Stories
Georgia’s Story, My Life with Laura
From the "Lessons from Laura : The Knock on the Door" by Carolyn Bradfield (and Georgia)
I'm Georgia
My name is Georgia and I’ve lived a good life, but soon I will cross the Rainbow Bridge and join my most precious human, Laura who left me some time ago. I'm in quite a bit of pain and my life isn't happy anymore so my family will help me find Laura who is waiting for me. Before I go, I wanted to share my life with Laura so you can see how her struggles became my struggles.
How I met Laura
I was just a puppy when Laura and her friend Carl brought me home in Colorado. That was a very confus- ing time for me because sometimes I was with Carl and sometimes Laura.
Carl was much older than she was, and his house made me lonely, but then I went to Laura’s apartment, things were better. I soon realized that my job was to protect and comfort Laura because I saw her struggle with Carl who was not a nice man.
One day, people came and took her away and I was left with Carl. But soon we got in a car, drove to Georgia and Laura and I were back together.
Her Family Really Didn't Like Me
Laura’s mom thought I was still in Colorado and freaked out when she found me with Laura in her basement. I had never met her mom, so I growled to let her know I was Laura’s protector. I had no idea that I was a scary type of dog and heard Laura and her mom fight over me just being me. It was clear that I wasn’t welcome there.
I'm Going to College!
Hurray! Laura got into Kennesaw State, got her own apartment, and brought me with her. I thought it was going to be so fun being a college dog, but I soon found out that my life was going to get crazy. You see, Laura was drinking and sticking needles in her arm and that made her different. I tried to be there for her, but I just didn’t know what to do. Laura left me alone a lot, yelled at me and wasn’t happy.
Carl and other men came over, but they weren’t nice either and I did the best I could to stay ready to protect my human when she need- ed me.
One day Laura left me locked in the bathroom and didn't come back for a long time. I was hungry and scared and knew she needed my help. Laura’s family finally came, but Laura wasn’t there. I later learned she was asked to leave college which made her so sad and was going to get help for the things she had been doing with the needles and bad men.
Laura Has a Brother
Who knew Laura had a brother! I had never met him, but Laura was gone, and I got invited to stay at his house. I missed Laura, but life with Ross was calm, predictable, and fun. There were no strange people coming in and out and I felt safe, but at the same time sad because my special human was away and I didn't know when I would see her again.
Ross had a house and a backyard where I could go and chase squirrels, sleep in the sun, or just hang out. He would come home and play with me and bring his friends over. They were so much nicer than the ones from the apartment and nobody yelled or used needles or made me feel like I needed to protect them.
Reunited and It Felt So Good!
Laura was away a long time, but she came back, and I was so happy to see her. She looked good, was so happy and I just knew she would be my forever human again. But things didn’t work out that way. I began to see different men than when we were in college, stayed at their houses in not so nice places, and I had such a hard time protecting her.
A New Family
All of a sudden, I was back with Ross and believe it or not, there was another dog that looked a lot like me. His name is Fletcher and he's been my best friend for 8 years. I know he's going to miss me when I cross the Rainbow bridge, but my forever family will take care of him.
Laura was gone for such a long time, but one day she came back to see me. Her visits were short, and I came back to my forever family, to Fletch- er, and to my backyard. I somehow knew that living with Laura again was not in my future as she went away and came back many times.
Gone Forever
It was almost Christmas and Laura had not been to see me in a while. My family came home one day very sad, and Ross tried to explain to me that Laura had crossed the Rainbow Bridge and wouldn’t be coming back.
He told me that she had done the scary thing that I saw back in college and although the smart people tried to save her, it wasn’t enough. She was gone forever.
I’m ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge because I know Laura is waiting for me. I’ll miss my forever family and Fletcher. Laura needed me to protect her, but in the end, I couldn’t save her and somehow, I knew that. I hope people will remember me and Laura and I will love and play and do all the things I missed so much.
Lessons from Laura
Georgia's story is one of the chapters in the Lessons from Laura book series available on Amazon, a series of poignant and deeply personal stories of love, loss, and the relentless battle against addiction. Carolyn Bradfield courageously shares the heart-wrenching journey through her daughter Laura’s 15-year struggle with addiction, culminating in a tragic overdose. These books are not only a memoir but a guide, offering invaluable insights into the often-overlooked signs and critical decisions that could make a difference.
