Sick dog makes for a tough choice
It was a messy week.
Messy in all the yucky bodily functions you would hope wouldn’t come out at the wrong time.
And if it could come out of my dog, it found a way. All day and night long. I trust, Dear Dog Lover, you are both grossed out and understanding at the same time.
The first two days of Pup’s illness happened while she was home alone with Husband. I was up in the big city dealing with a different type of mess, cleaning out the house I’ve owned for the last 25 years.
By the time I made it back to our remote coastal marsh, it was clear that something was really wrong.
Friday morning, I scooped up Pup and headed to the veterinarian 45 minutes away.
“Did your dog get into anything?” I knew they would ask, thinking of regular dog things like the kitchen trash.
“We have 10 acres of things,” I would have to explain. Only this time the conversation turned more serious.
“We need to keep her here,” they insisted. “All weekend long. You can come pick her up Monday morning.”
They might as well have insisted I leave my right arm behind. Thinking of our overly emotional girl who is used to being with us 24/7 sitting in a loud vet’s facility with an IV in her arm just about sent me into fight or flight mode. What they were proposing was an absolute non-starter.
They showed me her blood work results with a sky-high red blood cell count. I understood just how sick our girl was. I worked out a deal where I could come pick her up at the end of the day and bring her back.
And so, I let her go.
Dog lover or not, do you know the moment, Dear Reader?
The one where you do the hard thing that goes against every cell in your heart, yet your brain wins out pushing you to do the thing you need to do?
Putting poison in your veins to battle cancer.
Leaving the love of your life because your divergent dreams will ultimately destroy you.
Letting your child fail because they need to learn how to pick themselves up.
The confirmation you’re doing the right thing feels 10 million miles beyond the agony of the moment.
I spent the next three days driving 50 miles each way twice a day, taking Pup to treatment, picking her up.
I’m spent.
But most importantly,
Pup is better, so much better. I’d say 95% back to her weirdo, naughty self. Never have two overly-devoted dog parents been so happy to see their baby sass back
Virgallito said that having Hixson by her side today is pivotal to helping her make decisions and brainstorming for new ideas.
“Mindi and I complement one another so well,” Virgallito said. “We saw the opportunity together, and we split up what needs to be done to run the business while thinking about ways to grow it.”
Hixson agrees that they both have a passion to serve customers, many of whom have become like family.
“It’s just nice to grow up in a smaller area where everyone knows everyone,” Hixson said. “We have taken care of generations of customers.”
The cousins maintain a relatively small staff of seven with Virgallito’s mom still working part time during the busy holiday seasons. And this year, they are celebrating 75 years in business.
“Genell started this business in downtown Piqua in 1949,” Virgallito said. “She
moved to our current location just outside of downtown in 1970.”
During 2020, Virgallito and her team worked quickly to offer online shopping
to their customers. This became important during the pandemic lockdown, because customers wanted to send flowers to friends and family members they couldn’t see in person.
“I think one of the things that is a common thread throughout our business is emotion,” Hixson said. “We translate people’s feelings into flowers. We know we have a strong foundation in the community, and we take that very seriously.”
Building upon that foundation is something both Hixson and Virgallito know will help them grow their business. At the same time, they are committed to ensuring they are taking care of their customers in the way they always have.
“We want every flower delivered, to every event, to be flawless,” Hixson said. “We know how important it is for people to feel we care about them. They come in for everything from planning weddings to ordering memorial flowers. We are dedicated to creating an exceptionally positive experience.”