It’s been a tough week; my dog, Indy, got hit by a car on Thursday when a gate was accidentally left open and Sandy (Indy’s sister), Lego ( one of my brother’s dogs) and  her were playing next to the sidewalk unsupervised. When my parents heard the noise inside the house, they quickly ran out. José (my stepfather) reacted instantly, as he usually does, and set out to look for a veterinarian that could help her. She needed more than just a regular vet because her hip had been dislocated. There are two orthopedic veterinarians in San Juan with very busy schedules but luckily one said she would help her.

I didn’t find out about any of this after work, and I had a million feelings going through my head. I was mad at first for not being told sooner but my mind was racing. I didn’t understand, I was angry, worried, crying How did this happen? Why? Who did this? Where was she? Was she ok? Was she going to be ok? Could I see her?

When I was told she was going to spend the night at the veterinarian I was a little uneasy. Was it that bad? Why couldn’t she come home? When could she come home?

I knew Sandy wouldn’t take that well, they’re now used to being apart. The few times they have been apart has been traumatic for them both, but there had been a lot going on at home so she didn’t really seem to notice anything weird was happening.

My mind was still racing, I thought about not going running but I needed a distraction. I needed to get out on my head and do something to keep me calm, so I went to the park and was told to walk as fast as I could for 2.5 miles. I was so stressed I wanted to run but that stress and wanting to get back home to Sandy helped me walk faster.

I don’t know if she was tired, but after letting her stay up a little later than usual, she didn’t give me any trouble getting into her bed and going to sleep.

In the morning, I was anxious to know how Indy was and when Jose could go get her. It made me feel a lot better when we heard that she slept well and had been eating.

Indy at the veterinarian’s office.

Once I knew she was home I felt a lot better, even though I still didn’t like what she was going through.

But she was being such a good girl, staying calm, lying down and not trying to walk. I did not help when I got home and opened the crate to pet her, she sat down and tried to walk.

Last night was tough for both of them. Neither of them could understand where her sister was. Sandy was in my apartment and Indy was with my parents because they can’t share a crate for now. It wasn’t easy because she can’t understand that she’s hurt and being in the same crate as Sandy could hurt her.

I was and still am so mad. Indy and Sandy walk up and down this street every day; this is their street. They were playing next to the sidewalk in front of our house. There is no reason for that guy to be driving at a speed to hurt my dog, not going at a reasonable speed when he was driving through a community where there are dogs, cats, children, elderly and just people in general that could get hurt.

Every time you get behind the wheel, you have a responsibility, to yourself and to those around you, to drive safely. That is why you have to pass a test and have a license, so you don’t hurt anyone. That is why I don’t drive. As much as I would like to, I know my limitations and I know I could hurt myself or others. We all need to be aware of that and think before we drive.

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Published by mariacristinasanfeliu

I’m an aspiring writer still looking for exactly what I want to write about, with a lot of creativity, imagination and desire to write. I studied Writing and Rhetoric at Syracuse University where I explored many different sides of writing through my classes and extracurricular activities in order to narrow my search for an identity as a writer. I have written for Citrus TV Noticias and La Voz magazine, both of which gave me the chance to explore different mediums in which to write in. Through Citrus TV Noticias I also gained experience in translating from English to Spanish and vice versa, which is also something that I would be interested in working on since I am fluent in both of these languages. I was also an intern at Syracuse University Press where I got hands on experience in what goes into actually editing and publishing a book. Through out the last four years I have faced a lot of challenges, which helped chape the person I am today. After being in a tragic car accident, being in comma, having a Traumatic Brain Injury, and being in therapy for over a year, I am a new me, willing to face challenges and knowing how to deal with them. I want to write about my accident and life after it to help others, show them it can be done and help in any way I can.

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