Tom sent me an email right after he read the last entry. I am going to quote an excerpt of it here because one sentence just stuck out and burned itself into my brain.

Tom said:

Well written story! I hate to relive that day but it was a good experience for us. Listen to the dog and it will tell you what to do! We are so lucky that she spoke up and told us "I WANT TO LIVE!!" ...

"Listen to the dog and it will tell you what to do!"

They talk to us all the time, and I think I've gotten better at listening. But then my being as "hard-of-hearing" as I am maybe I rely more on the rest of my senses.

"Listen to the dog and it will tell you what to do!"

Nothing could be more true.