Thank you, Oui, for showing how to post images.
I logged a lot of time on the floor opposite Brady, reassuring him that he REALLY didn’t need to struggle back to his feet to reposition himself for the fifth time. I’d watch him drift off to sleep, and then could find somewhere slightly more comfortable where I could rest.
I took that picture Tuesday night, during what turned out to be my last such “floorside vigil”. Brady passed away Wednesday morning while I was teaching. The class was on break, and someone came up to me with a message from my husband saying that I should call home right away.
The news did not come as a surprise. But it sucks nonetheless.
UPDATE: The picture below was taken slightly under a year ago.
When I posted about Brady’s passing on Facebook, I got a lot of well meaning responses saying something to the effect that “at least he was no longer suffering”.
I miss him terribly, but one thing that gives me comfort is the knowledge that we made the right decision in letting him go in his own time. I completely understand why euthanizing a pet can be the right decision in some situations. But in Brady’s case…no.
The silver lining in the cloud that is degenerative myelopathy is that Brady almost certainly wasn’t in pain. His gradual decrease in mobility came about because he couldn’t feel much of anything in the back half of his body.
So, over time, he slowed down, and there was less he could do without a great deal of patient, compassionate assistance–which, while sometimes exhausting, I was happy to provide for him. He was my loyal companion for 12 years, so he’d more than earned the extra care he needed from me in these last weeks.
And it was rewarding to be able to share in the moments of joy he could still experience. Taking morsels of meat from my hand with such gusto that I really had to watch out for my fingers. Flirting with teenage girls when I took him for a walk in front of the house. The old boy lived a full life right up to the end, and I’m glad he wasn’t deprived of those moments.
Mrs. ID and I are of the same feeling about our animal friends. Its a great loss and very tough to say goodbye to one who has given a lifetime of unconditional love. Sorry you are having to go through it.
Losing a beloved animal companion at any time and in any manner is heartbreaking.
I have taken both roads – I have helped some depart this world, and have let some leave on their own time. There are times when you know what to do, and there are times when it is not so clear, but when you know you can rest easy knowing you have made the right decision for the animal.
It sounds like you did the right thing for Brady.
Rest in peace, Brady.
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I still lookup the info in superscalar’s diary from 2005 – How’d boo do that? (An HTML Primer)
I use the straightforward code: [img width=”” src=””] {replace [ ] by < >}
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Wow. I bookmarked that relic for later use. Most of those UIDs haven’t been seen around these parts for many years.
Thanks for that. I guess I should go in and edit then…
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Great picture of Brady and the daffodils.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Thanks. Whenever I really needed a break from things, I would hit up my mom or brother to spring me to stay for a night at a hotel–that allows dogs. This picture was taken outside the hotel on one such overnight. The visibility of a leash in the picture is a reminder of how recently he actually needed a leash.
Within the last two weeks, my brother sported for a hotel room for me as a belated birthday gift. That was during the time frame when Brady got up multiple times every night because he couldn’t get comfortable.
After trying a few times to help him settle in on the floor, I finally gave up, went out to the car to get the blanket we’d put on the back seat for Brady, and spread it on half of the bed. Picked him up and helped him get comfortable on the bed. And we both got the most restful night of sleep we’d had in a while.
One more thing–I had only recently started estimating Brady’s age as being around 14. With a rescue dog adopted as an adult, it’s hard to be all that exact. But today I found a vaccination record from May 3, 1999, and it listed his age at the time as 2. Cripes! He was actually nearly 15! Impressive lifespan for a dog that size…
Sorry for your loss. It is so strange how these little people can get under your skin.
Our Yellow Lab “Early” passed on Feb 11. I feel your pain I could not stop crying for a week. I miss him so much.
I’m sorry Renee that really sucks.