Today started with some heavy overcast, which was a nice change from the blistering sun I’m usually walking in. The heat of the day has diminished greatly since the beginning of ASM4P and I’m hoping it stays that way. I think most days recently have topped off around the upper 80’s, which is a far cry from the 105degrees I was walking in back in Texas!

 

 

 

I had only gone a little over a mile today when suddenly I was met by yet another dog, roaming freely on the streets of southern Wichita, Kansas. We locked eyes. The dog stopped walking, stopped panting, and just stared at me. I knew this was no time for the staring game. I just continued looking forward and continued walking. The dog dashed across the street towards me, but as I looked over towards him, I noticed he was running with his tongue hanging out to one side and with what looked like a big smile across his face. I love dogs, and I could tell this guy wanted to just come say hi.

 

Well, he did say hi…but he had a really hard time saying good-bye. He followed me, bumped into my legs now and then, ran out in front of me only to look back, wait for me to catch up, and take off again. I have a big heart for dogs, and I knew I couldn’t let this guy roam around the streets of the city. I stopped at a car parts dealer, and asked if they could call animal control. This dog was so sweet; I knew someone was missing him. One of the workers at the store was also a dog person, and said he would happily let the dog hang out at the store until animal control could come pick him up. I walked on, but not before giving the dog a good scratch behind the ears and letting him give me a big kiss right on my face.

 

 

 

Speaking of dogs, remember when I said I have had rabies shots? Well, it happened when I was in Iraq. I was at Camp Ridgeway, which was just outside of Al Fallujah. I heard what sounded like a little puppy squealing outside of my tent. I went outside, and there between the sandbags and the tent was a little pup. He was stuck, and obviously pretty scared. I reached in, pulled him out, and he turned and stuck his teeth in me.

 

Later that afternoon, the 1^st SGT heard that I had been bitten, and told me to go to the medic right away. I went over and told the doc what happened. The next morning I had to go on sick-call (something I had never done in my entire military career) to get some shots that had to be flown in over night! Obviously this was a more serious condition then I thought. The doctors were extremely worried about the chances that the dog had rabies. I walked in the medic tent and everything all the doctors were doing stopped. They all wanted to see the guy about to get all of the rabies shots.

 

 

 

Let me tell ya, getting anti-bodies injected straight into your hand is not a pleasant doctor’s visit. The doctor telling you that he will stop injecting the liquid when you say you can’t take it anymore is not a good sign! Well, my hand swelled to about 3 times its normal size, but it didn’t stop there. I was injected with a host of other needles, but can’t seem to remember much about the rest. I didn’t pass out or anything, but I think I was so amazed at the size of my hand that I wasn’t really paying much attention to all the needles going in my arms and buttocks.

 

Good news, I don’t have rabies…but I do tend to drool when I smell Italian food. 

- Gunnar