Rest In Peace, My Little Boy....

 

Update to previous post: "Learning to Say Goodbye"

 

"Chewy"



My faithful friend Chewy passed from this life at 11:25 in the morning, March 17, 2014.  My little Chew-Boo - who I had the privilege of watching him grow from a  little puppy to my faithful companion for 10 years. 

 

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My little Chewy:  every morning he used to greet me with a lick on my nose and a touch on my elbow.  Every evening when I'd return from work, there he'd be - at the door waiting for me to open it, and then he'd dance his little jig - flipping a twirl and squealing with excitement as he'd jump up on his little hind legs  and with his front legs outstretched begging for me to pick him up.  What a joy to return home to him!! It was as though he would scream, "momma's home!  momma's home!!" 

 

But on this morning, he didn't greet me with a lick on my nose: instead I awoke to sounds of him struggling through an early morning seizure that was set off by his brain tumor.  All I could do was hold him close as his little body convulsed.  When the seizure subsided he relaxed and let me hold him as he buried his head between my neck and my pillow.  But too quickly he suffered another seizure, and then a third.  It became very apparent that the decision to end his suffering - which was most heart wrenching - had unfortunately come - and for me it came too soon.  I didn't want to let him go, but keeping him alive would only have been for my sake, and so unfair to him.  Just watching him struggle as he deteriorated so quickly was painful.  The only proper decision was to fulfill my promise to him.  

 

I wrapped him in his blanket and held him as my sister drove us to the vet clinic.  With tear-filled eyes I smiled down at him, and he seemed to reassure me that everything would be alright as he looked at me with those big black eyes ... and then he licked my nose with his little pink tongue - one last time.  I kept my promise and stayed with him as the drug was administered through his vein; I held his little head as he fell limp and as he drifted off to sleep ... and I kissed his little wet nose as his little body lay on the bed. 

 

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I truly believe that one day I will see my little Chewy again.  Yes, once again, he will be waiting for me at the door; he will stand on his little hind legs with his front legs outstretched begging for me to pick him up - and with his little scream of delight as if to say - "momma's home - momma's home!!"  And I will pick him up and hold him close as he looks at me with those bright little black eyes, and licks my nose with that little pink tongue - yet once again!!   "Yes, Chewy!!  Momma's Home!!" 



Rest, now, my little boy....