How do you Mend a Broken Heart? ***Hello Katie***

[CoyoteMagic]

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for about an hour after Spook passed I had trouble catching my breath. I do have asthma but this was different. It was like my body didn't want to breath any more. I dunno, maybe my spirit was trying to stay with Spook.

Yes they become very much a part of you.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

 

[CoyoteMagic]

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Thank you Kansas. My house is full of fuzzies! 5 right now. 3 with partial vision-littermates. It was interesting watching them interact with Spook during her last day. Little Luna would lay in the corner across the room and just cry. A month ago, she had been trying to get Spook to snuggle with her because the big kitties wanted nothing to do with her. Luna knew something was happening and it wasn't good. I hadn't seen Lucky all day, he had found a place to nap. When Spook finished her last back of IV fluids, he appeared across the room and just stood there looking. He came to the matteress we put on the floor and laid next to it, his head on top just watching. Lucy was on her basket watching wanted to snuggle with me because I was upset.

My husband will tell you that Spook was my soulmate. We could communicate without words. Just a look, a gesture and we both knew what was wanted.

You vet people are awesome!! Over the last month and half we have lost 2. They stood there as I tried to be strong for my husband, he just bawled like a baby. Vets cried, techs cried. When I brought her back to be creamated, We all cried again. And we will continue to do so for years to come. Spook and Bashful were my babies. Bashful was my first born. I was there when she came in to the world. I stroked her momma's head a she was delivered. She purred the whole time. Even though we had trouble finding a vein on her for the needle, she just kept puring. She accepted what was happening. I am sure she knew that she was going to the Bridge and was happy to do so. I had been there all her life, I just couldn't walk away and leave them

 

[Kansaseq]

 

[KinderKorner]

I lost my best friend my dog a few days before my birthday a few years ago. I still miss him, and cry if I think too much about him. I have his collar in a zip lock baggie, and when I'm upset I pull it out and hold it. It still smells just like him. (A good smell)

I felt lost without him and got a new dog about 6 months or so later hoping it would help me cope.

It was the wrong choice. This dog was nothing like him. And I found myself bitter. I would compare the poor my puppy to him in every way. "He would never of done that. Or he was so much smarter....." I rehomed the dog. After she hurt some of the other animals, it was a good thing for her and me. I didn't love her. I treated her nicely, and played with her and stuff. But she wasn't special. I wasn't attached. I felt myself missing my dog more.

Now I'm not a dog lover anymore. They are cute. But I don't think I could ever find a dog that would mean as much to me. I find myself not as patient with them anymore. When I go to peoples houses with dogs jumping on me I recoil. I have come to the fact my heart hasn't healed yet. There isn't a day I go by I don't have regrets or miss him. He was the best and smartest dog I have ever seen. He could do around 30 tricks, knew many many words. Growing up I didn't have many friends. He was my friend. As I aged I grew apart from him. I still loved him. But we were in the middle of moving, and very busy so I didn't pay as much attention to him as I should have for a couple weeks. He was depressed acting because he wasn't the main focus of attention. One day I decided it was time to give him a ton of love. I went to the store and bought him a bunch of treats. And planned on coming home to play with him all day. When I arrived home he wasn't inside. I called and called. Then I saw something I will never forget. I found my best friend on the side of the highway. What he had been doing out I will never know. He probably just escaped as we were opening and closing doors. I dropped my bag of treats and fell to the ground screaming. I cried everyday for a few weeks. Including over my birthday. It was the worst feeling I ever had. It was very tramatic. To this day the first thought I ever remember about him is finding him that day. The guilt was and still is so hard. Feeling as though I abandoned him near the end of his life.

I thought I would share my best friend story with you. Here I am crying now. I'm sure he didn't hold anything against me. He loved me to the end, and I know I loved him. But I wish I had shown it.

I think it depends on what kind of person you are. Some people a new dog really helps heal the wounds. Others it deepens it. I think you have to decide that for youself.

As for me. I'm sure I will get a new dog eventually. A few more years down the road. When I'm ready to open my heart again. But until then I am happy with memories, and my other close pets who are still here and need me.

I'm sorry about the loss of your dear pet. I completely understand.

As for the puppy. It might be a great choice. She looks like she needs you as much as you need her.

 

[flowerchicks]

I had had Bindi about 6 months when I lost Kaycee. She was 12 yrs old and, if we had that hindsight thing, probably shouldn't have succumbed to her illness. I got Bindi when I did because I new Kaycee was getting old and wanted my next puppy to have a "role model". Bindi had just gotten to the age (and size) where Kaycee thought she was worth her time to play with. Losing her was sudden and unexpected, but having Bindi, made it much less painful.

Go where you heart leads you, and you wont be disapointed. Bindi always has a smile on her face, and even when she is annoying, she brings a smile to everyone else, too.

 

[br64]

Loosing an animal you love is so hard, it's like loosing part of yourself. I've lost three that were pretty rough. Wendy, a Quarter horse mare that died in 1995 to colic. Magic, a Quarter Horse gelding who died in 1999 from a twisted gut and Sage, a German Shepherd who died in 2001 from a stroke.This poem is hanging on my office wall next to Magic's picture.


BEYOND THE RAINBOW

As much as I loved the life we had and all the times we played,
I was so very tired and knew my time on earth would fade.
I saw a wonderous image then of a place that's trouble - free
Where all of us can meet again to spend eternity.

I saw the most beautiful rainbow, and on the other side
Were meadows rich and beautiful - lush and green and wide!
And running threw the meadows as far as the eye could see
Were animals of every sort as healthy as could be!
My own tired, failing body was fresh and healed and new
And I wanted to go run with them, but I had something left to do.


I needed to reach out to you, to tell you I'm alright
That this place is truly wonderful, then a bright glow pierced the night.
Twas the glow of many candles shining bright and strong and bold
And I knew then that it held your love in it's brilliant shades of gold.

For although we may not be together in the way we used to be,
We are still connected by a cord no eye can see.
So whenever you need to find me, we're never far apart
If you look beyond the rainbow and listen with your heart.



Magic, Wendy and Sage
RIP my friends.


Coyote, this poem has helped me threw some pretty hard times........maybe it will do the same for you.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Thank you! That is beautiful!

I am amazed at how quickly I am "healing" from this. I figured I would be in the deapest dispair for months, if not years. I think it is because Spook has brought Lila into our lives and has given up hope again. I'm not saying I don't cry or feel for her. I do! And on a level that I think only true animal lovers can feel. I think being able to spend those last few hours with her in a place that she loved, with the people she loved did as much for me as it did her. I still cry now, everytime I see her picture but it is happy tears. Tears for having known the joy she could bring to your life. Tears for knowing she is no longer in pain and doing her silly "happy dance" on the other side of the bridge with my beautiful Bashful and MowMow. My arms ache to hold her again. To get slobbry wet kisses. To hear that deap sigh as she lay down beside my bed for the night.

That connection is still there. I know for a fact. The other evening while finishing up on the new coop, I was bitten by a couple of ants on the neck as I went to wipe away the sweat. As soon as the sting started, I felt that old panic. "I'm gonna die!!" "Spook isn't here! What am I gonna do?!" But then I suddenly felt a calmness surround me. "It's ok, just a couple of bites. Nothing to be worried about. Go take some benedryl and you'll be fine." 20 minutes later, I was back at finishing the coop.

She is here. Always will be.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

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I do miss that silly cattledog smile!

I worked at an Alternative School for students who were put out of the regular Middle and High Schools for serious infractions. Many were felons even at the age of 13 and 14. On the rare occassion we would get kids even younger because they had broken the rule of taking a weapon to school.

This one year we had already had a 4th and 5th grader who had brought guns to school. They were kept in a different part of the building away from the 19 year olds who were still in the 9th grade! (they were court ordered to go to school) These 2 boys still got recess and would love to have Spook come out and play "soccer" with them. They would kick the ball and try to get it past her. Wasn't happening!

One day we got another 5th grade boy for gun possession. Come recess time they brought him to me and asked if Spook could come out to play. When she came out to play, the first words out of Jose's mouth as his eyes got big seeing a dog coming from under my desk was, "She's smiling!" That's all it took. All 4, Spook included, ran out the door to go play.


Magic is watching the effect of a Cattle Dog's love on 3 streetwise little boys.

 

[BlackBart]

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I wouldn't at all be surprised if Spook wasn't guiding your decision on getting another dog.
Meggie my old Red Heeler asked me to let her go, she had enough, she decided it was time to go. Her eyes said it all.
I think she guided me toward the other Red Heeler, knowing it would be easier for me and knowing that dog needed a home that understood Heelers.
I am that dog's sixth and last owner. I always say to her it took awhile for us to find each other but we did. Thanks to Meggie.