Lost In The Woods

A new year is coming. I feel a little lost. My grandson of 20 years has a tumor on his pancreas. After four hours of waiting at Moffitt Cancer Center in USF, they finally talked to someone who said Monday his case would be reviewed. What heartless people these medical people can be. The appointment was at one and at four, that was the report. My family is in prayer.

here is the story.

Love,
Betty

It was a beautiful, sunny morning. The dew was still on the grass and everything smelled crisp and clean. Wooffer was out for his early morning stroll around the yard and his cheery “good mornings” to the squirrels and the rabbits. It was too early for Camille, the lizard, and too late for the Armadillos. The Thousands were still sleeping, too.

Wooffer went around the yard, sniffing this and that and discovering who was in the yard during the night and who might still be around. He followed his nose until he found himself at the back fence. On the other side of the back fence was the big, dark forest. He had never been past the back fence or into the forest.

Wooffer put his nose a little way under the fence and sniffed. He went a little past the fence and sniffed. Before he knew what he was doing, Wooffer was well under the fence and on the other side and well into the forest. He was on the trail of what ever wonderful creature had been in the yard last night! Wooffer kept his great nose to the ground and followed the wonderful, mysterious smell. He never looked up. After a long while, he came to a small rambling creek deep in the woods. Big trees hung over its narrow banks, and brambles and thorny vines grew under the trees. The wonderful mystery smell seemed to disappear into the water. Wooffer stood there, alone in the thicket of sticker bushes, and looked around him for the first time since he had crossed the back fence. There was no sound, except for the splash of the frogs and the rustle and fall of the leaves from the trees. He knew he could find his way home. He just had to smell the way he had come. But just at that moment, it began to rain. It rained down in a great pouring gush of water… washing away the leaves on the trail that Wooffer had followed. It rained and rained, until all the leaves on the ground were afloat and flowing off in different directions.

When the rain finally stopped, Wooffer tried to find the trail home, but the rain had washed the trail away. Wooffer was lost in the woods.

Wooffer’s mom had been calling for him to come in for a long time. She began to get frantic! She had gone all over the yard… no sign of Wooffer. It was not like Wooffer to leave the yard! What terrible thing could have happened to him? Had he been kidnapped? Did some big, mean dog hurt him? Where was Wooffer?!!!!

Well, as you know, Wooffer’s mom is no Mamby-Pamby-Milksop when she is worried about Wooffer. She went right into action. It was still raining when she found Basil at home in his burrow with Marygrey and the six babies. She stood there with the rain dripping off her umbrella as Basil explained that he had seen Wooffer earlier and he was going toward the back fence. “I will come with you.” he said, and off they went to The Old Oak Tree.

There was no sign of the squirrels because of the rain, and Basil had to almost “ kick the tree down” to get someone to come out of the nest.

At last, Sir Doodah stuck his head up, looking very put out and sleepy, and said, “What in tarnation is the matter? I am sleeping, can’t it wait?”

Basil said, “Wooffer is gone! I don’t think it can wait!” It only took a small while for Basil to explain to Sir Doodah the problem.

“Oh, MeOhMyOhMeOh! I will get every squirrel for a mile around to look for him right away!” And off he went to do just that.

Basil and Wooffer’s mom found Cho Lee Yen by the pigs’ pen. “First, we must find out if he crossed the fence, then we know where to look. Who could he have been following? It must have been a stranger, because he knows all of us.” said Cho Lee.

Ho Chi, the pig, said, “Excuse me, but I saw Wooffer go under the fence. I hope the wild pigs don’t get him! Oh, Dear!”

Wooffer’s Mom was getting more worried by the minute.

Basil said, “Old Agnes and the Thousands hear everything that is going on, I will go and see if they have any news of Wooffer.”

Cho Lee decided that what was needed was “air power” and off he went to see Ibie The Ibis in Lester’s Field. Wooffer’s mom crossed the back fence and was soon lost to sight in the deep, dark woods, calling “WOOFFER!!!!WOOFFER!!!WOOFFER!!!WHERE ARE YOU!!!MOMMY IS RIGHT HERE!!!COME TO MOMMY!!!” But there was no answer. Wooffer’s mom began to cry. “Where are you Wooffie?…”

While Wooffer’s mom was calling his name in the woods and looking in logs and under bushes, Cho Lee had arrived in Lester’s Field and found Ibie The Ibis perched on Maudie’s back enjoying the view. Cho Lee wasted no time in telling them that Wooffer was gone and was last seen going under the fence into the deep, dark forest. “I think we need someone in the air,” he explained to Ibie, “and you know every bird that flies. Can we get them to search for Wooffer? It would be the quickest way. We need a bird that can fly distance. I can only go a few hundred yards before I have to land.”

Ibie The Ibis had been to New Zealand!! She could fly the distance… and all her relatives could fly the distance! So, Ibie flew off to gather up her relatives who were gleaning in the nearby tomato fields. Maudie wanted to help, too. She hated being fenced in when Wooffer may need her very badly!!!

Basil had gone to see if Old Agnes and her Thousands had heard any news of Wooffer. He told Old Agnes about Wooffer going under the back fence. “He must have been following someone,” he said, “someone other than us who live on the farm, to go under the fence, have you seen anyone here in the night that came from under the fence?”

Old Agnes had seen the River Otter who came to the ditch to hunt the frogs. “He lives in the creek over the way in the forest.” she said. “That is the only one who was here that we know about.”

Basil went to tell Sir Doodah and Mr. Hoy T. Toity about the River Otter.

Ho Chi, the pig, sat chewing on her hoofs and worrying about Wooffer getting attacked by wild pigs until she could stand it no longer. She decided to dig out and look for him, herself. She would go to where the wild pigs danced under the full moon!

Maudie, who had never in her life left the safety of her pasture, jumped the fence and ran off toward the woods in search of Wooffer.

Everyone was looking for him, but Wooffer was having a good time just watching the River Otter, who was diving and looking for fish and sometimes just swimming and playing for the fun of it. Wooffer had forgotten that he was lost and was enjoying the new world of big trees and streams and things he had never seen on the farm. He wasn’t even trying to find his way home, yet.

It was not long before Ibie and all her relatives had arrived in the woods. Some went this way and some went that way, and some went the other ways. In no time at all, Ibie had spied Maudie wandering from one tree to the next. She flew down and landed on Maudie’s back. “What a wonderful surprise, finding you here! Have you seen anything yet?”

Maudie had to admit that she had not seen Wooffer, but she had seen a lot of new things! A family of raccoons, a possum, a big rat, and lots of nice things to eat. Ibie flew off again in search of Wooffer. She flew to the creek and followed it a long way. Nothing.

Ho Chi had followed the trail to the clearing where the wild pigs danced. No pigs, but there was Wooffer’s mom, sitting by the tree. Wooffer’s mom said, “Oh, Ho Chi! What am I going to do without Wooffer?”

Ho Chi felt very sad for Wooffer’s mom. She said, “Ibie The Ibis is looking for him and if anyone can find Wooffer, it is Ibie and her family. They are good flyers.” Then Ho Chi told Wooffer’s mom that all the animals were out looking for Wooffer and they would bring him home… soon. So Ho Chi and Wooffer’s mom walked the long way back to the farm and hoped their best hopes that Wooffer would be home soon.

It was getting late in the afternoon, and Wooffer was starting to get a little hungry. He began to think about how he was to get home. The trail was washed away. He was just thinking of which way to try, when he heard a clomp-at-clomp-aty-clomp. He looked up and there stood Maudie! “Oh, Hi! Maudie! Do you know the way home?”

“Neiggghhhh! Neighhhh! Humph!” Said Maudie, who was just a little angry seeing Wooffer having fun with the River Otter while all and everyone was looking for him.

Just at that moment, Ibie flew down and landed on Maudie’s back. She said in her most pleasant voice, “Wooffer, you know your mom is crying because she thinks you are gone for good and every animal near and far has been looking for you all day! Old Agnes and her Thousands and even other Thousands, ALL the squirrels! Every bird from North and South, Every rabbit family for ten miles around, Maudie, Ho Chi, Cho Lee, Margaret, Reginald (who does not even know you very well) Mildred and Claudie,… you name the animal and they have been looking for YOU! We all knew you were lost in the woods, but we never thought you were having such a good time being lost! Follow me and I will show you the way home!”

Well, Wooffer had never thought about any of these things. He loved his mom and he loved his friends, but he never thought that they would be so worried about HIM. He followed Ibie home and when his mom saw him, she ran right up to Ibie and Maudie and hugged their necks. “Thank you, You are my good, good friends.” she said. (Which is the best reward you can get.) “You are Wooffer’s best friends, too.”

Wooffer explained to his mom about the River Otter, but he is not allowed to cross the back fence now unless his mom goes with him.



Love,

Betty

Betty, my prayers are with you and your family. This is a nasty thing to start out a new year, and I hope that from here on your grandson has everthing he needs, and that you do too.

Hugs,
Pam

We are in prayer with you, Betty. There were dr's and circumstances like you describe involved in my son-in-law's case. But he came through with flying colors. Believe that your grandson will, too.

Ann

Betty, I'm sending warm thoughts and prayers in your direction. Bless you for sharing another of your wonderful stories with us, even through your worries.

Betty,

My case was "reviewed" by a group of doctors, who then came and said I could be treated. When my husband and I thought there were only weeks or months of life left, they told us if all went well there could be years.

Even if this is the most dreaded of diagnoses, two nights ago I talked to a friend who had pancreatic cancer over 10 years ago. He is amazing to be sure. One time I heard a doctor on TV say that those long term survivors don't need to see doctors, but doctors need to see them and not forget the possibilities there are out there.

You might not have the information you need, but believe me when I was angriest at lack of help, reviews were being done, and everything they came up with to treat me is working. Now I get statements on insurance forms for people I never saw, people who were part of that team doing the reviewing and when ready came to my bedside with hope and possibilities.

The waiting is terrible. We think of all sorts of "what ifs" and yes those heartless medical people need to share information.

So don't get lost in those woods. And I know what it is like to be concerned about grandchildren. The concern becomes double as you are concerned for your grandchild and concerned for your child, his parent.

Love ya, Carol

Betty,
I join with the others in expressing concern and support.

Betty, know that my prayers are with you also.

Vickie

Hope it all turns out just fine for your grandson, Betty. Do what you can to keep your spirits up.

Thanks for the story about Woofer getting lost. At least he had a lot of friends, and you do too.

Carol Troestler wrote:

One time I heard a doctor on TV say that those long term survivors don't need to see doctors, but doctors need to see them and not forget the possibilities there are out there.

One of the thing I really like about this place is the spirit of hope that comes to the surface -- your story is filled with hope Alice and this comment from Carol is, as are the messages of support sprinkled throughout the thread.

Betty,

It'll be a long weekend waiting for Monday. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family that the news will be positive and hopeful.

Love,
Helen

Betty,

What a situation--I hope Monday brought some action--preferably a diagnostic action.

A tumor on the pancreas is truly frightening. For what it is worth, do not rest until they know what it is.

A fine needle biopsy will tell alot. The biopsy is not fun, but puts fears to rest and /or ignites them.

Please keep us updated.

Thank you all for your worry and kindness.

Monday came and went and the whole testing and Cat Scan and MRI the seconds were postponed until today. I have heard nothing and neither has anyone else about the results.

It is so hard to fathom that something is really amiss with Clayton because he is so healthy and happy. I will let you all know when I know. My heart is in a knot as you all know.

My best love.
Betty