$930 was the bill incurred at the Veterinary Emergency Clinic in San Mateo an hour ago: for Gracie, self’s younger beagle, who seems to have ingested a handful of snail bait that self set out in the garden around mid-afternoon. As if self needed any more excitement added to her life. The symptoms only presented at 10 p.m., and then they came on gradually, so gradually that if it hadn’t been for son insisting, self would have waited for the morning to take Gracie to the doctor, by which time in all likelihood Gracie would have been beyond hope.
As it is, now, she will be OK, except for “some neurological damage.”
Hubby and son spent the afternoon in Palo Alto while self decided to stay home for a few hours of peace and quiet — to read and perhaps write. After a bit, she decided to do some gardening, as being in her garden always relaxes her. Self saw that the snails were active again, and decided to use a new box of snail bait even though she knew it wasn’t good for dogs, because the old kind of snail bait, the one that is harmless to dogs, was no good at all at killing snails.
So she used the snail bait on only one plant, just as a kind of test, and she made sure Gracie was where self could see her at all times. Only, around dinnertime, self got distracted and forgot. Hence, $930 at the emergency room this evening. Self went home at 2 a.m., and they told her she had to pick up Gracie by 8 a.m. And so would 15 other pet owners, so she would have to prepare to wait. Then, Gracie would be transferred immediately to the San Carlos Pet Hospital, for further tests and observations, probably another thousand dollars.
Let’s see: How much dental work could self have paid for if she spent $2,000? She would have a very nice new set of porcelain caps, and her mouth would ache a lot less. Not to mention that if she had given the money to son as a graduation present, he would probably have been able to afford that trip to Bali he’s been dreaming about.
But does she have any choice in the matter? No, none. So, quit ‘cher beefing. Let’s not even think of asking Dearest Mum for a loan. She’d ask, What for, and if self said, to pay for Gracie’s hospital bill, Dearest Mum would laugh so hard, she would probably be hysterical. See, when self’s uncles ask Dearest Mum for money, at least it is for something important, like setting up a new business. Not for something as frivolous as a pet’s medical bills!!! Perhaps self could make up a business, so she could tell Dearest Mum that she needed the money to set up some new and exciting venture: like introducing “Sprinkles” cupcakes to Manila cognoscenti, for example. But, self is a very bad liar.
If only self had stayed an extra week in New York! Then Gracie would not have eaten snail bait, and self would not now be out $2,000.
Life is so strange. Truly, what makes people who have no money think they can afford a pet? There were two other people in the emergency room, and wouldn’t you know, they were also Filipino. They were newlyweds from South San Francisco. And, at check-in, they had to confess that they didn’t really have a regular vet. The only time their dog had been seen by a doctor was a previous trip to the emergency room!
Self’s jaw almost fell open with amazement. How does one get away with having no vet? Is that even possible in America, land of dog lovers? Every time self brings in one of her beagles for a check-up, the vet makes her feel so guilty that she never ends up spending less than $300, for all manner of tests. Gracie’s last check-up was only three weeks ago. The vet told self that Gracie badly needed complicated dental work. The quote, including anesthesia, was around $2,000. Self laughed at the vet behind her back. Because if self didn’t even think she could afford to spend that much on her own dental work, why would she spend it on a dog’s? Turns out the laugh was on self.
