Tribute to Ike
For 38 years I could hear and talk.
On April 19, 1977 I had a stroke that took my hearing and
speech also the use of my right arm and hand.
I spent two years in and out of hospitals. At the first hospital
21 medical doctor’s told Sue my wife, “That if I lived,
I would be vegetable.”
At first I couldn’t breathe, walk or use my arms. The doctor did a
tracheotomy. Another doctor started therapy on my legs and arms.
In the sixth week I was walking between bars 2O feet a day.
My left arm was working and the right arm would work but
not my right hand.
On January 10, 1980, we went to the dog pound and got a
three month old Husky-Collie black and white puppy and
named him the only word I say (Ike.)
Bob & Joan Wainfor and I trained him to be my ears.
That 10 lb. puppy grew up to 150 lb. dog that loved to ride in a car.
For 13 years every place I went Ike went. I remember when Ike
was a puppy about three quarter grown we stopped a Mc Donalds
drive through and a man approached the car.
When he saw the windows were down on my side, he
reached through it and tried to pet Ike who was on the back seat.
Ike, mistaken the man’s intentions of friendliness for an act of
doing harm to his master and he tried to tear into the man.
When Ike was full grown about 150 lb. I went to see an old friend
Ray Compton, who was working on his house and I parked the
car across the road and got out and made the sign for Ike to stay.
When Ray saw me he stopped working and walked toward me.
Ray still had his hammer in his hand and when Ike saw the
hammer he jumped out of window and ran toward my friend,
barking all the while. I yelled Ike was no good.
Then when Ray stopped walking and dropped the hammer,
Ike stopped his charge and I ran to Ray. Then I called Ike.
It was the first time Ike had seen Ray who stands over six feet
and walking toward me with a hammer, Ike thought Ray was
trying to hurt me.
One time Ike and I went to see three friends of mine. I showed
them some tricks Ike would set and stay about 50 feet from me
for 30 minutes until I called Ike. Another trick I would put doggie treat
on my knee and shake my head no Ike would just look at the treat
until I shake my head yes.
One of the men said; “Ike is better trained than my wife.”
Ike has been gone for six years but I still remember him.
Ralph “Danny” Sheets
Love,
| Ike |
| Danny Sheets |