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Once Upon A Time #37273
11/10/11 09:19 PM
11/10/11 09:19 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Florida
Jim Garvie Offline OP
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Jim Garvie  Offline OP
Addict

Joined: Mar 2005
Florida
Not So Very Long Ago . . . We moved to Orlando from CT in 1989 with our two Golden Retrievers, Harvey Garvie and Molly, the Yuppy Puppies.



We built our Agency in Orlando, grew it to 17 employees and major clients from all over the US and then, in 1994, we received a call from my sister telling me that my mom, suffering from severe Alzheimer's, needed to be placed into a Convalescent Home. So, Linda and I flew back to CT to help convince my mom. When we arrived in CT, we received a call from our vet where Harvey & Molly were boarding telling us that Harvey had bloated. They had managed to get a tube into his stomach but his survival was questionable. Our vet asked us what we wanted to do. We said "whatever you need to do" to keep him alive. Apparently, few people ever say that. And so the saga continued as we received calls at 4 a.m. from the Emergency Clinic telling us what was happening and during the day I lovingly tried to convince my mother that a Convalescent Home was the right answer for her and for my sister Betty.

When we returned to Orlando, we found a skeleton of the dog we had left. Virtually all of Harvey's organs had failed following the bloat. He would not eat. He really didn't want to be alive. So, we embarked on a plan to get him back. We hand-fed him for 6 weeks, often with me pushing food down his throat to get him enough nourishment so I could walk him and get his strength back. In 6 months, he had regained his physical strength, but he had no desire to live. He was literally a shadow of his former self. And then, we receive a miracle. Our vet had been brought a kitten, eyes still closed that had been found in the middle lane of one of the busiest streets in Orlando. They called him OJ. I was visiting the vet frequently to get meds for Harvey and every time I went in, they would give me this kitten and I'd place him on my shoulder and we'd do our business. It didn't take a genius to figure out that OJ would be coming into our home.

And, one day he did. The second he came through the front door, something magical happened to Harvey. He was interested. Protective. He walked around the house with his nose on OJ's butt and wherever OJ parked, Harvey parked right next to him.



Somehow, that little kitten -- who still needed to be bottle-fed -- had provided Harvey with a reason to live. I can't explain it. All I can do is relate what happened. Harvey lived another 5 wonderful years. He helped raise our Rotties and sat outside of the ring as Annie achieved her Championship. But he never forgot his favorite guy. OJ. His reason for living.



Harvey Garvie taught us a lot. He taught us how to fight for life. How to grow old gracefully. How to be frail but never afraid. And how to love a small, delicate kitten that would help him renew his own commitment to life. We miss them both tremendously.

Jim


Jim Garvie
www.jagphoto.biz
Re: Once Upon A Time [Re: Jim Garvie] #37274
11/11/11 12:08 AM
11/11/11 12:08 AM
Joined: Feb 2005
Manhattan, New York, New York
James Morrissey Offline
I
James Morrissey  Offline
I
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Feb 2005
Manhattan, New York, New York
Jim,

This is an amazing and powerful story - from the start to its finish. To Harvey.

James

Re: Once Upon A Time [Re: James Morrissey] #37298
11/14/11 01:42 AM
11/14/11 01:42 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
CA
StarrLight Offline
Veteran
StarrLight  Offline
Veteran

Joined: Aug 2009
CA
Oh what a wonderful story. And love the name "Harvey Garvie".

Re: Once Upon A Time [Re: StarrLight] #37301
11/14/11 09:34 AM
11/14/11 09:34 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
Florida
Jim Garvie Offline OP
Addict
Jim Garvie  Offline OP
Addict

Joined: Mar 2005
Florida
Diana,
in highschool, we kids would joke around about what we would call our own children if we ever had any and my claim was that my first born boy would be called Harvey Garvie. Well, Harvey was our first puppy and we never had human kids so, naturally, he had to be Harvey Garvie. He was a very cool guy. In many ways, the reason that Rowdy turned out to be such a special guy was Harvey's influence on him as a puppy. We've been blessed with exceptional companions.

Jim


Jim Garvie
www.jagphoto.biz
Re: Once Upon A Time [Re: Jim Garvie] #37302
11/14/11 09:46 AM
11/14/11 09:46 AM
Joined: Oct 2011
North Carolina's Crystal Coast
B
Bob D. Offline
Tracker
Bob D.  Offline
Tracker
B

Joined: Oct 2011
North Carolina's Crystal Coast
The best of friends frequently have four legs and a wet nose. The bring a joy for living that we might overlook without their presence. It seems like Harvey was one of those friends.


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