Wednesday, April 28, 2010

A Story About Freedom...!


Just wanted to share this with you today!

A story like this is always good to brighten up the morning, I think!

Freedom And Jeff



Freedom and I have been together 10 years this summer.She came in as a baby in 1998 with two broken wings. Her left wing doesn't open all the way even after surgery, it was broken in 4 places.

She's my baby.

When Freedom came in she could not stand and both wings were broken. She was emaciated and covered in lice. We made the decision to give her a chance at life, so I took her to the vets office.

From then on, I was always around her. We had her in a huge dog carrier with the top off, and it was loaded up with shredded newspaper for her to lay in. I used to sit and talk to her, urging her to live, to fight; and she would lay there looking at me with those big brown eyes.

We also had to tube feed her for weeks.

This went on for 4-6 weeks, and by then she still couldn't stand. It got to the point where the decision was made to euthanize her if she couldn't stand in a week. You know you don't want to cross that line between torture and rehab, and it looked like death was winning.

She was going to be put down that Friday, and I was supposed to come in on that Thursday afternoon. I didn't want to go to the center that Thursday, because I couldn't bear the thought of her being euthanized; but I went anyway, and when I walked in everyone was grinning from ear to ear. I went immediately back to her cage; and there she was, standing on her own, a big beautiful eagle. She was ready to live. I was just about in tears by then.

That was a very good day.


We knew she could never fly, so the director asked me to glove train her. I got her used to the glove, and then to jesses, and we started doing education programs for schools in western Washington . We wound up in the newspapers, radio (believe it or not) and some TV. Miracle Pets even did a show about us.

In the spring of 2000, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. I had stage 3, which is not good (one major organ plus everywhere), so I wound up doing 8 months of chemo. Lost the hair - the whole bit. I missed a lot of work.

When I felt good enough, I would go to Sarvey and take Freedom out for walks.. Freedom would also come to me in my dreams and help me fight the cancer. This happened time and time again.

Fast forward to November 2000, the day after Thanksgiving. I went in for my last checkup. I was told that if the cancer was not all gone after 8 rounds of chemo, then my last option was a stem cell transplant. Anyway, they did the tests; and I had to come back Monday for the results. I went in Monday, and I was told that all the cancer was gone!

So the first thing I did was get up to Sarvey and take the big girl out for a walk. It was misty and cold. I went to her flight and jessed her Up, and we went out front to the top of the hill.

I hadn't said a word to Freedom, but somehow she knew. She looked at me and wrapped both her wings around me to where I could feel them pressing in on my back (I was engulfed in eagle wings), and she touched my nose with her beak and stared into my eyes, and we just stood there like that for I don't know how long. That was a magic moment. We have been soul mates ever since she came in.

This is a very special bird!

On a side note: I have had people who were sick come up to us when we are out, and Freedom has some kind of hold on them. I once had a guy who was terminal come up to us and I let him hold her. His knees just about buckled and he swore he could feel her power coarse through his body. I have so many stories like that.

I never forget the honor I have of being so close to such a magnificent spirit as Freedom.

Hope you enjoy this.

Jeff
___________
_________________________________________________






Now, my friends, after that I think some fresh coffee is in order...we can sit outside on the patio and enjoy the morning sun!

20 comments:

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

What a wonderful story!
Take care now!
Christer.

MamaHen said...

Wonderful story!! thanks Jim.

JoJo said...

Good Morning My Special One.
What a powerful story. Thanks
Coffee on the Patio sounds good.

Anonymous said...

Great story, keep the faith brother.

Chucky

Dizzy-Dick said...

That was a great and heart warming story. As always, enjoy reading your blog.

Momlady said...

Wow! What a wonderful story. The eagle must be his spirit totem. Thank you for sharing it. Sitting in the sun sounds like just the thing to do. Have a peaceful day.

HermitJim said...

Hey Christer...
I'm glad you liked the story. I thought it was pretty good myself.

Never hurts to see a story about the strength of the bond between animal and man.

Have a great day, and thanks for coming by !


Hey ER...
Good to see you! I'm glad you found the story a good read!

Hope your day is going good, and I appreciate you coming by today!


Hey JoJo...
I'm glad you found the story good. It is a powerful one, isn't it?

Hey, sweetie...thanks so much for coming by today!


Hey Chucky...
Thanks for the good review and know that I appreciate the visit this morning, my fiend! Thank you!


Hey Dick...
Glad you enjoyed the story...and I thank you for being a good reader! I do thank you for coming by this morning, my friend!


Hey Momlady...
So good to see you this morning!

I think you're right about the eagle and Jeff! What an experience that must be!

Sitting in the morning sun has a calming effect on me, that's for sure!

Thanks so much for coming over today!

Mechanic in Illinois said...

It's refreshing to see someone with hope in todays world. Usually its all negative and this is a well needed positive. Thanks for another great lesson.

HermitJim said...

Hey Mechanic...
I feel that without hope, man is lost in the wilderness, so to speak!

I can't imagine going through the day without hoping and dreaming that things will get better!

Knowing that we are never really alone, and that somewhere we have a soul mate, very much like Freedom, that understands us...even when we don't say anything is what keeps us going.

Faith in God and in our true friends is paramount to us in today's world! That's why I like stories like this, to sort of renew my faith a bit.

Thanks so much for coming by today!

CottonLady said...

Thanks so much for that hearwarming story. Made my day!

Blessings! CottonLady

HermitJim said...

Hey CottonLady...
Glad you liked the story! Always good to hear something positive, what with so much negativity in the news.

Thanks so much for dropping in today!

TEAM HALL said...

Nothing else to say except WOW!!! That made me cry...

HermitJim said...

Hey Cath...
Yeah, it made me just a tad misty when I read it myself!

Hey, thanks for coming by today, my friend!

Anonymous said...

Just beautiful. Why do I always cry when I read something like this?

HermitJim said...

Hey Anon 4:44...
Don't worry...I don't think you're alone with that reaction!

Funny how stories like this affect us, isn't it?

Thank you for stopping by today!

Anonymous said...

Damn! Tears in my coffee again! Animals have senses we humans don't possess, they know.

AV

HermitJim said...

Hey AV...
It sort of affects you that way, doesn't it?

I can only imagine what a feeling it must be to have the companionship of such a creature../.not to mention the trust!

Certainly a story that touches you!

Hey, thanks for coming by today!

the dafthermits (Mel n andy and wee clan) said...

Hi Jim

had computer probs but so glad all ok so i could get over and read this wonderful story

so strange my friend as i have just finished a post about the Scottish golden eagle these birds are so special

peace and light my friend from us in the wee rusty tin now enjoying some sun at last

http://theblackbuscompany.blogspot.com/2010/04/golden-eagle-my-tribute-to-golen-eagle.html

HermitJim said...

Hey Andy...
Guess it's true that great minds think alike, my friend!

Beautiful birds...and they always seem to be threatened by some of the stupid things done by "civilized" men!

Hey, thanks for the visit and for the great comment!

the dafthermits (Mel n andy and wee clan) said...

Hi Jim

aye my friend

strange that in the 21st century we have to still send out messages to look after these amazing birds ,guesss some people will never ever be able to see the world around them

it is always a pleasure to sit and visit with you my friend

all the best from the Scottish highlands and our wee hidden glen