It's been a month now since Keisha left me. We spent almost 10 years together and I've been trying to work out the best way to sum up why she meant so much to me. I figured counting was the best way, over 10 years we:
Lived in 5 different cities/towns
Lived in 12 different houses
Had 24 different flatmates
Had 6 different girlfriends
Went to 7 different jobs (well I did, they wouldn't let her go, although she did make surprise appearances occaisionally)
Lost 3 grandparents and an uncle
Witnessed the birth of 3 nieces and nephews
Went through two bouts of severe depression (me about 5 years ago and my partner more recently)
Went through 2 bouts of cancer (the last one got her)
Through all that Keisha was the only constant in my life (and I the only constant in hers). When I was depressed and didn't treat her as I should have, she still loved me. She was what got me through, and later what got my partner through the dark times as well. Besides my immediate family, no human has been that dedicated to me...that's why she meant so much.
Her last few months were spent running around a peach orchard, chasing rabbits and finally getting to spend all day at work with me. She was happy when she left and was PTS before the second bout of cancer got too painful for her. Never an easy decision but, the right one to make.
I used to call her "The Dog". My partner renamed her "The Princess" (both in name and attitude). Now she is an angel, waiting for me to rejoin her in a few years time.