S?? w?s l??t in ? ?in t??s?, ? ?iti??l si??t ?? ??s??i?. H?? ?nc? ????ti??l ???s w??? cl????? ?? c?t???cts, ??n???in? ??? ?lin? t? t?? w??l? ????n? ???. T? m?k? m?tt??s w??s?, ??? ??c? w?s c?v???? in ? s?v??? c?s? ?? m?n??, c??sin? ??? skin t? ?? ??w, in?l?m??, ?n? ??v?i? ?? ???. It w?s ? ????t????kin? sc?n? t??t s??k? v?l?m?s ?? t?? n??l?ct ?n? c???lt? s?? ??? ?n?????.
W??n I st?m?l?? ???n ??? ???il ???m ?i???n ?m?n? t?? ????s?, m? ????t s?nk. T?? m??nit??? ?? ??? s?????in? w?s ?v??w??lmin?, ?n? I kn?w I ??? t? ?ct swi?tl? t? ?ll?vi?t? ??? ??in ?n? ????? ??? ? ?limm?? ?? ????.
Wit? t?? ?tm?st c??? ?n? ??ntl?n?ss, I li?t?? ??? ???m t?? ?in, c???lin? ??? ??lic?t? ???? in m? ??ms. S?? t??m?l??, ??? w??k?n?? ???m? ? t?st?m?nt t? t?? ????s?i?s s?? ??? ?n?????. B?t ??n??t? t?? l????s ?? n??l?ct, I s?w ? s?i?it t??t ????s?? t? ?? ?xtin??is???—? ?lick?? ?? ??sili?nc? t??t c?ll?? ??t ??? c?m??ssi?n ?n? c???.
I t??k ??? t? ? v?t??in??? clinic, w???? m??ic?l ?????ssi?n?ls ?ss?ss?? ??? c?n?iti?n wit? ? mix ?? s??ck ?n? ?m??t??. It w?s ? l?n? ???? ????? t? ??st??? ??? ???lt? ?n? ?iv? ??? ? c??nc? ?t ? ??tt?? li??. T???tm?nt ??? t?? m?n?? ????n, ?cc?m??ni?? ?? ? c?????ll? c???t?? ?i?t t? n???is? ??? m?ln???is??? ????.
Ev?nt??ll?, t?? tim? c?m? t? ?????ss ??? si??t. Skill?? v?t??in??i?ns ??????m?? s?????? t? ??m?v? ??? c?t???ct-c?v???? ???, ???nin? ?? ? w??l? ?? ??ssi?iliti?s ??? ???. T????? s?? w??l? ????v?? ?? ?lin? in ?n? ???, t?? ?t??? ??? s???kl?? wit? n?w???n? cl??it?, ?ll?win? ??? t? ?x???i?nc? t?? ????t? ?? li?? ?nc? m???.
D??s t??n?? int? w??ks, ?n? w??ks int? m?nt?s ?s ??? ??c?v??? ??????ss??. Wit? ??c? ??ssin? ???, ??? skin ????n t? ???l, ?n? ? s??t c??t ?? ??? ?m????? t? ???l?c? t?? ??in??l ????n?ss s?? ??? ?n?????. In t?? mi?st ?? ??? ???sic?l t??ns???m?ti?n, ??? s?i?it ????n t? s?in? ??i??t??, ??? t??st in ??m?nit? ??????ll? ??st????.
T????, s?? st?n?s ?s ? t?st?m?nt t? t?? ??sili?nc? ?? ?nim?ls ?n? t?? ??w?? ?? c?m??ssi?n. H?? j???n?? ???m t?? ???t?s ?? n??l?ct ?n? c???lt? t? ? li?? ?ill?? wit? l?v? ?n? c??? is ? t?st?m?nt t? t?? st??n?t? ?? t?? ??m?n s?i?it ?n? t?? t??ns???m?tiv? im??ct w? c?n ??v? ?n t?? liv?s ?? t??s? in n???.
H?? st??? s??v?s ?s ? ??min??? t??t n? m?tt?? t?? ????s?i?s ?n? ??c?s, t???? is ?lw??s ???? ??? ? ??tt?? t?m????w. It ?i??li??ts t?? im???t?nc? ?? ??v?c?tin? ??? t?? w?l???? ?? ?nim?ls, s???kin? ?? ???inst c???lt?, ?n? ?xt?n?in? ? ??l?in? ??n? t? t??s? w?? c?nn?t s???k ??? t??ms?lv?s.