A Week of Highs and Lows

The past week has been that of some huge highs and some lows. Starting with the HUGE high. After about three weeks, 5 different dentists (including specialists and the base dentist) and meetings with a wonderful counselor from Navy Relief as well as phone meetings with a Counselor from Operation Homefront I was granted 90% of the cost for the dental work I need to have fixed/done and the last little bit we were able to get a zero interest loan taken right out of Ian's check each month. I can't begin to say how much of an enormous burden was lifted off (our) my shoulders. It was very humbling to ask for help but Ian and I both knew that to get everything done that should be done and the right way it would just be such a financial burden after we just went through half of it three years ago. I won't lie. It has not been easy. I suffered from some pretty severe depression trying to figure out what to do and I am so very thankful especially for Charlene at Navy Relief. She was helpful and even recommended a great dentist office who I decided to have do the work. I had a lovely root canal on Monday so the process has begun. I am not looking forward to the hours in the chair I am going to have to spend to fix this mess but will be ever so thankful when its over with and to know that it is paid for without causing a burden on our family is priceless.

So, that is the HUGE high for the week. The low is pretty low and sad. Saturday a little boy down the street from us was attacked by his family dog and killed. I am not going to go into details as I don't feel like reliving it again. I have had nightmares every night since then and keep hoping they will go away. We were outside at a neighbor's garage sale when it happened and watched as the paramedics, police officers and firemen rushed to the scene and then rushed away. A neighbor who knows the family stopped and told us what had happened along with a lot more detail than I would have liked to have known, now after the fact. We spent the rest of the day being hounded by press as they were camped in our front yard being held off by security from going down to the location. I could not help but recall back to 7 years ago when our dog Zack turned on Jacob and bit him. To date it is for sure the most horrific day of my life. I honestly don't think about it much on a day to day basis. For so long I had so much guilt. I was so afraid he was going to look like Frankenstein for life. I can vividly remember taking him to Costco one day probably a month or two after it happened and having an old man stop me and exclaim "oh my God what happened to his face". I can remember answering and then walking away and bursting into tears. I was the one there. I should have somehow had some indication it would happen. But I didn't. And it did. I look at him today and you can hardly tell it ever happened. And truth be told he is proud of his car and likes to tell anyone and everyone that he was bit by a dog when he was a baby. I thank God he was young enough that he has no recollection whatsoever. And I am beyond grateful that the outcome of his attack did not end with his life as it did this little two year old boy on our street. So, hopefully with a few more days these nightmares and constant thinking about it will stop.
Here are a few pictures of Jacob the day after the attack. Ian was of course gone and I wanted to make sure he could see him before he returned the following week not only so that he could get over the shock of the wounds but also so that he could see that he WAS okay.



Jacob at Christmas about 6 weeks to two months after the bite. I had such a hard time deciding if I wanted to do pictures because of the scaring and then decided that it was not fair. He was still adorable and it was who he was. I am so glad now that I had them done.

Jacob's school picture from this last year. I am so thankful the scars have faded.