Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Column 477
Please help little Birdie!
If you’re a regular reader of this column you will be aware that only occasionally does Dartoid yield his opinionated (some say disgusting) persona to his creator. In fact, over the past 20 years and through 450+ columns about darts Dartoid has stepped aside only a handful of times – but always to help generate funds for something important – the devastating tsunami that impacted many of our Japanese darting friends, John Kuczynski’s annual holiday Toys for Tots fundraiser, Stacy Bromberg’s charitable work for Make-a-Wish, Kathy Maloney’s “No Baloney” charity tournament to help raise money for Friends of Strays, and more.
Dartoid’s creator has personally donated to these causes as well help several young players like Steven Wilcox, Alex Broderick, and Miles Gallagher raise funds to achieve their darting dreams. Of course, he has also thrown exhibitions against some of these kids, and others (and whooped their asses – at least the kids), to help them fund their expenses to the Youth Nationals and most recently, in Steven Wilcox’s case, the Youth World Masters.
So today it is me writing – Paul Seigel – to ask you to help a friend of mine, Robin Dorman, help her sick little dog, Birdie. In my real life there are no Hooters girls (please don’t tell anyone) and a 42-dart game of 501 is par for the course (if you believe that contact me for a money game). I my real life I provide fundraising consulting services to animal protection organizations. It is only animals and my family that I am more passionate about than darts.
Please, take a moment to read Robin’s plea below. Please help if you can, as soon as you can. Just click to:
http://www.gofundme.com/g9bzo8
If you don’t care about charity or animals (if you’re a bum) and just want more of Dartoid (if you’re a different kind of bum) check back on November 1. Dartoid will return as Mr. Darts Language Person – and may even have something to say about the ADO.
Be aware. Be afraid.
From the Field,
Dartoid
PLEASE HELP WITH TWO-YEAR-OLD BIRDIE’S LIVER SURGERY
My name is Robin Dorman and I work for a charity organization that is dedicated to the protection of animals and my nonprofit salary simply precludes any sort of extraordinary expense. I am in desperate need of funds.
A little white dog appeared a year ago September, in the arms of a young woman, who knocked on the door one Saturday morning and said she couldn’t keep her. She had heard that the people in the house liked animals. The Chihuahua mix looked forlorn and lost, staring ahead and eerily quiet. Once inside, she ate and immediately made herself at home. A few days later it was off for a check-up and shots. She was about 11 pounds, and was thought to be around a year old.
At the time, I was caring for my 15-year-old dog, Brownie, administering fluids every day, and making frequent vet visits. Brownie was steadily becoming weaker but Birdie (named for her stirring and quicksilver flights around the field) was entertaining him by doing somersaults and back flips where he lay. She kissed his ears and sang something of an aria to him. She was a little miracle.
On Brownie’s last day, she came into the candle-lit vet office and started to prance and twirl about, allowing everyone to laugh. Bird is funny, makes friends on the field, is honeymoon-in-love with my other dog, Frankie, and at times is a dizzying blur on the field!
But she was never really robustly healthy or, I should say, there were months where all seemed fine, and then suddenly, she would be completely lethargic, sleepy, acting tipsy, a sick dog’s look. There were blood tests and a urinalysis, showing crystals, a urinary tract infection, and a stone, which disappeared. Antibiotics and Chinese herbs and homeopathic remedy would work for a time, and she was once again running around in state of delirium, barking up a storm, and full of life.
But very recently, Bird was barely functioning and another blood panel and urinalysis showed elevated liver enzymes and then a bile acid test was recommended, where the numbers for the liver were alarmingly high. The vet urged me to see an internist without delay, where an ultrasound was performed.
The results were absolutely crushing, revealing that she has life-threatening liver disease (extra-hepatic porto caval shunt), and I was told that her only option is surgery. Essentially, her liver is not thriving and not detoxifying her bloodstream because of the shunt, causing a toxic buildup in her system. A portion of the toxins and nutrients absorbed by the intestines bypasses the liver and is shunted directly into the systemic circulation. This perfectly explains the confusion, the pacing, her loss of appetite, and general sluggishness. Medical management without surgery will give her only about a year.
The only real chance she has is to get Bird the surgery she urgently needs. Her surgery and follow-up tests and care are expected to reach $7,000. If you would like to help save Birdie, please donate. ANY amount, small or large, will make a profound difference! I am eternally grateful for your support. Her surgery is scheduled for November 3rd.
http://www.gofundme.com/g9bzo8
Please help if you can.
