Posted on 01/05/2022 10:09:28 AM PST by MountainWalker
We lost our dear dog, Sully, yesterday, and I'm absolutely heartbroken. He was our second recuse dog - the older one is strangely still alive and well. So, this was our first time going through the process. I expected it to be terrible, and it's worse than expected.
He was about 13 and getting pretty rickety, falling down a lot, had trouble going up and down stairs, had poor bladder and bowel control anymore and had some dementia - staring off into walls at times. But, he was still as sweet as he was the day that we decided to keep him after fostering him through the rescue organization that my wife has volunteered for.
He had cancer surgery right before Labor Day when he was starting to get a little wobbly and the surgeon estimated that we might have bought him another year or so. It was eye-wateringly expensive, but we did it anyway without a second thought.
His arthritis accelerated quickly, however. Toward the end of his life, his lower back would slouch down because his hind legs were too weak to hold him up, especially near the end of the day, and had trouble getting comfortable even laying down. We tried some pain killers, but that made him even more clumsy.
It makes no sense, but the sharpness of pain is as much as I remember feeling when we got my father's terminal illness diagnosis. Maybe time has only softened my memory of the pain compared to now, but it's definitely in the same ballpark. Watching a helpless creature whose life revolved around you and was by your side constantly pass away based upon your call is indescribably painful. He was sleeping wedged against me with his head on my pillow next to mine on Monday night and now he's gone.
Any prayers or suggestions for how to manage the pain are appreciated. Thanks, FRiends.
So many of us understand your grief, so you are not alone. The times humans share with their beloved pets is so unique because it is pure love and need of each other. Prayers up
Sorry for your loss.
No special things to get through it, you just have to get through it. Don’t rush it. This takes time. Right now you can afford to take time to mourn, we aren’t in a SHTF situation. Remembering the massive amount of good times over 11 years helps perspective. Also remembering you will get him back one day helps, more so later down the line.
They steal your hearts. And then leave.
No greater friend to mankind than a good dog.
I lost a friend.
Yesterday I lost a good friend of mine. I have known this friend for 12 years and yesterday was the last time I will ever see him. We met when we were both younger and fitter. We made a connection that day that neither one of us realized would last this long or be this strong. He was different than others I had been close to and had an independence streak I was not sure I could live with. We managed to get over our differences each thinking we got our way.
He met my family and instantly became one of us. With his playfulness my kids loved him and with his loyalty my wife tolerated his independence. Though he loved them all there was a special bond between him and me. Before responding to requests or questions he would look to me for advice and guidance.
For different reasons we loved to hike. Saturdays mornings were just for us. We would jump in the car and drive off to the local woods and spend hours enjoying the outdoors, exploring and discovering. Sometimes for a change of pace we would explore the woods near the bay. For someone whose background was fishing he never liked to be in water deep enough to swim. Those were fine days meeting others just like us and just playing around like we were the last ones on earth. On these hikes he never liked to be restrained. He would pull and fight so as not to be held back by anything but his own mind.
Things were not all wine and roses but my friend stuck by me. When I had my first heart attack he was always there to check up on me and make sure I was OK. When I was away for a day a week or just a few hours he always greeted me with in infectious happy hello.
Things changed a few years ago when we moved to a small town upstate New York. But our bond did not. He still was my constant companion and friend I could rely on. We both experience a freedom up here that was nonexistent on Long Island. Without the feeling of being fenced in our horizons broadened. Our exploring could take place in our own backyard. The things we saw and experienced, our first wild deer, turkey, woodchucks, and unfortunately skunk. Each one was a wonder to us both.
Our new neighbors even took a liking to my friend and knew he was special. He even took it upon himself to go visiting when one had some female guests, another time he came home with a neighbor after going exploring on his own and might have gotten lost. Both times I was livid at him but could not stay that way when he gave me that look of I am sorry I let you down.
He stood by my side through my extended unemployment and second heart attack. He never thought less of me and never passed judgment just glad we were together. We would spend our days looking for work and doing odds and ends around the house. Our high points were breakfast, lunch and dinner when the whole family would be together.
But time began to take its toll on my friend. First his teeth then his hearing which forced most of our communicating to be done by looks, which we had perfected over the years. When his eyesight began to go it made it harder but our bond was still strong. Finally his cancer which had been just bumps manifested itself with an open wound. Though we tried to fight it together it was no use. My happy friend would sulk around the house and only come around to be with me when I asked him to. It was painful to watch as he struggled with the pain of aging and not being able to do the things we loved. When he almost completely stopped eating I knew it was time to end our relationship.
It was the only choice and as his best friend it fell to me. I took him for one last ride to the doctor for him to be put to sleep. As the drugs began to take effect I could feel the relief from the pain. I saw him slipping away to where there is no pain and everyday is Saturday. Some might say my friend was just a mutt with no breeding but he was my friend my Buddy.
In Memory of my Black Lab Buddy 1998-2011
It was a DOG not a person.
get over it. A dog.
I lost both of my parents in 2020. I lost my dog in 2007.
Guess which one hurts more? A dog is a pet. Not a person.
good grief.
WOW..so inappropriate and unnecessary
O.K. so you're definitely not a compassionate conservative.
https://www.sunnyskyz.com/uploads/2016/02/nthw6-dog-dying-could-talk-1.jpg
God bless you and relieve your pain. Your beloved pet is at peace.
I get another dog right away. Not in disrespect for the one I lost but it does help speed the healing process for me anyway.
All I can offer to you is prayer! A God that notes the fall of a sparrow will not find your prayers for comfort here to be inappropriate! That this post has so many responses proves this community to be equally caring.
Secondly, on a side note, if there is anything to genetic engineering, I believe that no speciality would be more rewarding than to find a way of extending the lives of our pets! To add 5-10 years to their lives would make fortunes indeed!
I am a Roman Catholic and we honor the human body that was created in God’s image. It’s sad to see so many people are equating a dog with a human being.
Who was to have dominion over who?
Do you think The Almighty God wanted pet worship? Think golden calf. Crying over a dog 11 years later is just wrong.
On his mantel my brother has the following cremains:
3 dogs and his mother-in-law. No respect for the human body.
So O.K. you must be an evangelist, Christian only when convient. Or maybe you just didn’t know how sacred the human body is.
Shouldnt God be teaching something about compassion when others feel sorrow..or did you miss that class?
Well, where does it say you can't mourn the loss of a dog? As far as my religion, none of your business except to say I don't go to Catholic church much anymore because apparently the priests YOU worship don't know how sacred a human body is, especially young boys.
it is so systemic..now an investigation in Spain
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/catholic-church-spain-faces-major-abuse-investigation-el-pais-newspaper-2021-12-19/
Prayers offered on your behalf sir, for small smiles and laughter upon remembering wonderful, funny instances that you and Sully shared, to begin the slow healing.
I have always believed that they would not want us to feel unrelenting sadness, so try to think of the best of your time together, and be thankful for every bit of it, FRiend.
May God offer you comfort,
tatt
I have 6 dogs and two horses buried in my pasture. Still talk to them when I out and about. bless you for giving him a home.
We love our dogs.
My kids have their own, now, and it’s hard having to teach them that everything about them is great - except we live six or seven times longer than they do.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m 71, and it never, ever gets easier. Peace be with you.
get over it. A dog.
I will pray for you. What on earth inspires you to feel that such a comment is warranted?
“ BarbM wrote:
It was a DOG not a person.
get over it. A dog.
I lost both of my parents in 2020. I lost my dog in 2007.
Guess which one hurts more? A dog is a pet. Not a person.
good grief.”
——————————-
Barb, my father has been steadily dying with Frontotemporal Dementia for 5 years now. He will probably pass away from the disease this year. Earlier in his decline, my dogs would accompany me visiting him in his nursing home and would bring him great joy in a way that he could no longer obtain from any humans let alone his kids. They also lit up all of the other nursing home residents who maybe didn’t have many sources of happiness anymore.
When I was in grief over receiving his diagnosis, my wife, obviously was always there for me, but my dogs, particularly Sully, comforted me in a way that all the other dog and pet owners here seem to understand besides you.
I’m sorry for the loss of your parents and that you’re so hard-hearted generally. It sounds like you were just never a dog person and maybe not even a people person.
To all the rest of you, thank you for the prayers, kind words and helpful advice.
For everyone’s sake, but especially yours, please let’s get back to our friend who lost his dog.
And for BarbM: Didn’t anyone ever tell you there’s a time and a place for everything?
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