Good idea..What a difference living in Il and CA..lol I'm so sorry about your grand father, Mentha..Is he really ill? I hope he's getting proper treatment, considering the way docs are now handling cases..all they see are money signs. So, does this mean, you may move? I don't envy you that..Will you remain in CA? I'll keep your grandpa in my prayers..hugs, Toni

Linda, I am so sorry you have to go through all of this pain at once....I know it must be very hard for you...I know this won't make you feel better but there is hope...but both my dad and dog were diagnosed with cancer....both of them are doing fine now....my dad had the seeds put in....he had prostate cancer less than a year ago...for now it is all gone... so there is hope.. and my baby (dog) was infested with cancer...she had a late life spay and when they removed her stuff they found the cancer...when they cut her they let it all out....she was dying and I could smell it...you could smell the infection because her body was fighting the cancer so the cut they made to neuter her would not heal...I dont know what the vet did....but its been almost a year now with no sign of it coming back and she acts like a puppy.... My thoughts are with you. Michele

Whew! I finally called my sister and niece this afternoon. Couldn't talk to my niece very long since she had classes in Memphis. She sounded so sad, I'm sure she has many friends at Jackson University. Her home she grew up in, is north of Columns mall in Jackson. They were spared but the Jackson University is pretty bad. She'll call tonight I'm sure. I'm relieved her place in Memphis was spared. My sister said it was very scary at times. At least twice her and her dh went to a cellar for 45 mins. They don't have a basement in their house. She sounded tired from her evening of excitement. She said they had wind damage in her area but the main tornado's were a few miles north, I believe near the interstate. As far as I know all my relatives are safe and sound. Thanks for thinking of us. I'm glad you were spared the worst of the storm. Seems there is so little a person can do during a tornado.

Assuming the original poster is serious (he/she has not returned ), I'd like to give some advice not related to prayer or religion, which are topics more appropriately discussed on the Hot Topics or Animal Debates forums. prayersfortonie -- you said, "He's been normal to everyone else in the family but very different to me. He used to love me the most, and now I'm the one he growls at." If your dog is suddenly acting differently with you than with everyone else, growling at you but not at other people, this is not a sign of rabies. It is a behavioral change specific to his interactions with you. Have you done something differently, even by accident, that the dog didn't like? Is he still in pain from his injuries? Do you smell differently now, with some new scent he is reacting badly to? I feel sure that with kindness and patience, you can gain your dog's trust again. Treats to reward good behavior can help too. Also, stop taking his behavior so personally. He is a dog, with a dog's brain and understanding, not a human being trying to hurt your feelings. Your phrase, "a stranger no more worthy than dirt," makes me think you have low self-esteem. Try to find someone who can help you believe that you are a good, valuable person, whether or not your puppy growls at you.