Drive for 12 hours to fetch son his long-promised birthday puppy. Bring puppy home to realize that something’s wrong with her. Take puppy to vet to learn that she has parvo. Prepare son for death of puppy, even as you authorize the vet to hospitalize her and place her on a week of medication and intravenous fluids. Cross fingers. Wait. Bite lip. Wait. Kick things. Wait. Finally learn that she is going to make it. Bring puppy home to the four happiest children on the planet.