Hi There!
My name is Sami. Got a minute to hear my rags to riches story?
The *nice* people first found out about me 19 Oct 2000.  I was hit by a car at a very busy intersection in Vicksburg,Ms. They just left me!! This
was beside a pharmacy,and I crawled under a small crepe myrtle bush for
refuge and to die. A lady that has a dog in Obedience classes taught by
an SSRR member Miss Jane,thought she saw a tiny bit of movement when
she went to pick a prescription up. She checked and it was ME! I kissed
her, I was so thankful someone stopped to even acknowledge my
situation. She called Miss Jane who came to check on me immediately.(this
was nighttime) The people at the pharmacy gave Miss Jane water and a
dish. I was so thirsty, noone knows how long I was there. I gave Miss Jane
a big kiss too! Miss Jane finally was able to reach Miss Renice who told
them how to move me and to get me to the vet asap. The vet stabilized
me, (I kissed him too), and said he'd get a good look in the am with his
partner.
My second day was full of pain too, they had to do some pretty painful
things to me to check the damage.  I didn't care,people were helping me, so
I just kissed them all. I weighed in at 47 lbs. Every vertebrae,rib,my
neckbones,etc,just visibly stuck out. The xray showed a leg broken into 3
separate pieces, a fragmented femur head and broken pelvis.
The vet called Miss Renice, lots of people would have made the call to
let me go. Miss Renice asked the vet if there was a chance, all those
kisses despite severe pain, and the thanks in my eyes, and HOPE, when the
*nice* people came, were weighing very heavily on Miss Renice's mind. When
the doctor said he would try the surgery, vs amputation,(or heavens, just
ending my little life, I'm only about a year old), Miss Renice said go for
it. She would earn the money at fundraisers and private donations to help
me.
I had surgery Oct 24 to repair.  The vets said they weren't prepared
themselves for all the severe tissue damage, the breaks just totally
shredded my muscles and tissue. Not only did they have to try and put
bones together, but muscle tissue too.
I am still at the vets. I have daily visits from Miss Renice, Jane, Leigh
and Nancy. I actually feel like someone cares!!! They bring me
treats, toys, and best of all-love. I love to bury my head into Miss
Renice's lap when she squeezes into the surgical crate with me, and she
rubs me, and brushes me, and all the talking!
These ladies gave me a name-Sami. It is short for Good Samaritan and all
the folks that helped me.
I have had many setbacks, so I didn't get to go to my foster home with
Miss Renice yet.
I've had two major abcesses,  bone infection, swelling, just ones of those
*if it could go wrong it did*. Now I have a crack in the bone pieced back
together by the pin, (which the pin runs from my hip to my knee), so I am
on strict cage rest for 2 weeks. I was getting to go in a little room or
run for stretching. I loved the little room, I would hide my stuffed
babies and play hide and seek. It felt so good to MOVE! I am getting to go
in a run for 5-10 minutes 3 times a day to go potty still.
Monday,Dec. 11th, I will be rexrayed to see if the bone is healing. If
not, Miss Renice told me I would be what she keeps calling a tripod. That
would be okay, as I have been hopping on 3 legs anyhow, we aren't sure of
all the nerve damage yet in my bad leg.
Despite all this, I remain so loving. I'm forever grateful someone decided
to give me a chance. I have met little children, I seem to be great with
the cats in the room. Sometimes when Miss Renice lets me put my head out
of the cage,the cats in cages near me, bop my head, and I turn around and
say hi! I don't like dogs walking past my cage, after all, this is the
only *home* I have had. However, I'm fine when I am in a run with other
dogs going by.
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Sami got her Christmas wish!
(Sami is accompanied by Dr. Krapak and Clifton.) |
I'm ready to hit the road! |
Yesterday Jane and I met at the vet clinic, as Sami was going to be coming to my home to foster. After 2 months, the vets felt her stable
enough to recoup in a home environment. Jane had a big red bow and [we took] the pictures [above] of her leaving, with her
caretaker and one of her vets.
She had obviously never been in a house, wasn't sure what to make of
things. The TV, the dishwasher, just a house period!!!!!!!! I have a mastiff
crate in the computer room,with a nice orthopedic bed from Aunt
Sheri, where she is now, a large 500 crate in the living/dining/kitchen and
2 large mastiff crates in my bedroom.
Surprisingly, all dogs have been great. Although I am not foolish enough
to think the transition is anywhere near over, I semi expected Maggie to
be a problem,and all she has done is visit and wag, wag, wag that mastiff
tail of hers. Even play bowed to Sami within moments after being
introduced. Sami seems to prefer her too! Razz thinks "wow,another girl
for breeding soon", and does his best to impress her through the
crate,up on toes, arched neck, chest out, tail going in 360, little mating
dances.
Sami is doing great, her only problem being she wants out with everyone
and not stuck in a crate. I semi expected that,but not much I can
do.We've been letting her out for about 10 minutes on the carpet just
for some petting every 4-5 hours. She tried to get Doug to play with
her, offering him toys, he did, but I put a halt, didn't want her backing up
to much on those back legs playing tug. She has figured out real fast
Doug is an easy target for petting on the couch.
Last night was our last holiday fundraiser at Barnes and Noble. Thanks to
Leigh, Jane, Cynthia, Shelia, her son Kyle and sister for helping make this
possible. Every weekend since Thanksgiving had been
tied up for Jane and I, but having Sami here and Brigette safely at
Nancy/Leigh's, make all that time spent, time well spent.
Happy Holidays to all,
Renice aka Sami's foster mom
5 Feb 2001
To All Sami's Friends,(especially Aunt Sheri)
The long waiting period is over.Her rear left leg will be amputated tomorrow.The
vets do not feel her neurological progress is significant enough to give us
hope.When you are dealing with the sciatic nerves area,and you remember how I told
of all the ripped,shredded muscle and tissue, we basically have a useless leg, and to
top it off,the joint is fusing.(But the bone did heal!) So,SamSam will be a 3 legged
beauty as of tomorrow.They were very pleased with her appearance, she's gained
weight, glossy coat, what a *bad* twinkle in those eyes. This is going to a very active
one once she is allowed free movement!
I'm not overly distressed,I guess I expected it.I'm confident she will do fine on 3
legs.
She was not happy about being left this morning,and not having breakfast.Now she
can't eat until Wed. I did bring her a pillow in,and some of her stuffed babies,but
she wanted food and water!
I'll let you all know how her surgery goes.
BTW,her official birthday I am giving her will be valentines day- a year old,(VERY
close),our best guess, she was somewhere around 8 months when she was found,I was
going to make Dec. 23rd her birthday,the day she came here,but she really didn't
appear a year,I think Feb. we're guessing pretty close!
Renice and Sami
On 6 Feb.,Sami's left rear leg was amputated.We had been trying to save
 the leg since 19 Oct. 2000.I went to see her next day,and she had been
up walking just fine.I asked to keep her at the clinic a few days,as we
had so much go wrong already,I didn't want to bring her back until I
KNEW all was okay.
The 3rd day we played some limited ball,she did great,didn't seem to
even know the leg wasn't there.Infact,she ws more mobile than she was
carrying that bad leg.
I took her home on the 4th day,and she's been running,playing,getting
into everything that she can! Today,I left the back rear door open so
she could come in and out,and I could let the strong breeze through the
house,and she carried all her stuffed babies and toys out back to play
with.She was having a BALL!!!!
This little girl has been such an inspiration,her strength,her zest for
life,her hope and willingness to trust all these strangers back on a
dark night last Oct.
She may be a tripod,but let me say,she can still do the butt wiggle and
rottie lean.Look at the eyes on her latest picture,you can see the
sparkle and zest for life,it's beautiful,and so is she.
Renice
Sami Just Two weeks post surgery
5/26/2001
This was without doubt one of the hardest things I've ever done. We just got back
a little while ago. Sami had a ball in the hotel room with her entire bundle of toys. Sher, she took
the bed you sent her, and the pretty collar that you sent my dear foster Spice, I
also used for Sami. I let them keep that too, as it was worn by 2 very special
girls. Had to be a lucky collar.
The bandana with her name on it that you made Cynthia went with her too.
We knew what Kim and Doug were driving, Jane and I had Sami out this morning, and
the blue suburban pulled in, I told Jane "I bet that is them". A few seconds
later Jane said "has to be. The woman just broke out in a HUGE smile".
She made hubby stop, and she jumped out. Sami went right up to her for pets and
attention. Doug went to park and Sami went right up to him when he walked up. Kim
and Sami sat under a tree, Sami's idea, and Kim just hugged and loved her. It hit
me then, my baby was leaving and the eyes just filled with tears and the lump in
the throat came. I regained my composure, as I did not want Sami to see me upset. I
don't want any rescue leaving to sense my sadness when they leave, this IS what
rescue is all about, nurturing and caring for a needy dog and handing the leash
over to the perfect person for them to spend their life with.
We went back to the room and spent a few hours talking and them playing with
Sami. Sami had to bring every toy she had to show them and play with them. You
have never seen a dog so intense about her toys. She can account for each
toy, many of these are still the toys she had last Oct. and received for
Christmas. She still has purple cow Cynthia and Mr. Carrot that you bought her at
PetsMart remains her favorite.
She was very worried when we loaded her in their suburban. Very confused, I could
tell. I got in with her and talked to her and comforted her, and she relaxed a
little, but still had the worried look on her face. Had to happen sooner or
later, gave her a BIG hug and kiss, told her how much I loved her and what an
inspiration in facing anything life throws at you she has been to me, and closed
the door. Then the tears came; Kim was all teary eyed and hugging me and thanking
me. Jane's eyes were rather wet too.
It was a great relief when Kim called me on my cell phone to let me know they
were at their inlaws in Atlanta. Sami did great on the trip. She met the son and
really took to him, sniffed the 2 yo daughter and gave her a big kiss and played
with her new boy and his cousin.
Jane did take lots of pictures she'll be sharing.
Sami will be fine and has a great life ahead of her.
In the meantime, her empty crate is still in the living room, and it seems oh so
empty and quiet without her squeaking her toys all over the house. She'll always
be in my heart.
Ren
Sami's Sponsors
Sami would like to thank the many people whose donations of pet supplies, money, and time helped pave the road to her recovery.
Donna Atwood
Battlefield Drugs
Laura Boaz
Jane Calhoun
The Collage
Cracker Barrel
Mr. and Mrs. James Dean
Patsy Douglas
A Drop In the Basket/Allan and Daria Hood
Duff Green Mansion/Harry Sharp
Durst Discount Drugs
Eddie Monsour's Restaurant
Far East Liquor
Fin-Fur-n-Feathers
Glen Gregory
Chris Habeeb
Janean Harkins
Purvis and Jeannie Hoben
Juliet Janlewicz
Robert Jarvis
Rose Kellum
Nancy Morgan
Sheila and Kyle Nixon
Nannette N.
Rowdy Nossour
JC Penney
Lin Raymer
Rebel Archery
Rowdy's Family Restaurant
Sack-n-Save Grocery/Randy Loyd
Betty Smith
Cynthia Thomas
Wendy Thomas
Sheri Dawn Baker-Vicknair
A.L. Tanner Jewelers
WAGS
Leigh Wilson
Renice Zimmerman
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