May was a busy month and a beautiful one too. The weather started to be much much better and Sammy and I would go outside more often just to enjoy some blue skies and sunshine. I set the goal to do the annual 2017 SIS teachers triathlon so I started training,a lot more ( the date was May 14) I had about two weeks to get ready for it! I also planned a trip to Jeju (sadly without Sam), a U20. Football Venezuela vs. Mexico match with friends and start planning the move to China! During this month, Sam's fur started growing healthier and better and he became more active. He took his heart guard once a month and hoped that by June the heartworm treatment would kill all worms. I gave Sam a bath outside for the first time with the help of two cuties Tara and Viktor, he actually really liked it. Everyone loved Sam and complimented how handsome, healthy he looked compared to five months ago back in January when he came to me and was under weigh, no shine in his fur and very anxious. He enjoyed more active play with Hae Tae and Andes, trying to not let Andes kiss him or lick him and occasionally a quick bark saying hey I'm the male dog respect me. All in all it was a playful time. The end of the school year came and I said my goodbyes and hang out with friends. I spent my birthday celebrating and watching my U20 football Venezuelan team be runners up in the final against England! Of course Sammy took a. Selfie with me and his Vinotinto doggie jersey! It was a magnificent, heartwarming, goosebumps-kind of event! My team was second place, but we played real football. The last two weeks of May I worked super hard to create a gofundme to help fundraise about 400/500$ for Sam's heartworm treatment and flight to Europe. I raised a little more than $450 and that was enough for his blood test, his heartworm shots ( if be needed more and his medicine and enough for a few extras for his flight.) On June 14 I took Sam to the vet with another girl from the Yongin Pound to check his blood for heartworm. We were hoping he was negative so that he could fly on the 22nd. Unfortunately. Sam's blood test was positive for heartworm. The vets explanation of the treatment taking longer than other dogs was that when Sam was diagnosed back in December-January probably he was heavily infected and his heartworm stage was 3 closer to 4. I was shocked and sad. I gave $160 to the volunteer to pay for his test and the shots of steroids and heartworm medication and the post shot medicines. Sam was the best dog ever! He was a trooper. He did not bark, bite, whine or complain in spite of the shots being painful. He was a super trooper doggie. We went home that day and Sam rested most of the afternoon, he had little appetite and was very thirsty. He also gagged and threw up a few times all normal and part of the side effects of the heartworm shot. Actually the steroids shot was given 15 minutes before to ease the pain and side effects of the heartworm shot which is very painful and toxic to a dog's body. That night Sam took his first post shot medicine and has been taking it twice a day with ham, tuna, chicken or any food that is tasty and very smelly! He is also taking some vitamins for anxiety and some oil on his fur to make it beautiful handsome and shiny. He is more calm when walking and does not stressed so much with loud noises and people talking. He has begun to walk with me to coffee shops in my neighborhood and sit or lay for an hour or so by my side. He is such a loving and sweet doggie, everyone that passes by me will stop and pet him and compliment on how "kiopta" ( cute in Korean) sweet, handsome and loving he is. I hope his forever home in Germany takes care of him, loves him, cuddles and snuggles with him as much as I have. As I quote the movie "Its a Dog' s purpose" a dog's purpose is to "Be here" And that is what Sammy has done for me he has been here for me. He gave companionship and friendship when I needed ti. he gave me his unjudgemental and noncritical support. he listened to me. He showed me love and care. He is a true companion. I am so lucky and thankful to have had him for the last 6 months in Korea! "To being here" for him on our last month together.
