Seeing In The Dark
by  Terry Jo Mann

"Punkin" was the runt of the litter of Blue Heeler pups.

I am still not sure who picked whom, but she and I formed quite a bond. As I drove any kind of machinery on our farm, Punkin was in the jump seat. When my son Russell was born, Punkin would sit by him to guard against any and all "suspects" while I worked outside.

One morning, Punkin failed to greet me as I came out of the house. I found her leaning against our shed. Her eyes were bulged out and she seemed unable to see well.

I took her to our veterinarian who concluded that she must have gone into some kind of shock, and perhaps the sunlight damaged her eyes when they were dilated. Punkin recovered and although she didn't see very well, she continued to follow me everywhere -- even while I was on horseback, or riding a 10 speed bike.

When I left her home, because the weather was too hot, she would get miffed. Upon my return, she would immediately jump into the back of my pickup so as not to be left again. Her procedure for getting into the pickup was quite interesting. As I usually parked in the same location, she would usually jump once or twice to feel where the bumper was and then again to actually get in. She was so tiny that she had to jump up on the bumper, then kick off the bumper with her hind legs until she got her front legs over the tailgate, the pulled herself in.

Punkin was a loving mother although she didn't like the pups to jump up around her face -- her eyes seemed to be getting more painful each day. Soon, I could see a definite change in the size of her eyeballs and returned her to the vet's. He had to remove them to ease her pain and then sewed the lids shut. Up until this point, I had always thought that she could see at least shadows, because she got around so well.

Imagine my surprise when there was no difference. She had been totally blind the entire time!

I had to keep a close watch on her. She would still heel cattle if any got out and I was concerned that she might get kicked or gored. I took her almost everywhere. While helping a family move, I situated Punkin in the shade while we went into the house for dinner. As arranged, all ten of us silently filed out the door, with me coming seventh in line -- no one said a word. Punkin lay still until I passed by, then she got up to follow me.

She loved to chase a ball that had a bell inside of it so she could follow the sound. I could go on and on telling of little details like these that made her so special.

One thing that Punkin loved was a wide open space that she had known before her blindness. When we were there she would take advantage of the opportunity to cavort around at full speed. I would watch her run and call her if she got to close to an object, and the she would immediately stop. She would walk swinging her front legs until she hit the object with her paws.

This all happened almost 20 years ago. I still have her collar and tags, along with photos and memories. There isn't a doubt in my mind that she lived a very full and enjoyable life and I certainly know that she added a priceless measure to my own.

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