Dear Dr. Vaikhary,Last Monday afternoon you came to our house and helped us say goodbye to our sweet yellow lab, Sadie. I first met you late last year, just after you took over the practice; I had bro... Read More
Dear Dr. Vaikhary,Last Monday afternoon you came to our house and helped us say goodbye to our sweet yellow lab, Sadie. I first met you late last year, just after you took over the practice; I had brought Sadie in to discuss her progressively worse arthritis. I cried in the exam room that day as I realized then that even though there had been much turnover in the practice, I was in fact talking to the last vet that would care for Sadie. You offered the treatments in your arsenal and they did indeed bring comfort to Sadie. Unfortunately, things took a turn for her this past May when she started exhibiting unusual behaviors. When her blood test came back with elevated levels, I was blown away by the urgency with which you wanted to do the follow-up tests. You knew that we wanted the best care for her and you balanced this with always making sure we knew the financial impact to help us make our decisions. Your team was wonderful about only doing the tests that needed to be done, starting with the least invasive, stopping when you had enough information to make a confident diagnosis. Even though that was only 2 months ago, you never made any comment that Sadie's age (11.5) was anything to consider. I am grateful that you saw what she could still do rather than what she couldn't. Because of this trust I had in you and your ability, the news you gave me just 12 days ago was heart-wrenching. "It might be time." Severe arthritis, Cushings Disease and Diabetes. And, despite telling me that, when my husband and I showed up committed to managing the diabetes for as long as we could, you supported us and gave us what we wanted: the milestones Sadie would have to reach to be able to then start pain treatments at the Sams Clinic. You knew Sadie's time with us was limited but you gave us the optimism to enjoy the time we had with her. Last Saturday, after having brought Sadie home from her insulin treatment the day before, you called to check in on her. This wasn't the first time you called on a Saturday to check on her, of course. I was happy to tell you Sadie was doing wonderfully. That night things changed, however. Perhaps without us knowing, you had empowered us to be able to come to the knowledge on our own - and with clear signs from Sadie - that yes, it was time. Calling Wendy on Monday morning was one of the hardest calls I've had to make. But, Wendy being who she is, she was compassionate and helpful. I can't say much about the time you spent on our lawn as we said goodbye to Sadie because it's just too much. You and Alonso were patient, explaining the process, letting us have our time with her and understanding our grief and sadness. Today I checked the mail. You sent us the most beautifully written condolence card, so representative of the personal level of care, compassion and kindness your practice provides. Thank you for making these last months with Sadie possible and providing us the ability to say goodbye to her in the peacefulness of our home. My best,Cherity Read Less