Seth
Founding Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2011
- Messages
- 701
- Reaction score
- 11
It is helpful to me to write a bit about Abby and I know some of you guys met her at ECGs where she was the unofficial mascot.
I expect everyone here has faced various hardships and losses - and your dog is always the best that ever lived. It is true. Abby had some great qualities I want to write a little about. She came to me as a pup when my typical two-children-two-dog-wife family dwindled to zero. Just her and me. So I had the time and inclination to super love this dog, do agility training, and therapy dog certification. We spent three years visiting the local hospital and I have no doubt about the contribution she made to patients. People in hospital are in two conditions: scared or bored. In either case, she had a way of making eye contact and moving as close to the patient as possible. With her training I could easily place in reach of a patient and away from IV lines. No big deal but takes a little training with an 85 lbs. dog. (And is against the rules.) People just reacted to her relieving boredom or taking their minds off of their own fears. Knee replacement or palliative care, she made a small contribution.
She was in apparent good health but just fell over and died within ten minutes. Best as the vet could tell, fluid around the heart, likely created by a tumor, ruptured and caused a heart attack. Needless to say, this is a nightmare to have to endure. People have said maybe it is better than drawn out battles. Maybe. That is kind of a weird thing to think about and not that meaningful at the moment.
I am not superstitious but Abby died exactly on Nathans first birthday. The fragile circle is at its beginning again. Just him and me. I get to have the time and inclination again to nurture him into becoming what he will be, and maybe he will share some of the great qualities that Abby had.
I knew I might only have a couple years left with Abby according to averages. I spent some time each night focusing on her, talking to her, looking at her, and thanking her for what she brought to my life. I am so glad I did. I miss her terribly. She really did teach me to appreciate and love the people and animals around me.
Thanks for listening,
Seth
http://www.3re.org/abby/pages/IMG_1381_jpg.htm
I expect everyone here has faced various hardships and losses - and your dog is always the best that ever lived. It is true. Abby had some great qualities I want to write a little about. She came to me as a pup when my typical two-children-two-dog-wife family dwindled to zero. Just her and me. So I had the time and inclination to super love this dog, do agility training, and therapy dog certification. We spent three years visiting the local hospital and I have no doubt about the contribution she made to patients. People in hospital are in two conditions: scared or bored. In either case, she had a way of making eye contact and moving as close to the patient as possible. With her training I could easily place in reach of a patient and away from IV lines. No big deal but takes a little training with an 85 lbs. dog. (And is against the rules.) People just reacted to her relieving boredom or taking their minds off of their own fears. Knee replacement or palliative care, she made a small contribution.
She was in apparent good health but just fell over and died within ten minutes. Best as the vet could tell, fluid around the heart, likely created by a tumor, ruptured and caused a heart attack. Needless to say, this is a nightmare to have to endure. People have said maybe it is better than drawn out battles. Maybe. That is kind of a weird thing to think about and not that meaningful at the moment.
I am not superstitious but Abby died exactly on Nathans first birthday. The fragile circle is at its beginning again. Just him and me. I get to have the time and inclination again to nurture him into becoming what he will be, and maybe he will share some of the great qualities that Abby had.
I knew I might only have a couple years left with Abby according to averages. I spent some time each night focusing on her, talking to her, looking at her, and thanking her for what she brought to my life. I am so glad I did. I miss her terribly. She really did teach me to appreciate and love the people and animals around me.
Thanks for listening,
Seth
http://www.3re.org/abby/pages/IMG_1381_jpg.htm
