On my birthday, July 30, 29 years ago, the best dog I ever had left me.
Not a day has gone by that I have not missed him.
When I was young, I was afraid to die.
Now, I don’t think of what I’ll lose so much as *all* that I’ll regain.
There’s a whole lot of much loved critters waiting for me over there.
She had been in the yard with my mom. With my mom yelling at her as usual. Not the Ginger was doing anything wrong, just that's how my mom was with her. High strung does around people who get uptight EASY are a unique combination.
She had been in the yard, snooping around, being her playful self. (11 years old and still a puppy at heart, everything was FUN to her)
I had come home from somewhere and a buddy had stopped by. We were sitting at the table talking, when Ginger came in and leaned against me. She was shaking terribly. I thought maybe her arthritis was acting up, but when I went to give her her pill, her mouth was locked shut.I immediately took her to the emergency vet.
He said he'd run some tests and call me in a few hours with results.
He called back 3 hours later and said she had congestive heart failure and that she wasn't going to make it, to come as quick as I could to say goodbye. I was there 10 minutes later and she was gone.
Though I did say goodbye, WE never had a chance to say goodbye together.
I feel she left me and I feel I failed her, not being there.
Now here I am 50 years old. 290# of construction worker sobbing at the memories. But they're good memories, even in the pain.