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| Sun, 01-01-2006 - 3:54pm |
I said goodbye to my beloved Caleb, my beautiful 13yo yellow lab, on Monday, December 26th. He had been steadily losing strength and control in his hind legs for at least the past year. He took a particularly nasty spill on our tile floors on the Thursday before Christmas and by Christmas Day, had barely enough strength in his legs to hold his 110 lb self up.
On that Monday, it was clear that he had given up, so I made an emergency call to the vet. After we said our goodbyes, my mom and dad (who were here visiting for the holiday) the kids and I carried him to my car right on his bed and the assistants at the vet's office rolled a gurney to my car, lifted him out and wheeled him in to the office.
I stayed with him until to the end, when he lay his big, beautiful face down on his front paws for the last time and very, very peacefully went to sleep.
Julie

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Oh Julie, how sad. I'm so sorry for you.
Hugs,
Mily
Oh Julie, I'm so sorry! It's so hard losing a member of the family. I'm sure Caleb will live on through your photos and wonderful memories of him.
Hugs,
Deborah
Hugs...we had our 14 year old diabetic cat put down 12/22, right before we left to see my folks in Chicago (ds and I took turns crying all the way up). Again, very hard, but it was time. I can definitely relate. They are now at peace.
Sue
Oh, Jules. I am so sorry. I know this was weighing heavily on you. I also know how torn you were. I am so sorry it had to happen right before your vacation.
Losing a pet is such a hard thing. I know YOU knew it was time, but it doesn't make it any less sad or any less difficult to deal with.
I understand completely---feel free to email me if you want to.........I understand how sad it is.
Just remember, I had trouble emailing you back........so if I can't get thru to you if you decide to email me, I'll shout at you here.
Shels
jt
Oh Sue ... I'm so sorry. It just sucks, doesn't it? Even though I had been preparing myself for the day for at least six months, it was still awful saying goodbye and I cried and cried all day. We left for a trip the very next day and I made sure to get rid of any reminders (food bowl, squeaky toys, etc.) in the house and put them out for the trash man to get while we were gone.
Only thing is, when we returned at 11:45pm on New Year's Eve, there was just enough light on the porch for me to see his leash still hanging over the porch railing. That sent my heart right down to my toes all over again.
Hugs to you too ...
Julie
Thanks Shels. You're right -- knowing the time was coming and not know WHEN the right time actually was, was such an awful burden. I didn't have to question myself when it happened because it was very definitely time, and he was struggling so hard and was so very, very peaceful from the time I got him into the car and right up until the time he passed, that actually, I felt this odd sense of relief when I got back from the vet's office.
Leaving so soon after was truly a welcome diversion; it got us all thinking about packing, getting to the airport, etc. and then we had five days to digest the fact he wouldn't be here when we got back, and I made sure to get rid of any reminders of Caleb from around the house before we left. I missed his leash on the porch rail, though. I noticed it right away, but I don't think anyone else did.
Anyway, I knew how little time he had left before he fell so badly that Thursday, and he was sitting in the yard and I was able to take some very special photos of him.
Julie
I understand about the sense of relief.........it is such a huge burden knowing this type of decision must be made.
I'm glad your trip was a good diversion for you and your family. Having a lovely family vacation certainly seems like a wonderful thing-----
All the best,
Shels
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