There are moments in life that mark us forever, experiences that transform us in a way that only those who have lived them can understand. Many would think that the figures that have the greatest impact on us are our parents, siblings, an inspiring teacher or even a famous person. But in my case, that figure was none of those. No. The one who has really left an indelible mark on my soul is Manuela.
Who is Manuela, you may ask? Those who have met her know well who I am talking about, but for those who did not have the privilege, let me tell you her story. Manuela is not a person, but a little dog who, from a very early age, demonstrated a courage and a will to live that few humans possess.
She was just a puppy when the diagnosis came as a treacherous blow: galloping dysplasia. The veterinarians, with their knowledge and experience, advised me what seemed inevitable: put her down to spare her suffering. But I, with a broken heart, refused. I could not, would not, and would not give up. I decided that I would do everything in my power to give Manuela a chance to live.
The search for solutions took us on a long and arduous road. First, we consulted more veterinarians in the area, without much success. Then, we went to the hospital in Sant Cugat, where he was fitted with prostheses -which, by the way, must still be there-. When that wasn’t enough, we crossed borders to Germany, in search of the latest in dysplasia treatments. And still, the battle continued.
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, we started taking her to a lock in Orfes to swim. I didn’t have a pool in those days, but it didn’t matter, anything was valid if it gave Manuela a chance. Little by little, time went by, and against all odds, Manuela stayed strong. Her paws might not be perfect, but her spirit was indomitable.
Soon, she became the inseparable companion of all those who came to the river. There was no client who was not accompanied by Manuela, as if she herself was guiding them along the paths she loved so much. It was a curious thing, to see how everyone followed her, and not the other way around. Manuela had become the soul of those walks, the connection between the river, the Mastorrencito, and all those who came in search of a moment of peace.
But as in every story, life had an unexpected twist in store for us. One day, while we were on the terrace, a frightening sound broke the tranquility. A brutal braking, followed by a shocking “PUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM”. My heart stopped. We ran out and what we saw froze our blood. Manuela had been run over. Her small body had been displaced more than 20 meters. Everyone was saying the same thing: “She’s been blown up”.
Pain and fear invaded me, but there was no time for regrets. I asked my neighbor to take me to Banyoles, where Fausto, our trusted veterinarian, was waiting for us. Fausto was the only one at that time who knew the names of all my dogs, and he knew that if anyone could help Manuela, it was him.
When we arrived, Fausto examined Manuela seriously. His words were a blow to the soul: “Difficult, amic…. very difficult… prepare yourself for the worst”. But inside me, something told me that Manuela would not give up so easily. She had overcome so much, had fought so bravely, that I could not imagine such an end for her.
And so, with her soul on a thread, a new battle for Manuela’s life began. Every second felt eternal, every minute an eternity. But Manuela had proven before that miracles are possible.
Manuela’s Miracle: A Story of Resilience
Sometimes, life presents us with miracles in the most unexpected ways. For me, that miracle had a name, paws and an iron will. Her name was Manuela, a little dog who not only defied expectations, but became the living example of what it means to fight against all odds.
After the terrible accident, when Fausto, our trusted veterinarian, told us that the situation was complicated, I prepared myself for the worst. But there was something in me that refused to accept that fate for Manuela. She had already proven time and again that she was not just any dog. And indeed, against all odds, Manuela came through once again.
We brought her home, still sedated from the effects of the procedure. The clients, who knew her well, surrounded her with affection, cuddling her as if she were a baby. And then, as if to prove that she still had a lot to give, Manuela woke up suddenly. We laid her on the floor, carefully, fearing that any movement might be painful for her. But Manuela, in her unique way, surprised us all. With her usual determination, she got up and, staggering, went straight for a rock. Incredible! There she was, as if nothing had happened, with her indomitable spirit intact.
Her recovery was amazing, but Manuela was never an ordinary dog. For a couple more years, she went through a few additional surgeries, due to those cursed spikes that got tangled in her thick coat. Every summer, her groomer would promptly come in to trim her mane, making sure she never suffered from those small but annoying complications again.
But Manuela’s life was destined to be a roller coaster of emotions. One random afternoon, while accompanying clients to the river, I received a call that chilled me to the bone. “Miguel, a tractor has run over Manuela…” Ufff, fear invaded me again, reminding me of that fateful day of the first run over. Manuela, together with Mr. Markos, had the dangerous habit of throwing herself into the wheels of any vehicle, and this time, she had paid a high price.
I rushed out to the fields, my heart in my mouth, fearing the worst. When I found her, she was there, still, without moving, without uttering a single whimper. I picked her up carefully and carried her quickly to Faust. But this time, even he was worried. “I can’t… I’m not ready for this,” he told me truthfully, his voice heavy with worry.
“No, Fausto. You operate on her, even if you have to go somewhere else, but it has to be with you. Manuela trusts you,” I told him, with a determination that almost matched that of my little bitch. Fausto, unable to believe his ears, accepted my request. He prepared everything and took her to the Canis clinic. He knew the operation would be long and complicated; he warned me that Manuela would probably not make it, she was already old and her bones were severely damaged.
But I could only repeat over and over again, “It’s Manuela…she can.”
And so it was. The operation was a success, even though they cut off the head of her femur, put in wires and more. When we brought her home, she was exhausted, completely asleep under the effects of the anesthesia. We tucked her in with a blanket, hoping that her rest would restore some strength.
The next morning, the unbelievable happened. Manuela, still recovering from such an invasive surgery, started barking, demanding that we open the door because she wanted to get out. “But you can’t even walk, you donkey!”, I said lovingly, unable to believe my eyes. But Manuela, in her usual stubbornness, insisted. I opened the door for her, and with a titanic effort, she came out, went to her little corner and… did her business as if nothing had happened! I was amazed. I recorded everything on video for Fausto, who, when he saw it, couldn’t believe it either. In three days, Manuela was already accompanying clients to the river again, as if nothing had happened.
She was already 9 or 10 years old, but her spirit was still that of a young adventurer. Her strength to overcome was incredible, something I had never seen in any being, human or animal. But Manuela’s story does not end here. There were more visits to Faust, more challenges to face… but that, my friends, will be part of tomorrow’s story.
Manuela: The Immortal with a Brave Heart
There are beings in this world who, against all logic, defy the impossible. Manuela was one of those beings, an indomitable spirit wrapped in the body of a little dog. After her complicated operation, which seemed like the last battle of her life, Manuela proved that she still had a lot to live and teach.
Against all odds, in less than a week, Manuela was back in her routine, as if life had not thrown her one of its toughest challenges. She was back to the river, running around, looking for her stones with the same energy as always. It was as if the accident had never happened, as if the wounds that in others would have required months of recovery were only a passing nuisance.
The most amazing thing happened when we returned to Fausto to have the stitches removed. Upon examining her, Fausto was speechless: Manuela had no stitches! She had pulled them out herself, and we hadn’t even noticed. That dog not only had an iron will, but she was so astute that she had managed her own recovery in her own way.
The years passed, and although the visits to Fausto became routine due to the damn spikes and other small complications, nothing seemed to stop Manuela. Every operation, every little obstacle, she overcame with almost superhuman strength. Eventually, I began to think that Manuela was immortal.
But her intelligence went beyond her ability to heal. She was so smart that she had learned to open doors against the back of the door, something many considered impossible. She would put her paw on the frame, pull back, and even though the door had a tough super spring, she managed to open it. Nothing could stop her from going out to play or being the first to greet customers. She was always attentive, waiting for someone’s arrival, and when a car approached, Manuela was the first to alert me with her barking.
Manuela was not only a companion; she had become the watchful soul of our home. Her ability to anticipate the needs of others, to be ever present and attentive, was something I will never cease to admire.
Every day with Manuela was a reminder of the strength of life, of the ability to overcome the seemingly impossible and of the joy we can find in the simplest things, like running after a stone or enthusiastically welcoming those we love.
Manuela not only lived, but lived fully, as if every day was a new opportunity to enjoy what life had to offer. Her story is a testament to what it means to have a brave heart, one that does not give up in the face of any adversity.
And although she seemed immortal, what really made her special was her ability to live with an energy and passion that few beings have. Manuela was, and always will be, a living miracle, an example that life, with all that it brings, deserves to be lived to the fullest, every day, every moment.
The Queen of Mas Torrencito: Manuela’s Story
And the moment came when maturity settled on Manuela, that little dog who defied time and adversity with insurmountable courage. Because, although we sometimes forget it, the years do not pass in vain, and our beloved companions, those who one day came into our lives as little balls of fur, eventually become venerable elders. Manuela was no exception.
Sometimes, when I went downstairs at five in the morning, I would still “see” her lying on her favorite sofa. But, of course, that was just a saying, because if there were customers, Manuela was not in our room, but in any other room. She could well have earned the title of “Manuela, the Queen of Beds”, because she tried them all, as if each one of them was her personal throne.
She was fortunate -and so was I- to be surrounded by very good friends who treated her like what she really was: a queen. I am not exaggerating when I say that Manuela was probably the most photographed dog in Mas Torrencito. If it were not for the digital era, she would have spent countless reels of photos. Every visitor had an image of her, an engraved memory of that little queen of hearts.
But, like everything that is beautiful, its time also came. Although we never thought that day would actually come. A year ago, we already feared that she would not endure the summer, with the heat and her tired little legs. But, as always, Manuela surprised us, giving “three passes and two capes” to summer and sending it to the horn. And so, autumn came, and then winter.
During that last winter, climbing stairs became a challenge for her. So we did what was necessary: we closed a room with a terrace so she could come and go as she pleased. All winter long, with the doors open, because if there was one thing Manuela had, it was her stubbornness. She would go out of room 9, next to the kitchen, but never went in. Like the queen she was, she demanded to enter through the front door. And there she was, on the stairs, making her characteristic “GUAUUU GUAUUUUU”, waiting for me to come down to help her up. But the very smart one, once upstairs, would not stay still; she would go back to room 9, as if it were a game that only she understood.
And so winter passed, and spring came, bringing with it the inevitable passage of time. In May, she could take no more. But even in her last days, Manuela was still walking with her friends, sleeping in the kitchenette or on whatever couch she could find free, or even with some lucky customer. And, believe it or not, sometimes, depending on who came along, she would still jump up and down with joy, and I would say to her: “Manu, stop, your hip is going to pop out!
Manuela gradually faded away, but she never lost the will to live that had defined her from the beginning. Until the last day, when I decided to take her to Judith, her veterinarian for the last few years. With Judith, we used to joke about when Manuela’s time would come, but the truth is that Manuela outlived all her siblings: Max, Markos, Mastin, Martina…. She was the last survivor of our beginnings.
Until last year, there wasn’t a single client at Mas Torrencito who hadn’t met her. And, with her unerring instinct, Manuela became the official “asshole and stupid” detector. There was no device more accurate than her; if she didn’t get close to someone, it was a clear sign: bad. And I’m sure all the clients reading me now would agree. Because they were all her friends. Manuela was never alone, nor will she ever be.
If there is a God, dog or human, I am sure Manuela will be at his right hand, asking him to throw a stone at her. Because her story does not end here, not in this writing, and certainly not in my mind. Manuela will always, always be with me and Mas Torrencito.
Ciao, beautiful princess.
From Mas Torrencito we wish you a good day and that your dog accompanies you !!!!
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