OBIO
May 30th, 2011, 18:49
After getting only 2 hours sleep, my day started at 7:00 AM helping move my sis-in-law. Just me and my father-in-law, Grif....the current hubby (of 27 years) of the girls' mom. Today got up to 90...so you can imagine what it was like for the 2 of us moving, loading, unloading, and carrying furniture and the piles of stuff my SIL has. Didn't get the last load done until 9:00 PM....and still have more to move tomorrow....but Grif has a remodeling job to start, so I will be doing the moving by myself....small stuff mostly, but I do have to bring home my late father-in-law Jack's air compressor, welder, and some other tools (Jack being my mother-in-law's 2nd hubby and the dad of the younger sis-in-law Tina).
If all the moving weren't bad enough....I had to take an hour break to drive Tina's Rotty to the vet to be put to sleep. He has been off lately, and yesterday he was having trouble walking....so to the vet he goes as an emergency case. $270 later, Boo had two shots and two prescriptions for an injured back. Today, the poor fella lost all movement and feeling in his left front leg and was in terrible pain. Tina asked me what she should do and I told her that given Boo's age (8.5 years), his large size (198 pounds...none of it fat...biggest Rotty I have ever seen...a great big gently loving giant of a dog), that this problem was just going to get progressively worse and that there really isn't anything that can be done to correct it....well, a multi-thousand dollar string of surgeries perhaps, but Tina is NOT made of money.
So balancing what would be best for Boo and best for Tina, I recommended having him put down. Not an easy recommendation to make at all...and not what Tina WANTED to hear...but she knew I was right. So I called the vet, talked to him and he agreed that putting Boo down was the best course of action. Tina was a mess and there was no way she could take him to the vet for this, so I took him, said good bye to a wonderful dog, a wonderful member of our family who just happened to be canine instead of human.....but I failed him in that I was not able to be in the room touching him and comforting him when the injection was administered. I simply couldn't face that....but I did let him know that he was a great dog, was loved by everyone, that we wanted the best for him and that on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge he would be met by Maddy and Tia (Tina's two other dogs who had to be euthanized a few years back....Boo grew up with these dogs around), his cousin Spud (the dog in my avatar who crossed over in Jan 07) and Pappy Jack.....Tina's Dad who passed away in December....Jack and Boo were buddies from day one. I have no idea how I made the 25 minute drive home......cried all the way and for a good 20 minutes after I got home.
On the way back from the vet, I had to stop for gas....so I walk into the station to pre-pay for the fuel and had great big tears streaming down my face, snot hanging out my nose most likely. Everyone in the place is giving me an eyeballin. I get up to the counter and the cashier asks if I'm okay. I say "I need $20 on pump 3". She says "Okay...but are you alright?" I look her in the eyes and said "I just really hate pumping gas."
I am now home, have had a much needed shower, sat in my comfy chair with my two doggies in my lap loving on them for a bit, and now sharing my day with you folks.
I hope your Memorial Day was better than mine was.
OBIO
If all the moving weren't bad enough....I had to take an hour break to drive Tina's Rotty to the vet to be put to sleep. He has been off lately, and yesterday he was having trouble walking....so to the vet he goes as an emergency case. $270 later, Boo had two shots and two prescriptions for an injured back. Today, the poor fella lost all movement and feeling in his left front leg and was in terrible pain. Tina asked me what she should do and I told her that given Boo's age (8.5 years), his large size (198 pounds...none of it fat...biggest Rotty I have ever seen...a great big gently loving giant of a dog), that this problem was just going to get progressively worse and that there really isn't anything that can be done to correct it....well, a multi-thousand dollar string of surgeries perhaps, but Tina is NOT made of money.
So balancing what would be best for Boo and best for Tina, I recommended having him put down. Not an easy recommendation to make at all...and not what Tina WANTED to hear...but she knew I was right. So I called the vet, talked to him and he agreed that putting Boo down was the best course of action. Tina was a mess and there was no way she could take him to the vet for this, so I took him, said good bye to a wonderful dog, a wonderful member of our family who just happened to be canine instead of human.....but I failed him in that I was not able to be in the room touching him and comforting him when the injection was administered. I simply couldn't face that....but I did let him know that he was a great dog, was loved by everyone, that we wanted the best for him and that on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge he would be met by Maddy and Tia (Tina's two other dogs who had to be euthanized a few years back....Boo grew up with these dogs around), his cousin Spud (the dog in my avatar who crossed over in Jan 07) and Pappy Jack.....Tina's Dad who passed away in December....Jack and Boo were buddies from day one. I have no idea how I made the 25 minute drive home......cried all the way and for a good 20 minutes after I got home.
On the way back from the vet, I had to stop for gas....so I walk into the station to pre-pay for the fuel and had great big tears streaming down my face, snot hanging out my nose most likely. Everyone in the place is giving me an eyeballin. I get up to the counter and the cashier asks if I'm okay. I say "I need $20 on pump 3". She says "Okay...but are you alright?" I look her in the eyes and said "I just really hate pumping gas."
I am now home, have had a much needed shower, sat in my comfy chair with my two doggies in my lap loving on them for a bit, and now sharing my day with you folks.
I hope your Memorial Day was better than mine was.
OBIO