The Kuma Dilemma

By Royal Hopper

We have a dog named a Kuma. Kuma literally translates into Bear or Teddy Bear. If your heart isnt melted by this dog five minutes after you meet her you might want to check your pulse.

When we got her from the animal shelter her tags read Lovebug and it was true. Although she didn’t seem to get along with other canines she loved people of all kinds and shapes.

Every one Kuma she meets she has loved. She was easy to love and won everyone’s heart in a few short minutes. It was or is rather as if she is addicted to affection and will get her affection fix any way she can.
But Kuma got sick very sick. One day she kept throwing up and her poo was black which meant blood in her stomach.
Kuma was very sick and we had to make a choice.

Long story short …The vet specialist we were sent to gave us a choice. Do we spend a lot of money and credit on this wonderful animal for surgery that would extend her life or just let her go…
As the logical part of our brains was trying to think things through and do the math ..the emotional part of our brain the part that falls in love said F this …this is Kuma ..this is our baby we have to try..we have try …we have to….
So we got an interest free credit card from the vet and put everything we could on out credit cars and told the vet surgeon do it….
So as to skip the heart wrenching interlude the surgeon was fairly gifted and the surgery went well and Kuma as of this writing is alive and enjoying life as you might expect such a lovebug to do while she can.

We went into this knowing that is spite of the surgery Kuma’s time on this earth would likely be shorter than it should be ..that she was on borrowed time under the best of circumstances ….. was it worth ..hell yeah.. Innocence and joy and unconditional love is always worth protecting ..,.and if you don’t believe that please don’t trying to be my friend because we don’t have much in common.
As I look at Kuma sleeping on the couch ..and yes our dogs can sleep on the couch in our house … they live here and you don’t and they are likely nicer beings ..As I look at her I cant help but feel for people who have to make that choice for a loved one a human loved one…
Imagine you have a sister or brother or wife or husband who was sick and you had to make that choice …I will try and make this a political point to end this personal story on but will likely fail ….here goes ….

That why I am for universal health care and price controls an end to preexisting conditions life time caps and all that healthcare free market nonsense…
Call me a Hippie although I’m ten years to young and a military vet ..Call me a lefty although every other industrialized nation has some form of protection for its citizens and healthcare costs are much lower in those countries including places like Australia and Israel. Call me what you like ,,,,No one should ever face the same decision we faced with our beloved pet with a family member or loved one.
ever….I don’t expect you to take care of my dog but if healthcare can be affordable and for everyone it should be …even for Kuma

That’s life in the City of Sin
Love You Sinners