they could check on his progress.

Matthew put his arm over my shoulder as we left the office and headed across the parking lot to our cars. “Christie, I know this is all really tough, but at least Sam is in good hands, and he’s safe now.”

“I can’t believe they thought I would do something like that to an animal. I mean, if I was that cruel, why would I even bring him to the vet?” my voice cracked as I fought back more tears.

Matthew tried desperately to console me. “Christie, look, they have no idea who you are or what that poor dog has been through. Their main concern is Sam, not you. They probably see a lot of abuse like that, and it pisses them off.”

“I know, but once again, Chad gets away with his shit, and I take the heat. My poor, poor Sam. He could have killed him.”

“I’m more concerned about you. Do Mom and Dad know what’s going on?”

“No, and please, please keep this to yourself. I’m doing much better, and things have settled down; they don’t need the worry. I’m fine, I promise.”

We stood in the parking lot for a while longer, discussing what I should do next to keep myself and Sam safe. In the end, Matthew said he would ask his wife if she’d be OK if they cared for Sam until I was able to get my own place.

That alone was a huge relief, as I knew Sam would be in good hands, and I could also spend time with him on the weekends. I hugged my brother and thanked him profusely for helping me out with my mess.

Driving home that day, I thought about the parallels between how Chad treated me and what he’d done to Sam.

He was a sick man, and he’d done a lot of damage. It seemed so unfair, and I didn’t understand why this was happening to me.

I hoped that one day I could forget all the cruelty and live a happy, normal life.

Whoever said diamonds are a girl’s best friend…never owned a dog! — Unknown

Matthew kept his word and nursed Sam back to health. I was able to visit and spend time with my beloved dog as he recovered, and our bond was closer than ever.

The day came when I could buy a home and restart my life with Sam by my side. Both stronger and more resilient than we thought possible a year prior.

In my deepest depths of despair, Sam saved me more than once. His mere existence gave me strength and a reason to push through my horrible circumstances.

I don’t know where I’d be now had I not found Sam at the pound that fateful day, looking for unconditional love.

Forever grateful… for my memories and my heartfelt tribute to my Sam.

Note: I would have loved to include Sam's actual pictures in my tribute, and I’m sure it seemed odd that I didn’t. Unfortunately, my abuser burned all my photo albums, destroying every picture I had of childhood friends, pets and family. So instead, I found pictures that reminded me of his gentle spirit and kind, loving eyes.

Here’s Part One of Sam’s Tribute in case you missed it…

Here’s Part Two of Sam’s Tribute in case you missed it…