My dad came down from Maine today with Guinevere and D'Artagnon....we were driving down the road and my dads phone beeped. He read the message and said "oh my god..." like life wasn't gonna be the same anymore. I said "what?" even though I didn't want to hear what he had to say. "Opal has cancer. She is going to die." Within seconds the road washed away from the tears in my eyes and I had to pull off on the side of the highway and put my hazard lights on.

Opal is technically my sisters dog, but she has been a part of the family since I was in 8th grade. My sister brought Opal down to Virginia with her when she dropped me off in Maine in March. My dad had been watching her for about two years while my sister was in college. We all love Opal so so so so much. She is so sweet and adorable. and her short life has been filled with more pain than any little pup should have to experience. Opal has been a member of our family since back in the day when we were still a family. before my parents divorced and before my siblings started being emancipated. Before we all moved away. She is the last of the animals who came with us from Arizona to Maine- the others have all passed on.

anyways, a few days ago, Opal fell down the stairs. She fell down the stairs once before...during a blizzard when she was a year old. We took her to a vet back then and he said nothing was wrong with her---her little shoulder was fractured and it was too late before we realized it. She has suffered from that ever since. So when she fell down the stairs a few days ago...she started acting like she was in pain. My sister did all the stuff that is suposed to help, and she just got worse and worse. This morning my sister brought her into the vets because Opal could not walk. The vet did an xray and Opal has what looks like Bone cancer. Its completely taken over her whole back leg.

My sister called us after the vet sent her away to ask for a pay advance at work. Elle was short 200.00 and the vet told my sister she could not take Opal until she paid that 200.00 and that they would euthanize her. The vet was also really insensitive with how was was dealing with my sister and how she informned her of the news. They were pushing her to just put Opal down immediately. But there is a tiny chance that Opal has a bone infection and my sister wanted to try treating her for infection first. And even if there was NO chance that it is an infection, I think it was totally insensitive of the vet to expect my sister to agree to put Opal down the SAME DAY she learned she is dying. People don't digest that short of thing so quickly.

Thankfully my sisters boss gave her the advance and when I spoke to Elle earlier Opal was home. Elle was hysterical. My dad and I have been crying on and off all day. I'm cry again right now.  Elle and Opal are down in Norfolk VA and my brother and his wife are out of town and her boyfriend is being a dick. (they were fighting earlier this week and Elle called him crying about Opal saying she really needed some company and he said "well, I don't feel like hanging out...") My sister is only 21. She has to deal with this all by herself and there is nothing I can do.  :'( I feel so helpless and sad.

I'm sad that we are losing Opal and I am sad my sister has to deal with this all by herself and I am sad that her vet is an ass hole. I sad that i wont get to say goodbye to Opal. On the first, I should be getting money and I'm gonna try to keep Opal in pain meds. I'm just so sad right now... I cant stop crying. I love that little dog :'( :'( :'(

Does any one know of a good vet in Norfolk area that is compassionate?