LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
SPEAK Out |
I am writing this as a warning to anyone considering letting their pet go under anesthesia for a non-emergency procedure. I had my Scottish Terrier Lex since he was born six years ago. He has never had a medical issue and aside from being neutered had never had any medical procedures performed.
Last week I received a general notice from my local veterinarian stating it was dental awareness month and that Lex had shown signs of dental disease at his last checkup. They recommended having his teeth cleaned for preventative measures. This entailed having to put him under anesthesia. I normally would trash random mailings like this but for some reason I will never know and always regret, I called the vet and made an appointment for Lex. I took him in at 8:30 last Wednesday morning. At 10:45 Wednesday morning the vet called me to tell me Lex went into convulsions 30 seconds after administering the anesthesia and suffered heart failure and died. In shock, I went to the vet to see Lex and find out what happened. The doctor in charge of the procedure could not speak to me as she was already in another surgery. Fifteen minutes later someone who was present explained that although during the pre-exam Lex showed signs of elevated blood levels all seemed fine to continue with the procedure. I was told that this rarely happens and possibly Lex had a pre-condition heart problem. There is no real explanation for this. My warning is that everyone should know that: "this rarely happens" is not told to you when you schedule a pet for a procedure requiring anesthesia. Also, you should insist that should a pre-exam show ANY abnormalities no matter how small, to stop the procedure and contact you immediately before they continue. I will never know what really happened to my dog, whether it was a freak accident beyond anyone's control, a pre-conditioned heart problem, or an accidental overdose of anesthesia. All I know for certain is that had I ignored the random mailing from the vet, Lex would be with me today. Given the choice of a dog with dental disease or no dog at all I would choose to do preventative dental measures for the next five years with Lex by my side. And to add insult to injury, when I went to pick up Lex this week I was charged $250.00 for the cremation. Wayne Hodge I'm the Scholarship Chairman for the Gamma Mu Foundationand this year we are seeking qualified candidates to apply for scholarships through the Foundation. A quick review of eligibility includes: Acceptance at a post-secondary institution or a vocational program Completion of an application, including statements of: Community involvement/extracurricular involvement; financial need; an autobiography/personal statement; work history, and academic achievement. Statement of being a Gay Man Currently living or having come from a rural environment to pursue educational studies A legal resident of the United States I thought readers of Letters might know of qualified candidates. It does not necessarily apply to those just entering college, but also those men seeking graduate degrees or a vocational certificate/program.If you would like additional information, please e-mail andy@beachtobayrec.com. Andy Staton The ACLU-DE LGBT Rights Project will hold Lobby Days at Legislative Hall for two weeks in March. This is a great opportunity to meet your legislators one-on-one andask or thank them for their supportof the sexual orientation nondiscrimination bill (SB141) and a bill to extend domestic partner benefits for state employees (SB10). Lobby Days will be held March 11,12, and 13 and March 18, 19, and 20. Arrive at Legislative Hall's basement cafeteria at 1:30 p.m. in order to meet with the day's leader(s)look for the people in the rainbow ribbons! They will: give an overview of how to find and talk with your legislators, hand out the talking points and copies of the bills, and be available to answer questions throughout the afternoon. If you would like to sign up for a Lobby Day, email kim_siegel30 @yahoo.com; RSVPS are not required, butencouraged so that we have enough materials for everyone on those days. Electronic copies of most materials can be emailed to advocates on request; if you can't make it to a Lobby Day, take a few minutes to write a personal letter or email your legislator. Please pass this information along to all your interested friends! Plenty of lobbying has been done by the ACLU and other organizations, but there's nothing better than for a legislator to hear directly from their constituents. Hearing from just five people in their district shows many legislators that there are a lot more who care about a cause. Come to Lobby Days to let them know that LGBT and allied Delawareans are still working for equal rights in Delaware! Kim Siegel ACLU-DE LGBT Rights Project |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 18, No. 02 March 07, 2008 |