A Good Friend Gone

Late in the middle of the night, Charlie’s (our dog) spine suddenly ruptured. Most likely from all the various ailments he’s been dealing with, and the medication to help him. He was in terrible pain, more pain than I’d ever seen any animal in. I didn’t want to see him suffer anymore and decided to put him down. I didn’t want to stay to see the vet do it, but he’s been faithfully by my side for the last 12+ years, I couldn’t bear to let him die alone. I can’t really get the picture out of my head of my dear friend dying before my eyes. I know he’s at peace now, even though I am not.

All this on the eve of my daughter’s birthday. At first we weren’t going to tell her, but I don’t like deception so we told her in the early afternoon. She’s definitely handling it better than I expected, (and certainly better than I am)


Posted by on Aug 18, 2010 in family, home | 3 comments

3 Comments

  1. Jane
    Aug 19, 2010

    I’m sorry. (hugs) A pet’s death is harder than losing a person, sometimes.

  2. Paul
    Aug 19, 2010

    I am so sorry to hear this. I remember when our basset passed away, my son, now 20 was about 5 and my oldest daughter was just walking. It hit my son pretty pretty hard, and he, my wife and I were all crying. My daughter was to young to realize what was going on was walking around with a box of kleenex passing them out. It hard to loose a pet, they are more a member of the family than you realize.

  3. rachel
    Aug 20, 2010

    So sorry for your & your family’s loss.

    your daughter is probably at the age where she is beginning to truly grasp that life is finite; her sadness may also be related to the glimmer of realization that death is a part if life for all creatures, especially humans (ie mom and dad)

    Hugs