Story 1 While driving the freeway to work with my husband and our pet pooch, Katie, a foreign object flew through the windshield striking my husband's arm first then richocheting and hitting me in the forehead. Thank Heavens I was looking down at Katie, who was seated between my husband and me. Had I not been looking down at her, the projectile would've hit me in the orbital area either blinding me or killing me outright. Later at the hospital, my husband was hunting through my purse for my insurance card and pulled out a 5" commercial truck ball bearing. Evidently the truck threw the bearing while traveling in the opposite lane of traffic at a high rate of speed. My purse was sitting on the floor of our car directly in front of me and apparently caught the bearing after it dropped from my head. I am so lucky to be alive. The laceration required a dozen stitches. The concussion lasted for days. I was so grateful that my attention was held on Katie, and not on the road that day. Had it not been, I might not be here today writing about this event.

Story 2 One evening a few years ago, Katie and I were walking to the neighborhood video store which happened to be situated across a busy street. We reached the west side of the road, and I decided to carry her across the street along with my videos that we were returning to the store. We dodged the traffic and walked to the center of the street and waited until the traffic cleared to continue our walk to the other side. While I was looking to the South, Katie started scratching my face. She was on my left side, to the North. I looked her way to see what was the matter and it was only then that I saw a car coming down the center strip exactly where we were standing, intending to make a left-hand turn into the parking lot of the same video store we were heading to. Had Katie not alerted me to the danger, we would've most-definitely been hit and hurt seriously or possibly killed. The woman driving the car didn't see us standing there waiting to cross the street. Since traffic was coming from both directions there was no place for us to escape. I held tight onto Katie and threw the videos across the street and simyltaneously, we ended up on top of the woman's hood as her car slid beneath us. My left elbow ended up in her windshield, and my butt put a nice big dent in her hood. My right foot took out one head light. Through the panic and the strike that ensued, I held Katie firm in my left arm. My left elbow and right foot were cut and bruised, but I was SO happy to have survived being hit by the car. Had Katie not warned me of the danger, I'm sure the car would've hit us at my left hip and knee and dragged us under her car for some time.

Yes, my little Katie is truly my Guardian Angel. She will be leaving us soon for the Rainbow Bridge. I will miss her terribly. She's been our Baby for 15 years, her entire life. Katie is a Cocker Mix, black with white splotches on her chest and left front paw. She has hepatic encephalopathy due to a deteriorating liver condition and is not expected to live much longer. We are grateful for each day we can spend with her. It'll be hard to say goodbye, but we have so many lovely memories of her to see us through the tough times to come.

Thank you for taking the time to read our stories. We truly have guardian angels in our midst. Treat them kindly; they deserve our love and care.