The Last Call Memorial- What happened to Shalom

In Memory of: Jokare's Shalom Von Oden
Pedigree of: "Shalom"
Year of Birth: February 15, 1990
Year of Death: 1994
Cause Stomach Torsion
Age 4 years 10 months

Poem Tribute to Shalom What happened to Shalom

In 1994 we left for Ohio the day after Christmas and returned to Missouri the day before New Years Eve.

Our Veterinarian's Office had a place to board pets so whenever we went on vacation and Shalom could not go with us we would board her there. We felt that Shalom would be in safe hands and would have the best of care. She always enjoyed seeing the front desk people. She liked the caretakers that would take her back to the kennel. She was a very happy GSD, so full of love, and an outstanding personality.

From what our vet told my husband this is what happened to my Shalom. Early in the morning when the caretaker came in to feed the dogs, before office hours, Shalom did not look good. The caretaker called the Veterinarian and told him Shalom appeared to be bloating. The vet trusted this caretaker of many years experience and told her act quickly, put the dog in her car, and rush the dog to emergency and he would meet her there. The emergency clinic was not far from the vet's office. When my vet got to the emergency room Shalom had already died. She died on the way. Our vet tried to call us in Ohio to let us know but we had already left for Missouri so we had no idea that Shalom had died.

I remember telling my husband, let's stop and pick up Shalom as soon as we get to Florissant because I was afraid the vet's office would be closed by the time we got home and unpacked the car. My husband said, he would unpack the car and I could take the other car down to get her. He said, he wanted to get our son home because he was sick and the car that we drove to Ohio in was loaded with luggage and there would not be any room for Shalom to ride. When we got in the house I saw the answering machine blinking. I said to my husband, you pick up the messages and I'll go and get Shalom.

I was very concerned about Shalom because the night before we left to go back to Missouri, my son got sick with the flue. I thought I heard my son calling me. I heard "Mommy, Mommy." I thought, that is strange he has not called me that since he was a little boy. I went to my son's room who was in his 20's and said, are you ok? He said, he just wanted to sleep because he was not feeling good and why did I wake him up. I said, you called me. He said no. I said, I hear you calling "Mommy, Mommy." He said no, he did not call me. I realized after I got home who I heard calling me. It was my Shalom.

I hit the answering machine for my husband and was on my way out the door to pick up Shalom. The very fist message on the machine was from our vet. I hear our vets voice say, call me as soon you got in. I said to my husband, I don't like the sound of this. I am going to get Shalom right now. He said, no let me return the vet's call. I could tell by the look on my husband's face that something awful had happened. I said, I am going. I have to get Shalom. He shook his head no with sadness in his eyes. I threw myself on the floor screaming, O my God, No. My husband said to the vet let me calm her down and I'll call you back to get the details. I was a total basket case. I cried for days. I still cry when I think about it.

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