Kathryn, a veterinarian technician, had an astonishing encounter with a little puppy named Sally who was in an extremely critical condition. Sally was surrendered by a breeder who could no longer care for her. This poor pup was suffering from pneumonia and desperately needed oxygen; her condition was so severe that she appeared “blue” to Kathryn. Thankfully, Kathryn had prepared an oxygen chamber or “bubble” where Sally could receive the necessary amount of oxygen. The moment she placed Sally inside the bubble, she realized that the puppy was dependent on oxygen and would need to stay there for an extended period. It was evident that this tiny dog was struggling with respiratory problems and required her lungs to be reinforced.
For several days to come, Kathryn took care of Sally both inside and outside of the oxygen chamber. Unfortunately, the exhausted pup couldn’t be without her bubble for more than a few seconds; she would immediately gasp for air. Despite her condition, Sally still exhibited signs of wanting to live a normal life. She would often express her desire through gestures like licking the walls of her bubble and looking outside. Sally longed to play and experience life as any other dog would, but her body simply wouldn’t cooperate.
To offer Sally a broader perspective beyond the confined walls of her oxygen chamber, Kathryn and her team made it a routine to transport Sally and her bubble. They took her on small trips so she could see things outside. This continued until the day Sally began pawing at the bubble, expressing her desire to explore the world beyond.
Sally’s respiratory problems didn’t deter her from dreaming of escaping her cocoon and venturing into the outside world. Kathyrn decided to allow the pup short visits outside her bubble, which also served as a form of exercise for her lungs. Hence, over the next few days, they took Sally on multiple short trips outside her bubble. This exercise considerably improved Sally’s breathing. As she grew, her bubble needed to be adjusted. Kathyrn came up with a creative solution of making her bubble larger so that Sally could freely move around instead of just lying down.
One day, they finally took Sally outside. There, she experienced the warmth of the sun and joyfully played on the grass β a true taste of freedom. Unfortunately, her lungs weren’t strong enough to stay outside for long, so they returned her to her bubble. However, due to her remarkable progress during quarantine inside her tiny world, they allowed Sally to freely come in and out of her bubble.
Then, one day, Sally refused to go back inside her bubble. Despite her improved health, Kathryn cautiously decided to put her back inside as a precautionary measure. However, before Kathryn could close the door of the oxygen chamber, Sally swiftly escaped. It was her way of expressing that she no longer wanted to be confined.
Once Sally was declared healthy, one of Kathryn’s co-workers, Bonnie, who had been there throughout Sally’s healing process, decided to adopt her. In no time, Sally found her new family and dog siblings. She experienced her first walk in the park, her first swim in a pool, picked out her very own toy, and so much more. She was no longer the sickly little dog she once was and now relished every second of her life in the real world.
