Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

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Newcastle, Ontario
Posts: 5,645

thumperantiques Mar 27, 2008

Hi there,
My sister sent me this, and I was in tears by the end.

hugs,

Brenda

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. Both wings were broken, her left wing in 4 places. She was emaciated and covered in lice. We made the decision to give her a chance at life, so I took her to the vet's 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-hodgkins 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. Yahoo!
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's.
Hope you enjoy this.

Jeff

FenBeary Folk
Pointon Fen, Lincolnshire, UK
Posts: 2,234

FenBeary Folk Mar 27, 2008

bear_cry

Tami Eveslage Original Teddy Bears
Milford Ohio
Posts: 2,367

Tami E Mar 27, 2008

Sniff sniff. That is so awesome! bear_wub

Melbear's Quality Collectibles
Spruce Grove, Alberta
Posts: 527
Website

Melbear Mar 27, 2008

Great Story bear_original

Hugs,
Melanie

Woodbury Park Bears
Central Coast New South Wales
Posts: 1,033

Woodbury Park Bears Mar 28, 2008

She is absolutely gorgeous what a magnificent creature :clap: :clap: :clap:

Raewyn

Past Time Bears
Double Oak, Texas
Posts: 22,132

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorMar 28, 2008

What a majestic eagle and such a great story!

Barling Bears
Nr. Maidstone, Kent
Posts: 1,524
Website

Barling Bears Mar 28, 2008

I become lost for words when I read beautiful things like this .......

What on earth would our world be like without special animals such as this?

Thanks for sharing.

Hugs

Marilyn bear_flower

Waggle Bears
So Cal Desert
Posts: 4,089

Marlys Mar 28, 2008

Beautiful.

Patsy Lake Bears
Sydney
Posts: 3,442

patsylakebears Mar 28, 2008

bear_cry Beautiful

Chaska, Minnesota
Posts: 2,897

Michelle Helen Mar 28, 2008

What a beautiful story...Animals are so healing... bear_flower

Posts: 361

nandesign Mar 28, 2008

What a heart-felt story...and such a beautiful bird.

Thanks for sharing...
Hugs, Nancy

KatieCountryBears
Bolton-le-sands, Carnforth
Posts: 3,101
Website

katiecountrymouse1 Mar 28, 2008

Hi Brenda,
Absolutely Fantastic! bear_thumb
Lovely story to wake up too this morning. It makes you feel great to be alive when you hear stories like this. :clap: :clap:
Well done Freedom!
Love kayx. bear_wub