Art and Healing "Sadie" Carol Chretien

Painting of Sadie and her Master
Carol Chretien

Love of art meets love of animals

If you follow the muse you may end up just where you probably ought to be.  

In the last several years I've found myself creating more companion animal paintings than I ever planned to. Some have been memorials of beloved pets.

 

Having recently experienced the unexpected loss of our cat Dinah in October 2005, I now value and view her portrait that hangs on our living room wall, with different eyes.

 

It gives me great comfort to see her captured in a sublime moment of afternoon sun in a painting that was once just a portrait to me but is now a special memorial.

 

The artist sees and paints from that soul place and the resulting art is created in that light.

 

Last April I had the opportunity to paint such a piece inspired by a community art event I was organizing. The painting became a focal point in the planning of the event that would link our local art association with our local hospital for charity and fundraising. I had been graciously given the photo that inspired the painting by a fellow dog loving friend to "use for a painting idea someday if you ever want to."

 

The community exhibition became "Art& Healing" and the painting became "Therapy." The subject was a quiet moment shared by a husky named Sadie and her human, Eileen. At the close of the month long exhibit I presented the painting to Eileen in thanks for the inspiration.

I also hoped that when the time came it would be a comfort to have the painting of this shared moment. Sadie is a very special dog.

 

Sadie's Story

 
Sadie

Sadie was an 8-10 month old Husky that had been found wandering the streets of Rhode Island . She was subsequently brought into the East Providence animal shelter in 1993. She had been the victim of abuse.

 

Eileen was recovering from the loss of her beloved Doberman and found herself at the shelter being "stared down" by a young Husky female who never took her eyes from Eileen as she walked the corridor of the shelter looking at all the animals there for adoption. Eileen describes her first impression looking at Sadie as "a face to die for." She asked for permission to walk the pup around outside and then and there she knew this girl was going to be hers. Not having the money with her to adopt at that very moment, she said she would return first thing in the morning and was there when the shelter staff opened the doors.

Over the next few years Eileen bonded with Sadie and life went along. In 1997 Eileen was made aware of a dire situation of a 4 year old Elkhound in need of rescue. "Snoop" the victim of horrific puppy miller's abuse joined the family, and after the initial adjustment period, became best pals with Sadie.

Eileen recounts their favorite game of "get the bunnies" played evenings in their yard (they have what I could only described as "estate grounds" to romp on, well away from any roads or traffic) when the wild rabbits would come to graze. "They never caught a rabbit," she says, "but they would return with tongues hanging out, very pleased with a good run."

Life was good until August 2001 when upon returning from a family vacation from Lake Champlain Sadie experienced a grand mal seizure.

She had coincidently gotten bopped on the head around the same time but the vet was sure it was unrelated and might just have been a one time thing. Eileen did some reading and found an article that said Blue Green Algae from Lake Champlain was noted to have caused death or seizures in several dogs. She thought this might have explained the seizure Sadie experienced, hoping it was a one time event and would resolve itself.

A month later Sadie experienced cluster seizures that would not stop and the local vet advised that it could be evidence of a brain tumor, he offered euthanization.

 

Sadie was off to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts in North Grafton, MA.. " Tufts Veterinary Hospital ," as it is commonly called by locals, is renewed for its specialized and advanced medical care. Sadie arrived comatose from the drugs the local vet had given her to try to stop the seizures. She was admitted to Intensive Care where she remained for several days before emerging from her coma-like state. A very frightening time for Eileen. She was released home on Phenobarbital and the plan was to have an MRI in October to rule out a brain tumor.

 

The MRI diagnosed a meningioma of the left occipital lobe, the part of the brain that governs vision. Surgery was scheduled for October 29, 2001.

Sadie amazed all the medical staff that treated her by a resilient recovery from surgery and was home 48hrs later with a line of staples on her shaved head that earned her the name "Franken doggie" but she recovered quickly and was well until December 31st. Eileen got up during the night and found Sadie lying stiff, cold and unresponsive, but breathing, on the floor at 3am.

She was rushed back to Tufts and emergency surgery of her abdomen revealed that she was in septic shock suffering from a ruptured liver abscess. Sadie spent 4 long weeks in ICU and then was discharged again home to mend.

 

Eileen relates that through all of this Sadie retained her "Sadie-ness" always herself, showing great heart and stamina to the amazement of all who treated her. In March it was discovered that Sadie had total deafness from the nerve damage done by the antibiotics she need to take after the liver abscess ruptured. Even newly deaf, she remained bright and happy, energetic, romping and playing, herded by Snoop. She healed.

 

Throughout the times of these acute illnesses, Eileen did much soul searching and decision making was difficult. How far to go? How much to put her through? There was some alienation with friends and family that disagreed with choices Eileen made. Eileen had to follow her heart and Sadie responded. She wanted her to have every chance at life and life with quality. "We had some good fights about this, Tony and I. But he had never experienced a bond with a dog as I had. Sadie was my heart dog."

 

Eileen has a plan.

 

Along with Eileen, an Elkie friend presented Tony with his very own Elkie pup as a birthday/anniversary gift. JJ arrived on the scene September 2002.

 

JJ is the most beautiful Elkie boy. And does he love his DAD! Tony and JJ bonded and Tony lost his heart to a dog. There was no longer any question of why Eileen felt as she did about Sadie. Eileen's plan worked.

 

Several years pass and Sadie does well. She is Eileen's constant companion and spends her time between Eileen and the family Elkies. One of the stories that Eileen tells, that makes me chuckle, is the routine that Sadie had of visiting the neighbors for a treat.

For years she would roam over to their house often sneaking into the kitchen while they unloaded groceries from their car to the kitchen. They would startle when unbeknownst to them Sadie would be sitting very nicely in their kitchen waiting for a treat. When years later they moved from that house the new neighbors continued the tradition. That is the kind of response Sadie elicited from those who met her.

 

2004 found Tony and Eileen rescuing another abused Elkie pup, a 3 month old they named Kate after the vacation house they rent in FLA. called Kate's Dream.

Whenever they travel the entire herd of dogs travels with them. Many happy times have been spent on the beaches of FLA.

Kate, aka "the wild child," is the perfect playmate for JJ. Their play yard is a dog's dream, their daytime house is air-conditioned or heated as needed and the shaded deck gets a lovely breeze. The most fun for me visiting them is sitting on "their" deck in their yard and watching these young Elkies tearing around with toys or playing grab Dad's hat from his head and RUN!

 

I tell Eileen when I die I want to come back as her dog!

 

October 2005 found Sadie's health declining. Almost 4 years after brain surgery the seizures returned and Eileen sensed that this time things were not going to go so well. After some very good days spent together in late October Sadie's fight was over. The vet made a last visit and Sadie was gone. The hardest day Eileen has ever had to face.

 

Sadie was a miracle dog. She was a testament to the bond of love she had for her family and the advanced medical and wonderful veterinary expertise she obtained when needed. She presented vets from both Massachusetts and Colorado state, through the specialists who conferenced, the opportunity to document her course of illness, experiences and procedures and their results and that may be invaluable to other dogs who face similar difficulties.

Eileen credits a Dr O'toole at Tufts for saving Sadie during the ruptured liver abscess crisis. Only 2% of dogs who have had that diagnosis survive.

Sadie's medical history is studied by veterinary students today at Tufts.

 

I am honored to have gotten to know Eileen, Tony and the "moosedogs" because of art. As an artist painting animals (and most especially rescued animals), speaking at length about them with their humans gives me a unique opportunity to get "know" these amazing animals in this special way.

I am especially grateful for people like these who have rescued unwanted or abused dogs and have given them a life so wonderful it is hard to describe. Sadie was a very beautiful girl.

 

We prosper by the gifts animals bring to our lives even knowing that waiting at the other side of the bond we share is the knowledge that their time with us is so short. Making the most of the time we are given with them is where we rightly put our focus.

Companion animals are our most precious friends.