She walked into the kennel area and returned with her dog, Charlie. The mixed-breed dog with a fuzzy coat stopped for an instant when he saw all the children, then wagged his tail. Charlie loved everyone. With Allie’s help, Kim hooked her pet up to the EKG machine. He jumped when the alligator clips pinched his skin. When all four were in place on each leg, Allie turned on the machine.
“Beep, beep, beep,” rang out.
“The machine beeps each time his heart beats,” Kim explained. The children’s eyes widened with delight. “See those wiggly lines on the screen? The big one that looks like a mountain is part of the QRS complexes. They occur every time his heart beats.”
“Wow, that’s cool,” Charlie exclaimed. “Could I try it?”
“No, this one is only for animals,” Kim replied. “But your doctor will have the right machine for you.”
“Well, I hate to say it, but we need to get back to school,” Monica said, looking at her watch. “Thank you so much for putting this demonstration together. It was fantastic!” She looked at the children. “What do we say to Ms. Knutson and Ms. Larsen?”
“Thank you,” the children screamed.
“You’re welcome,” Allie replied, covering her ears. Kim stood against the wall, laughing.
Monica led her class out of the treatment room, through the pharmacy/lab room to the lobby. Mandy walked right behind her teacher with her best friend, worried about getting back to school in time for lunch. Matthew and Charlie followed close behind the girls, looking for an opportunity to bug them.
Adam followed along at the back of the line, Mrs. Anderson by his side. Radar followed at a distance, walking along the walls. He stopped at each doorway long enough to rub his cheek against it.
Before opening the front door, Monica counted the children again. While the children stood still, Radar rubbed on Adam one last time. The cat rubbed his cheek on Adam’s pants, then flopped down on top of his shoes. Adam stared at the big white cat, then crouched down. Radar lifted his head, staring at Adam’s face with his ears. Adam hesitated for a second, then petted Radar. The young cat rewarded him with chain-saw purrs.
“Adam, we need to go now, honey,” Mrs. Anderson said. Adam stood up and followed his classmates out the door, his pants coated with fur. Radar ran to the window and jumped onto the sill. Halfway to the bus, Adam turned around and looked at the clinic. He smiled when he saw Radar in the window.
Five hours later, I was in the cat room talking about feline cystitis when Allie knocked and entered the room. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need you right away, Dr. Nelson,” she said. I followed her out, expecting to see a critical animal.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Remember the little boy with the eye-patch that I told you about?” she said. “The one that Radar befriended?” I nodded. “His mother is on the phone, and you need to talk to her.”
I studied Allie’s face, wondering why she would interrupt an appointment for a phone call instead of taking a message for me to return.
“You need to talk to her now,” she repeated.
I picked up the phone. “Hello, this is Dr. Nelson.”
“Dr. Nelson, my name is Linda Harper. I’m Adam’s mom.” She paused before adding, “The boy with the eye patch.”
“Yes, Linda, how can I help you?”
“Adam has been very depressed because of the eye-patch. He’s so embarrassed that he doesn’t want to leave the house even to play. He stays in his room and barely says a word.” She stopped to catch her breath. “I’m so worried about him.”
“I’m sure it is very traumatic for him,” I observed. “I would probably feel the same way.”
“But all that changed today,” she reported. “Since he walked in the door, he’s been talking about Radar. He hasn’t talked this much in two weeks.” Her voice cracked on the word “weeks.” “So I was wondering.” Her voice quivered again. She paused to clear her throat. “I was wondering if Adam could visit Radar. Because…because Adam told me that Radar is the only one who understands how he feels.” Linda began sobbing.
Tears formed in my eyes, and my throat tightened.
And that’s when it hit me. Radar may be blind, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t “see” people who were in need. Last week, he spent an hour sitting next to a woman while her pet had surgery. The week before that, he glued himself to a boy who lost his dog. When his family came in with a poster, Radar jumped down from the counter and untied Tom’s shoelaces, just like he did with Adam. I adopted Radar thinking he would be a blood donor for felines in need. But Radar had other ideas. He was the Chief Clinic Comforter.
“Certainly,” I said, fighting to keep my composure. I heard Linda sniffle. “You may visit any time the clinic is open. Radar would love it.” I waited for her to reply.
After 15 seconds, she whispered, “Thank you, Dr. Nelson. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
When I hung up the phone, I felt a cat rub along my legs. I looked down to see Radar looking up at me. I picked him up and cuddled him tight to my chest. The Chief Clinic Comforter was at it again.
###
Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, would you please take a moment to leave a review at your favorite retailer? It means a great deal. Thank you again. -Dr. Kristen Nelson
Acknowledgments
Life is a precious gift! I was lucky, my cat, Tigre, afforded me this gift by telling me something was wrong. The first book in this series, Coated With Fur: A Vet’s Life, was published in the spring of 2010. What none of us foresaw was that I would be diagnosed with double-hit lymphoma in the fall. Fortunately, I am usually on the right side of a stethoscope. Now I hold the privilege of practicing medicine even more deeply in my heart.
I spent the better part of four months in the hospital fighting non-Hodgkin’s and Burkitt’s Lymphoma. Being healthy and able to write again is a joy beyond measure. So let me start by acknowledging the readers and fans of my work. I write for you and the animals that touch your lives. I promise not to make you wait so long for the many future books in this series.
In the veterinary profession, we sometimes refer to physicians as veterinarians who can only handle one species. However, I am immensely indebted to Dr. Rajeesh Kukunoor and his team. I am grateful to the amazing nurses, physicians and staff of Scottsdale Healthcare. Let me also thank Kaos and Athos the two hospital security dogs who were regular visitors to my room. They helped me face cancer more than words can express. To all who provided support, love and bolstered my determination, and there were many of you, please join with me in celebrating three years of being cancer-free. My heartfelt thanks to each of you.
In Coated With Fur: A Vet’s Life, I described Deb Rinard as a gifted editor. Working with her again on this book confirmed that praise. The relationship between an author and editor is vital and I am so fortunate to have found Deb for her technical skill and gentle style.
My sincere thanks to Lisa Liddy, the new member on the team. She has done a wonderful job in the interior design of this book. I am pleased to have met Lisa and collaborated on this effort.
Photographer Tina Celle again captured terrific images of my pets for this and future works. She also transformed an old and poor quality picture of Radar for the cover. Her talent in photography continues to impress.
Dara Gibson (formerly of Canada and now residing in Australia) designed the book’s cover. As before, she has a wonderful ability to express vague ideas in a very artistic manner. As with all the team, she is both great at her craft and a great partner.
As with life, I find (most days) writing to be a gift. It is so because of the wonderful response readers provide, the opportunity to touch people’s hearts, celebrate the human-animal bond and hopefully advance the care animals receive. As I write, I do so with the support of my husband, Steve. I am also surrounded by the animals with whom we share our lives. I thank this talented team for their help. Most especially, I also thank the fans of th
is series for waiting more years than I hoped to share the story of this remarkable cat, Radar.
About the Author
Dr. Kristen Nelson grew up on a farm in Watertown, Minn., where she developed a deep love for animals of all kinds. She received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine. Kris then completed a small-animal internship at the prestigious Animal Medical Center in New York City.
In addition to writing and speaking, she cares for small and exotic animals in Phoenix, Ariz. Dr. Nelson is widely quoted in the media. Her credits include USA TODAY, The Los Angeles Times, DisneyFamily.com, eHow.com and numerous radio and television interviews. Kris and her husband, Steve, share their home with rescued cats, birds and a dog.
Connect with the Author
Have Dr. Nelson speak to your group. More information about her is available at veterinarycreative.com. Dr. Nelson answers veterinary questions at drnelsonsveterinaryblog.com. Further details about her books may be found at coatedwithfur.com. For those seeking admission to professional college, she offers advice at: vetschoolapp.com, medschoolapp.com and dentschoolapp.com.
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DrKristenNelson
Friend me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Dr.KristenNelson
Subscribe to my blog: http://www.drnelsonsveterinaryblog.com
Other Books by Dr. Nelson
Coated With Fur: A Vet’s Life published in 2010.
How to Write a Personal Statement for Veterinary College published in 2012
How to Interview for Veterinary College published in 2012
How to Write a Personal Essay for Dental College published in 2012
How to Interview for Dental College published in 2012
How to Write a Personal Comments Essay for Medical College published in 2012
How to Interview for Medical College published in 2012
Coated With Fur: A Blind Cat's Love Page 33