MIMO's MIRACLE

Sunanda and Albert had just returned from a working holiday in Thailand and came home to find that Chhutku, their four legged baby was coughing incessantly. They immediately took him to the local animal clinic in order to seek medical aid. However while they were in the examining room, another emergency case arrived and Albert was asked to return the next day as the medical staff had their hands full with the seemingly more serious case.
However this was to be the start of a heart wrenching saga of sorrow and pain as that very night tragedy struck and Chhutku passed away before the sun rose.
Although grief stricken Sunanda and Albert fortified themselves with concern for their remaining pet Mimo.While vets were unable to confirm the true cause of Chhutku’s fatal sickness, it seemed that the next victim was Mimo.
She too began to exhibit signs of some disease and she began suffering from spasms and uncontrollable twitching of the limbs.
The vet made a home visit and administered an anti-rabies vaccine. However this seemed to make Mimo’s condition even worse and they rushed her to the local animal hospital.
Insensitive as it may seem the attending vet asked Albert to take Mimo away from his clinic as he felt she had contracted CDV and this could pose a potential threat to any other of his canine patients.
Albert and Sunanda made a conscious decision that they were going to give Mimo the best medical treatment that they could find.
The island of Alibag, is about 45 minutes by boat from the mainland of Mumbai and so began their frequent journeys to the city in search of a cure for Mimo. By now the locals and frequent travellers were accustomed to seeing this devoted couple with their ailing dog wrapped up in blankets and cradled in a child’s tub. Most of their trips home was heavy with disappointment as they were advised to put Mimo to sleep.
By now she was completely immobilized as the virus had damaged her nervous system to such an extent that she lost the use of her legs and lay still for months together, only the twitching continued. As is the case when a person is bed ridden Mimo developed painful bed sores and Sunanda would turn her over every few hours, all the while cleaning her and talking to Mimo. With her eyes Mimo would respond to every sound which remarkably never lost their spark clearly indicating that she was not ready to give up and had a lot of run left in her. Through all of this she maintained a healthy appetite, while her fleshless out ward appearance belied the fact that she had a strong will to live.
As time progressed and she seemed suspended in this condition Albert took it upon himself to find out as much as he could about this debilitating disease.
He scoured through countless websites and sent out mails to vets and canine experts to all parts of the world in search of some course of action or cure for his Mimo. This continued for almost three months and more often than not the feed back he got was mostly negative. It seemed that his efforts were in vain and while they carried on with their daily lives juggling their business and home, all the while hoping against hope that each new day would bring some good news their way.
Close friends and family expressed themselves by either pitying Mimo or advising the couple to comply with the expert’s advice and euthanize Mimo. But Albert was against this and replied “If I have not given life to Mimo, then who am I to take it from her”. And while Sunanda understood the sentiments of well-wishers, as a wife she fully supported Albert and his selfless mission to save Mimo.
Then one day Albert came across Dr.Pitcairn, a leading and well renowned animal vet.
He replied to Albert’s mail and advised him to refer to the book he had written.This proved to be the turning point and Mimo story went from one of despair to hope.
If left up to Albert he would have flown the doctor down on the first available flight, but since Dr. Pitcairn was no longer practicing he sent Albert a copy of his guide.
( Dr.Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health For Dogs and Cats).
This book is now considered a bible in the Belafoe house hold as the prescribed treatment worked wonders for Mimo .Allopathic measures had little or no effect and Albert began treating Mimo with Miso soup,doses of quinine,vitamin B& C.It’s been almost two years since Mimo got sick but she is back on her feet and has maintained her position as alpha dog in the homestead. The homeopathic treatment has worked wonders and Albert remembers the day she walked again, He cried like a baby oblivious to the presence of guests.
All is well with this brave and spirited family who against all odds chose the long and un-trodden path and emerged victorious against an otherwise killer disease.
The combination of unwavering faith in each other and a commitment far superior than any human can fathom, saw them through the darkest of nights and brought back to them the natural beauty of life. They brought in the year 2009 with a grand party and according to reports Mimo was quite the belle of the ball.
Mimo is now all over the place as normal as ever in spite of the fact that her legs still give way and she has lost sight in her left eye, there’s no stopping her now. She gives Sushi and Kaali an equal run for the bone and thotoughly enjoys her weekly Neem baths with the same joie de vivre as a canine Cleopatra .After all she is getting back her coat of hair and deserves all the pampering in the world!!!!!!!!!!!.
This story has a simple lesson:


 Miracles do happen, only if the effort involves infinite love, faith and conviction and the spirit of a dog called Mimo.