First of all, Xena is really progressing. She readily takes food from my hand now. She likes to eat from my hand.

Other dogs we’ve had kinda train us. They sit and kind of wiggle in excitement, and so train us to give them something to eat right away.

Xena is such a lady. She just stands at a distance somewhere in my radius. That’s all she does is stand there. As quickly as possible, I hand feed her. She loves raw food and panir. She does not like vegetables or nuts. She does love soups that I make and will lap them up from a bowl.

Lauren, Jacqueline, and I take Xena on long walks just about every day. We go to the various walking trails around and let Xena loose. She runs up hill and down dale. It is beautiful to watch her. And she comes back to be petted whenever Lauren calls her, and then she merrily runs off again.

She seems also to be quite content to let Jacqueline and me pet her when she stops. She loves all the dogs she meets on the trails. And sometimes she will let strangers pet her without flinching. All the while, Xena never makes a sound. She doesn’t bark or whine. I believe she is a healing angel of some kind.

Our friend Jacqueline is one of the dearest people you could ever meet. Jacqueline appears more reserved than she really is, and her gentle side doesn’t always show on the surface. You should see how Xena has brought out Jacqueline’s softness. Jacqueline can now sweet-talk Xena with the best of us! It is extra sweet to see Jacqueline with Xena.

Sunday, Yael and her dog Nafi and Jordan, a dog Yael was taking care of, and Lauren, Jacqueline, Xena and I went walking on a trail that we were not familiar with. I have to tell you that, even more wonderful than seeing Xena run up and down gullies and hop across fields is to see her and her friend Nafi running and romping together.

We came to a culvert. There was a cement wall on the walking trail side. Unknown to us, there was a cliff on the right covered with trees and foliage. We didn’t consider that the cliff extended that way. We didn’t even think of the possibility. We were so preoccupied with so many of us — three dogs, four people — we weren’t thinking at all.

Xena was doing her usual joy of running.

Not seeing ahead through the brush, she ran into space and dropped about thirty feet.

Some of us could not bear to look.

Amazingly, Xena got up. It was a miracle that she was alive.  And she was able to walk, but she was limping.

Yael ran down the cliff to get Xena.

Yael and Lauren carried her to the car which was at some distance, and we got Bill Pollack, D.V.M., to see her. Xena was in good condition considering. Her limp came from her right shoulder. Bill thought her right shoulder had taken the brunt of the fall  (much as my right shoulder did when I fell off the treadmill) and that her shoulder was the cause of her limping.  He was sure that she had rolled after she landed, and that saved her from far greater injury.

Bill gave her a cortisone shot.  He also gave her aconite for trauma which I believe someone on this blog had once suggested for her. Bill wanted to keep Xena overnight for observation. Lauren, rightly thought Xena was better off with us, for one of us would be by her side constantly.

Bill’s practice is in his house. He said he would hear Xena and come down. But the thing is that Xena doesn’t whine or cry or bark. There would have been nothing for him to hear.

Bill told us to confine Xena to a small place. For about ten days, she must not climb up or down stairs or enter into any activity. The danger time would be when she was not in so much pain and felt better. We were to make sure to keep her from frolicking and any kind of jumping up or down, for she could well cause herself further injury.

Xena isn’t to eat until Tuesday morning except for broth. I went right home and made her some chicken broth which she laps up. Xena is so sore that all she does is lie in one place and not move at all. She hurts and doesn’t make a sound.

We are all still quite upset. How did we let this happen to her? And why Xena — who had already suffered more pain than anyone should ever have to — why should this happen to an angel like her?

I try to look for the good in this.  Xena was spared. She is alive, and it could have been a lot lot worse. If it had to happen, it is better it happened now when she is more comfortable with us and knows that we love her.

We all would give a lot to have prevented this from happening to dear Xena.