On the other hand, I haven't bid Nicky a proper goodbye, at least not in this context. Read a brief old story about him here, and see his lovely picture:
Nicky improved my life in more ways than I will ever be able to give him credit for. As I write this, it's Saturday, November 24, 2007. I've been looking over my journal and I see his last walk at Pony Pasture was All Saints Day, Thursday, November 1, 2007. He already wasn't feeling well , but I didn't get him to the vet until the following Monday. He had been bitten by a Lyme infected tick at some point and his condition deteriorated steadily despite the efforts of my outstanding veterinarians at Springfield Veterinary Hospital. And I came up to visit him in the evening on Friday, 11.9.
Nicky hadn't eaten in a week, and my doctor told me he wasn't going to get any better. Nicky's quality of life was bad and getting worse and I took him outside and sat in the grass with him for a while and we considered things. We went back inside and there were some kids in the waiting room and they petted him for a little while and I think the kids and Nicky all really enjoyed it and I know for a fact that I did. Then I brought him back in the examining room and he lay down on the floor and he wasn't breathing a lot while I was petting him and then the doctor did his job and I kept petting Nicky and his breathing finally stopped. Perhaps I've led a sheltered life but that was the worst thing I've ever experienced and the second worst thing is not even in the same universe. It was the right thing to do - I was never conflicted about it, and neither was my doctor, and I don't think Nicky was - but that doesn't make any difference.
I had intended to introduce my new dog in this post but I think I'll finish this one.
Nicky improved my life in more ways than I will ever be able to give him credit for. As I write this, it's Saturday, November 24, 2007. I've been looking over my journal and I see his last walk at Pony Pasture was All Saints Day, Thursday, November 1, 2007. He already wasn't feeling well , but I didn't get him to the vet until the following Monday. He had been bitten by a Lyme infected tick at some point and his condition deteriorated steadily despite the efforts of my outstanding veterinarians at Springfield Veterinary Hospital. And I came up to visit him in the evening on Friday, 11.9.
Nicky hadn't eaten in a week, and my doctor told me he wasn't going to get any better. Nicky's quality of life was bad and getting worse and I took him outside and sat in the grass with him for a while and we considered things. We went back inside and there were some kids in the waiting room and they petted him for a little while and I think the kids and Nicky all really enjoyed it and I know for a fact that I did. Then I brought him back in the examining room and he lay down on the floor and he wasn't breathing a lot while I was petting him and then the doctor did his job and I kept petting Nicky and his breathing finally stopped. Perhaps I've led a sheltered life but that was the worst thing I've ever experienced and the second worst thing is not even in the same universe. It was the right thing to do - I was never conflicted about it, and neither was my doctor, and I don't think Nicky was - but that doesn't make any difference.
I had intended to introduce my new dog in this post but I think I'll finish this one.
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