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Saturday, April 24, 2010

R.I.P. Kissy & Teddy

I'm sorry it's been a while since I've posted.  It's been a rough month, but I'm starting to get back to normal...whatever normal is.  :o)  Most of you who know me know how much of an animal lover I am.  Anyway, we had been taking Teddy (the black dog) to the vet.  They thought he had arthritis.  The medicine they put him on wasn't helping at all.  When we took him back the last time (April 12th), they discovered it wasn't arthritis.  Teddy had bone cancer.  He was in so much pain that when they sedated him in order to get the x-rays, he was whimpering under the anaesthetic.  Dr. Budding told us there wasn't anything they could do for him and we might want to consider the humane thing to do.  Ugh.  As most of you know, we had 3 dogs.  We knew a decision was going to have to be made for Kissy (the brown dog).  She was getting old and was not enjoying life anymore.  We weren't prepared for Teddy.  So we discussed it over the weekend and decided we would take them both in.  Our dogs have all three been together for 10 years.  So, on Friday April 16th, we lost two of our beloved dogs.  I took the day off work (it was Skeet's scheduled day off).  We were a mess to say the least.  It was the longest week of our lives.

I did a lot of praying Friday morning, mostly to make sure we were doing the right thing.  I knew we were for Teddy, because  he was in constant pain.  Just whimpering a lot and wanting us to just sit with him and love him, which we all gladly did.  He was such a lover.  So, I was sitting on the floor with Kissy  asking God to please let me know we made the right choice in taking her in with Teddy. What happened next is a moment in time that I will never, ever forget.  Kissy was laying next to me.  I was crying because I just didn't know.  She got up. She came and sat in front of me.  She put her head on my shoulder.  I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her so tight.  The feeling was overwhelming.  It was the right thing to do. Thank you, God, for confirming what Kissy wanted.

So, we left our house at 1:10 PM.  The dogs hung their heads out of the car windows in the back seat, enjoying the breeze running thru their faces for the last time.  I  could only watch and save that Kodak moment and embed it in my memory, for we wouldn't be seeing this same picture on the ride home.  Teddy went first.  He was growling at the needle only because Dr. Budding said he's just tired of being poked and prodded.  We held Teddy and lovingly caressed him as he left this life peacefully into the next.  Then it was Kissy's turn.  They picked her up and put her onto the table.  She looked at me as they got her ready.  I held her face in my hands and told her how much I loved her.  Skeet gently stroked her back.  She was gone before half of the tube was injected.  Dr. Budding was amazed and said she was very ready to go.  Little did he know, I received that message earlier that morning.  So, they are both pain free and living their eternal life running and barking and enjoying their new freedom that can only happen in Heaven.

Our dogs (and cats) aren't just animals to us.  They are part of our family and are treated as such.  I'm a big supporter of animals and the ASPCA is a foundation I give to regularly.  (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) I gave a special donation this week in memory of Teddy and Kissy.  If you would like to also donate, just click ASPCA.  And please don't support puppy mills by buying from them.  Go to your local shelter and save a life.  If you see abuse, or know it's taking place, PLEASE report it to your local authorities.  Please make sure to always spade an neuter your pets!  We didn't find Teddy and Kissy.  They found us and for the last 10 years we have been incredibly blessed by the amount of love they both gave us. They were dogs nobody wanted and just tossed aside.  How lucky we were they found us!

Now Stubby is the Lone Wolf as Skeet calls him.  He didn't take all this well at first.  We knew he wouldn't as he's  never been an 'only dog'.  But he's getting the spring back in his step and we are spoiling him like crazy.  My sister brought her dog, Leroy, over and Stubby actually was glad to see another dog.  I'm glad to say that Leroy will be making frequent visits to our house!  :o)

Sorry this post is so long.  Teddy and Kissy deserved this long memorial....even a longer one...but I am sitting here with tears in my eyes and need to go regroup.  I hope you all have a wonderful day and please, please love your animals, or support a local shelter or the ASPCA if you can't have a pet in your life.  You CAN make a difference in their life and the rewards you get back no money can buy.  I promise!!  The only thing in life they want is to be loved and to love.  That's it.  Plain and simple.

R.I.P. Teddy and Kissy.  What you gave us in love is a gift that will never be forgotten.  You made a difference in our lives and our home is off balance without you.  Until we meet again....

6 comments:

Jeannie said...

You handled that so well!! They were so fortunate to have your family as long as they did!
hugs to you!

Rosemary L. said...

That's the dark side of having pets - when they get sick and not going to get better.
We had that situation with our Maltese we THOUGHT we knew what was wrong with him and our vet wasn't much help and then he started urinating blood and we rushed him to the emergency clinic and they couldn't stop the bleeding and then we ran him down to the U of I small animal hospital at Champaign/Urbana and they were so cold and bureacratic!
They made us leave him alone in a cage all night (be gone!) and they couldn't stop the bleeding either!
When they permitted (!!) us to see him in the morning he was half dead but he was still such a brave little fighter! They brought in a donar dog for live platelets (She belonged to a student)and even that didn't help.
The Sunday staff was great but still so bureacratic - what did they think we were going to do?
He had a heart attack during the transfusion (which usually kills them) and he still didn't die - but then he did.
I got hysterical in the ER - he was still warm from being on the operating pad and I kept saying that he was still alive!!!
Made a fool of myself but we hadn't slept in 2 nights, etc.
We left him for cremation and cried all the way home to Chicago.
We stopped at a McDonald's to go the restroom as we had done so many times with Zozzie on road trips and I knew he wouldn't be there waiting for me when I came out. I just broke down in the line for the bathroom and started sobbing and sobbing. THe cold "beeyatches" in the line with me just looked at me like "who is that crazy old woman!" You would think one of them would have said something nice or kind!
Anyway, that's the heartbreaking part - some people never get another pet after something like what we've been though but if you're a "pet person" - what can you do???

jules said...

Awww Cindy, that is so sad. I'm so sorry you had to lose 1 dog, let alone 2 dogs. How hard that must've been. They are such a part of our families, that it is one of the hardest things ever. They are in a better place now and without pain. Hand in there!!

Sarah said...

I could barely read to the end...my eyes flooded...They began to the moment I saw Kissy and Teddy's pictures...I loved them soooo much! I will bring Leroy next week for another visit! He had a blast and it was fun to watch him and Stubby run!

Cindy said...

Thank you all for the comments! You gals are just special! Each day gets better, knowing Kissy and Teddy are in a better place. Rosemary - I'm sorry to hear of your struggle with your dog too, but I am thankful he had a good, loving home with you! Hugs to you all!! xoxo

Connie said...

I feel your pain. I lost both of my Great Pyrenees from bone cancer one year after the other. They were both 8yrs old. They were part of the family. We finally decided to wait 4yrs to get another puppy because my kids wanted one. Kissy and Teddy are playing with my dogs Jake & Nikki.

Connie