Memorials

Sebastion Hodge passed away July 5, 2015

Sebastion was adopted from a Gainsville animal shelter in 1999 when he was five months old. At the time I was still a student in veterinary school, we met my junior year during my surgery rotation. We were responsible for spaying and neutering the animals for the local animal shelter, Sebastion was my first neuter. During recovery we were instructed to not leave our patients alone until they were fully awake and mobile. Sebastion laid in my lap for several hours post op. My classmates all went home as their patients recovered quickly, where as Sebastion continued to sleep in my lap as I sat on the floor in his kennel. As the hours passed it became very late, I planned to head home and check back on him later. Once I moved Sebastion off my lap to the floor and stood to leave he was suddenly awake and attempted to follow me out of the kennel. I realized he was faking the excessive recovery to remain comfortable snoozing in my lap, and from that point on I wanted him to be apart of my life.
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Sebastion was a mischievous puppy and it was good that he was adopted by a veterinary student. Between the advil toxicity, the onion ingestion, and tearing the carpet in my apartment down to the floor boards he was always at the school for something. Once out of puppy hood Sebastion matured and was much more calm. For 16 years he remained by my side. I diagnosed him with lymphoma a form of cancer when he was 14 and had him treated with chemotherapy. Even as a veterinarian I struggled with the decision to treat him for cancer as he was not a patient, instead my own family member. It turned out to be the best decision I ever made for him. I was not ready to let him go, the treatment Sebastion received put him in remission and gave us another year and a half of time. Time that I am so grateful to have had. Eventually the cancer returned and took his life, but I am still honored to have cared for him when he needed me the most. Sebastion was my best friend, my baby boy, my son and he is truly missed!

Dr. Tammie Hodge