Good-Bye, My Friend

I had to say good-bye to Maggie on Monday.  I've been too sad to write those words and though it's still not any easier, I need to talk about it too.

She went so quickly that I only had about 2 weeks with her from the time symptoms of her brain tumor struck to the time she was so incapacitated by that dreadful cancer that my parents had to ease her suffering and help her over the Rainbow Bridge.

Last kisses and hugs with Mom

Afterward, I laid down next to her sweet, still body, draped my head over hers and hugged her good-bye. 

But those are my sad memories.

I want to remember her as the tough and playful girl she was.  As I got to know her and gain some confidence, she taught me how to play tug-o-war with her favorite rope.  Each morning after breakfast, we snuggled together in front of the space heater in the bathroom as my mom took a shower and she would groom me, mostly licking my belly. I always rolled over so she could get all the good spots.

She was kind enough to share all of her favorite sun bathing spots and my mom called us "Sunbeam Buddies".

My mom and dad talk about how, in her younger years before she went blind, she loved to chase after the kids' gigantic green ball in the back yard and when she'd get hot, she'd jump into the water spray from the hose, lick at the water and get all cooled off again.  She also liked to jump up and bark like crazy under the trampoline as the kids bounced above her.

She went on camping trips and share the roasted marshmallows.  She curled up next to her "babies" as they cuddled or nursed in my mom's arms.  She slept with her kids when they were sick and she always knew when they needed a bit of extra love.  She played hard, snored loud, and was a loyal friend.  Though I've only known her 8 months, she'll always be with me.  She was my Friend.

My Friend, Maggie

I've been quiet on my blog lately and that's because this is hard for me to write.  My friend, Maggie, who immediately accepted me into her house, treated me like her brother and showed me all the good sunbeam spots, has developed a brain tumor.

Maggie has always been a tough dog, but unfortunately her breed has one of the highest percentages of brain tumors and it has quickly affected her life and health these past two weeks.

Like so many brain tumors, they can lurk undetected until sudden and extreme changes make it obvious.  Maggie has developed grand mal seizures and they are hard to control, even on medication.  It is hard for me to watch her go through this sudden transformation from a blind, but healthy and strong girl to this staggering and off-balanced confused dog. 

My mom carries her through the house to keep her close by and helps her outside to potty and to her food bowl at feeding time.  My Dad said that even though she's confused and off-balanced, she doesn't seem to be in pain and is eating well and even chews on her rawhide bones still.  I know my time with her is probably pretty short now and I'm soaking up each minute with her. 

I know lots of people have had to say good-bye to their beloved cat or dog or other pets and there are good guidelines to help determine when it's time to say good-bye, but it's hard for me to understand exactly what's going on.  I try to be gentle around Maggie now and snuggle with her whenever I can and sometimes when she's having a seizure, I lay down next to her and I put my paws over her legs to help comfort her.  I know something is very wrong--I can see it in my Mom's teary eyes.

I appreciate the comfort you, my blog-reading friends, have given to me.  I feel a little bit better sharing my sadness with all of you and I thank you for listening to me.

Back-To-School Blues

According to most parents, it's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!  But for me and lots of other pets, it's a big adjustment when the kids go back to school.  Luckily, BC2 (Boy Child 2) only goes to school half days so I still have my little buddy to play with.  But still, life is much quieter now and I'm still getting used to that.

I do admit, I had a little "accident" in the house.  I know, I was acting out and I shouldn't have, but I didn't know how else to express myself!  I thought I'd help other pets with some tips to get through this busy back-to-school season.

First, make sure you have a good supply of toys and if you can talk your owners into stuffing some treats into a few Kongs, that would be a great way to keep yourself occupied and happy for a while!

Secondly, ask your owner for more attention like a game of hide and seek, a walk, or if you're a cat, some feather-chasing would probably be fun.

Finally, please try not to annoy your family by having potty accidents (like I did), or digging up the yard, or scratching furniture or howling and bothering the neighbors!  Let them know that you are sad and miss your kids and that you need extra attention (and maybe a treat when they leave), but don't go overboard on the sympathy factor!

I hope that helps and that everyone has a great school year!