February 6, 2001 was a devastating day for Amber, but also the day she experienced a miracle, as did we!
She was about 6 mos old when she was struck by a car on US Hwy 56 heading out of town.
Amber is a pale peach Tabby with white markings and light green eyes.
Obviously, her name comes from her color.
Living in a rural area has its ups and downs. One down is the constant reminder that humans often move in on rural critters... spring doesn't just bring forth flowers. Spring also brings forth young critters who cannot judge the speed of an oncoming vehicle. Many critters lives are ended on the roadside of our rural roads, highways and byways. Some get used to it, some don't see it... I always see them. I always say a prayer for each one of them.
On this particular day, we were on our way out of town headed to the vet to pick up Ashley, who had just been spayed. As usual, I noticed this little pale red Tabby lying in the shoulder of the road. It broke my heart to see her there. As we passed her, I looked over at her. In a rather animated motion, she lifted her head and turned it my way, as if to say "please, help me; don't leave me here." I screamed "stop, back up, turn around! It's alive!"
We turned around and headed back to where she lay. I always keep old sheets in the car to cover the seats when it's been raining and the dogs are muddy. I grabbed one of the sheets and ran to her. I scooped her up off the ground with no fear of her biting or scratching me. Jumping back into the car, we sped off to the vet.
She was bleeding from her mouth and her rear; so, we figured she would not make it. How could she? She was hit by a car. It was surprising she was still alive at all, really.
When we arrived at the vet, she was in shock. They took her to the back and started her on fluids. After a quick exam, it was discovered her tail/back bone was broken just above the base of the tail. They kept her on fluids for a couple days, as she could not handle surgery yet. When she was strong enough for surgery, her tail was removed. Further exam proved her only injuries were the broken tail/back bone, some missing front teeth, a tiny notch in her ear that soon fell off as it was covered in tar.
$200+ later, she had survived... a real miracle!
It would be the first miracle.
Years later, we found she had also suffered an injury to one of her eyes, as her pupils are no longer the same size. One eye does not see as well as the other. As one eye reacts normally to light becoming smaller, the other does not.
Today, she is a loving, affectionate kitty. She may not see all that well, but she is a good bug catcher. Her balance & jumping is a little off because of her eyes and the lack of a tail. Her rear where the break actually happened is still a little sensitive. She is a true blessing.
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