PJ woke up coughing.  He immediately remembered the conversation from the night before.  He knew the doctor told his adoptive  family that he was too sick to help.  His terrible cough reminded him of how sick he was.  It hurt just to breathe.
'
"Good Morning my Pajama Prince," said Mommy Cricket.  "I have some news for you."

"I already know," said PJ, giving his mom a kiss, "I'm dying and they can't help."

"Well," said Mommy Cricket, "I talked to the doctor last night.  The tests have come back and you have a lot of damage in your lungs.  You are a sick puppy!"

"I'm so sorry Mommy Cricket," said PJ.  "I really wanted to get better.  I heard you talking on the phone last night.  I know there is no hope."

"The doctor said you have terrible masses in your lungs,"  said Mommy Cricket.  "Plus the pneumonia.  She didn't have the best news, but she called back last night because she had an idea."
 

 
"An idea?" said PJ with surprise.  "There is hope?"

"Well," said Mommy Cricket.  "There is an easy part and a hard part. The easy part is that the doctor said you are to have as much fun as you want. You are to have all the stories and playtime that you can manage, and all the fun you can stand!

"They are just saying that because I'm dying," said PJ sadly.

"Not really," said Mommy Cricket. "Having fun is good for you. And it will also help with the hard part."

"What is the hard part?" asked PJ.

"The doctor wants you to go into a steam tent twice a day. She wants me to hit those bad spots in your lungs to break them up.  It will seem like I'm hitting you but I will be hitting the bad spots."

"I'll try anything!" said PJ.

"You're going to have to trust me," said Mommy Cricket.

"I trust you Mommy," said PJ.

"This is our last chance," said Mommy Cricket.  "It's really important.  You have to be very brave.  You have to have these treatments twice a day, take your medicine, and go back to see her in one month."

 
 
 
 

Patrick carefully covered the crate with a shower curtain and attached the vaporizer to make steam for the puppy to breathe.

He put a soft cushion inside for his young son to sit on, and a timer next to it so they would know exactly how long he would have to stay inside.

PJ Wigglebee was very brave.   He understood how serious his illness was and he did exactly what he was told to do.  He even trusted Mommy Cricket to whack his chest as many times as the doctor told her to.  Twice a day he endured this treatment for an entire month.

Mommy Cricket sang to him to help him to have hope:
 


"This young pup, he gets well, 
he grows big as you can tell, 
with a knick knack PJ Whack, 
give your dog a bone,
Wigglebee will be full grown."
 

 
 
 
 
 

Patrick did give their little dog a bone to help him to pass the time.  

PJ Wigglebee would get into his medical tent to breathe the steam every morning and every night.  He was never late, and he never gave his pawrents a difficult time. 

"Don't forget to tell me a story while I'm in here," he reminded them.  In fact he reminded them twice a day, every day, for the entire month.