Tuesday, March 18, 2008

My Fur Children




Ahh my sweet Bailey...this is going to be a hard blog to write but I wanted to pay a little tribute to her.

I had been married about a year and we decided we weren't quite ready for kids so we did what every other young couple does and got a dog. It was the summer of 1995 and we were living in Lee's Summit at the time and went to the local shelter and found a kennel that had two puppies in it. The male was very aggressive and barking while the female was shy and timid in the back of the kennel. I asked to get the female out and fell in love with her. They believed she was about 2 months old. We took her home and she slept on my lap for hours. She had been picked up off the street, along with her brother. We named her Kasey and she looked just like a mini lab at first. We had her about a month and decided to get her a friend because two dogs are better than one right?? We looked again at the local shelter but didn't find anything so we went over to Animal Haven in Shawnee. As I was walking around, I came up to the most adorable 2 month old puppy who the second she saw us, flipped over on her back as if to say PET MEEEEEEEEEE. She was the sweetest little puppy. I asked what the story was with her and she had just that morning been brought in by a family who was moving and couldn't keep her anymore. She instantly became the dog for us! I remember bringing her home and putting her in the yard with Kasey and poor Kasey just took off running from her!!

Fast forward a year to April of 1996 when my son Kyler was born. Both Kasey and Bailey licked him like crazy when we brought him home. They were such good 'baby monitors' as well, one little sound from him and they would make sure I knew about it! Never once was I ever concerned with having a baby and two dogs.

Press FF again to another 3 years to June of 1999 when my daughter Miranda was born. The dogs AND Kyler all became my 'baby monitors' for her. Again, no worries about them. Now big brother picking on her was another worry of mine but that didn't happen for a few more years. He actually kinda liked her at this age LOL

I got divorced in the fall of 2000 and moved out of the dream house I had built with my ex-husband *sigh* but then again, it was just a house right? Better to move on and be happy then to stay and be miserable....anyways, that's another blog for another time. The place I moved into wasn't too pet friendly. I could have kept them but would've had to pay so much to have them there and it didn't have a yard or anything so my ex-mother in law offered to doggy sit for a whole year for me!! God love her! Kasey and Bailey went to live with her and accepted the change well I think. They had a yard and someone to love them, what more could a dog ask for!?!

Finally a year later I moved into a place I could have the pooches back at. It was great having my furry kids back!! All was going well till spring of 2006 when Bailey started to get really sick and weak. She could barely walk and get around, I was freaking out that this was the end for her because in reality, she was 11 yrs old and that's a pretty good lifetime for a doggie. I was going out of town for Memorial Day and so I knew I had to get her into the vet asap. I took her in and had to make a decision to put her down or go for it and spend the money to figure out what is wrong. I couldn't give up that easy so I gave them the go ahead. They ran a ton of tests and blood work....long story short...she was diagnosed with Diabetes. Of course that meant I had to make the decision to put forth the time and effort to get her healthy again. She's my baby so I accepted. From that point on, I had to give her two shots of insulin a day. That's a pretty big commitment of time and money to devote to her but again, she's my baby so I did it. Within a short time she bounced back to the Bailey I knew. Thank god!

Having Diabetes really aged my poor girl. Over the past two years, she slowed down little by little, I could tell she was loosing her hearing and was getting cataracts with the disease. A few weeks ago she was really acting weird over a period of days. She was wandering around, panting, couldn't get comfortable, throwing up bile, and would just look lost so to say. I called the vet and he suggested bringing her in so Miranda and I took her in that day. The vet said she wasn't looking too good and that the disease had wore her out pretty good. He told me I was probably going to have to make a decision I didn't want to make or that we could run a bunch of tests to see what's wrong but I could see it in his face what the right decision was to make. I asked how soon I needed to make a decision and he said that was really up to me and that he could give her pain meds to help her out. I knew I couldnt take her home and then take her back again, that would pain me too much. I asked if I could please leave her for a few minutes to go get Kyler so that he could say his goodbyes as well. When we got back, the three of us went in as a family to talk to her and tell her how much we loved her. We were there through the very end as well. It was SO awful leaving her behind but I knew it was the thing to do. She had 13 years of love with us and actually the last 2 were bonus years in my eyes.

Poor Kasey was lost for a few days, she's never been alone like that. She's always been my dog, always with me where ever I was in the house she was there too. Now it's even more apparent how close she is to me. The first few days were rough, she wasn't eating and she was getting sick alot but she's better now, as we all are.

We miss our Bailey so much but we realize she's no longer in pain and won't get scared when it thunders and rains anymore.


Bailey - Sept 2007



Kasey - Sept 2007


My Fur Babies - Dec 2007



55 comments:

Nerdy Jess said...

tushy,

that brought tears to my eyes. your such a good doggy mommy. Baileys in a good place, I wish she was here for you, but she still is in spirit.

love you.

Unknown said...

Trying to make a grown man cry? I have been through the same thing. My buddy is buried in the back yard...I couldn't think of him not still being here with us (he was 13 as well).

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

I'm so sorry for your loss!

EmmaP said...

sweet! love the B&W pics of the pups!

Kimmie said...

I had a dog with diabetes... when it got to the end of his time I never cried like I did then. They really are our fur babies. May you be reunited in Heaven.

Mom said...

I am so sorry. My parents had to do the same with our family dog a few months back and it was heartbreaking.

Chuck said...

I know it was so sad to lose her, but it's so cool that you have all the great memories and pictures:)

Wep said...

:(

Oh I just want to hug my pup and we are still several states away :(

You are such a wonderful doggy momma and sometimes the kindest thing we can do for them is let them go, no matter how hard it is for us.

Wish I could send you a hug!

Congrats on your saucyness!

Dee said...

Hi Trish, over from Sits. Very sad story, its so hard to let them go when they have been your life for so long. My dog was 14 and cat 17 when I had to make the decision, and it never gets easier.
I have another 17 yo cat too, so time is coming again soon.

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. I have put 2 down and my baby of 14 years is about to join them. I know she is in a better place with no pain. But it doesn't lesson the pain and memories for us. Thanks for sharing.

Shanda said...

That was so sad...brought tears to my eyes too.

Creative Junkie said...

I'm so sorry. :(

We've never had to put down a pet before ... I can't imagine the pain.

Heather said...

Oh Trish, I could just feel the love you have for your dogs pouring out of that post. It brought tears to my eyes. I'm glad you and the kids had those two "bonus" years with Bailey!!

Unknown said...

I am so sorry for your loss, but glad that you were able to have that "bonus" time with your baby.

Andie said...

Big hug... I miss my fur baby, but I know she's in a better place too.

Kelly Deneen Raymond said...

That is so sad - I'm sorry you had to say good-bye to Bailey. ;( I am not looking forward to the day I have to say farewell to either of my furbabies.

Shelley said...

I've got tears in my eyes now! That's such a tough decision to make. We put our cat down at the beginning of the summer and I felt so bad about it. But it was for the best. Hugs!

Aubrey said...

Always a tough decision when we love 'em like our kids. Sorry for your loss. Heartbreaking.

Anonymous said...

It's so hard to say goodbye to our pets...I have lost several, too :(

cricketphx said...

I have tears in my eyes - such a sweet/sad story. I know first hand the pain of losing a pet. Thanks for sharing!

Jenni said...

I was never a pet person, but we got a dog last year--my husand and the kids really wanted one. It's crazy how attatched you get. Sorry for you loss.

Melissa Lester said...

The cat my husband and I got before we had children disappeared a few years ago, and I still look for him to come home again. In one way, the gradual realization that he was gone made losing him easier. But the fact that all these years later I'm still holding out hope makes accepting the loss more difficult. I'm sorry you lost your fur baby!

Anonymous said...

so hard to be a good doggy-mommy, but you did right by Bailey; I'm sorry for your loss...

*MWAH!*
Tanya

Simply Stork said...

oh now that is hard!

~simply~

Live.Love.Eat said...

I'm sorry! It IS hard losing a fur baby. I lost a few growing up we were very close with. Takes time like anything else.

Ali said...

Here's a hug sister, I feel your pain. I had to take in a cat we rescued (Iknow, a cat, I'm really a dog person, but I keep getting stuck with cats. What's a girl to do?!) and leave her there to be put down. It was, by far, one of the hardest things I've EVER had to do and it broke my heart. I still cry, to this day, when I think of it. Hugs, hugs, hugs!

Anonymous said...

*hugs* Our fur children are so very special. A week before my wedding, our chihuahua got unexpectedly and urgently ill; surgery would have cost $1800 at the least, and not been a guaranteed solution to the problem, so we had to make the difficult decision to put him down. Two years later & I still cry when I think about it...

Amanda said...

What a beautiful tribute. Our dogs sure have a way of wiggling their way deep into our hearts.

Shannon said...

Napping under the Christmas tree.. too cute!

Great post

Laura Brown said...

I had to put my favourite cat to sleep. It was very sad, made me tear up to read your post today.

Cheryl Ann said...

I just cried in my office, reading that. I have not yet experienced the death of a pet, but I know I am going to be a mess when my lab, Bella, goes. So sorry for your loss--Bailey looked like a sweetie.

Lump said...

oh my goodness. this brought tears to my eyes. such a touching post. my two bullies are my children and LOVE them more than anything.

G. said...

awww...so sorry. Your dog looked like a great companion!

EmBee said...

It's so hard to let an animal go. I've had to put down 2 of our precious dogs who became ill with cancer. I sat and held each one when it was their time and wept mightily as I said my goodbyes as they went to sleep in my arms.

Our dog Anna is 9 now and I hope she's still a good ways off from leaving us.

Thanks for sharing your precious pooches with us!

Melissa said...

I'm so sorry for your loss, reading that really choked me up and I think anyone who has had to lose a pet like that can relate-it really is like losing a member of your family.

Cracker Scraps said...

Next to loosing my father, loosing my precious pets has been harder than I ever imagined! TFS!

Vicki said...

Oh, I'm so sad for you! That's one of the toughest decisions to have to make. We're just finding out that one of our 1 year old cats will have to be on a special diet for the rest I his life due to UTIs. It's expensive, but you're right, they're members of the family.

On a happier note, we just moved from Warrensburg, MO. Lee's Summit is where I'd go to do any decent shopping!

Mama Dawg said...

Thank you so much for sharing. I'm getting ready to have to make "that decision" soon with my cat that I've had FOREVER and I'm not looking forward to that day.

Even thought this made me cry, it was still lovely to read.

Came via SITS.

Kimberly said...

I had a golden retriever growing up and ever year she would freak out on the 4th of July. To this day, we always feel like we have to hurry home after the fireworks to check on her even though she is no longer there.

Red Cup Mom said...

It's always tough. Sometimes writing about our fur babies keeps the memories stronger somehow. Thanks for sharing.

KatBouska said...

That's so sad. :(

Unknown said...

We seem to have a lot in common re: the divorce...it was way harder for me to leave my dream home that we built than to decide my marriage was over. Strange how that was...sounds like you were a fab mommy to your dogs. I have one attached to my butt everywhere I turn;) Love him, when I'm not tripping over him!

Sunshine said...

Crying here! Oh, I totally know what you're talking about there! We just had to make that awful decision, suddenly last New Year's Eve. Terrible, terrible. We had to say good bye to a very sweet furry friend. He was almost 12. Oh, I still can't really talk about it yet. Break my heart.

I wish I could hug you too.

wendy said...

Oh, that's so sad! Our pets become family memebers as well. I would hate to lose my Bailey (she's only 4).

(((hugs))) and happy SITS day!

♥ Becky ♥ said...

What a beautiful tribute to Bailey. I lost my dog of 12 years just 2 years ago and I still miss him terribly.
You were and still are an excellent doggy mommy!!!!

Happy SITS Day!!

Jaime said...

What a sweet tribute to your dog. I'm an animal lover, and I know that losing a pet is like losing a member of the family. I loved all the pictures too.

Anonymous said...

What a sad post. I am so attached to my dogs. We had to put one down and it was so hard. How wonderful though that Bailey had such a loving owner!

Michelle said...

That is one of the hardest decisions you ever have to make. I'm lucky that of my two cats who've died since I was the one in charge (e.g., not my parents), one of them just curled up in a corner and went. Hard, but her choice, not mine. The other one had a very aggressive cancer in her jaw, and I knew it was time but so so hard to take her and let her go and say goodbye. Kudos to you for being able to make that decision.

Busymama Kellie said...

I haven't had to make the terrible decision you did, but I do know the pain of losing a loving pet. Sounds like she was lucky to have you in her life!

Unknown said...

I've never had to make that terrible decision (yet) but I have lost pets and know how keen the pain can be. I'm glad you have other fur babies around you.

Rela Pantaleon said...

(crying...) I'm sorry. I don't want to be in the same position but you were brave to make a decision.

WheresMyAngels said...

When I divorced my husband I had to leave the pets with him, as I had to leave with just the kids and the clothes on our backs. It was so hard and his treatment of the animals wasn't good. Eventually his girlfriend talked him into getting rid of them (they found good homes for them), but I always miss my dogs and wonder where they are now.

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry. We have two and if one were gone I think it would break my heart to see how the other dog would miss him. That was a sweet tribute.

Rhea said...

I would be devastated to lose our dog, so I can't imagine what you must have gone through. I'm so sorry! She sounded wonderful!

Ashley said...

Very moving. Thank you for recommending it to me to read. I'm not quite reading to do a full piece on Woo. Just this last week has been rough because on Sunday, we're closing up his doggy door. I know it needs to be done. I think I have cried every day this week since last Friday.

A big part of me hurts because I didn't get to love him and hold him and say goodbye. I couldn't. So, my dad stepped up the plate while we were gone to do it for me. The last picture I have of him in my head is him sitting on the couch as I closed the door to head off to Michigan.