Im Almost Ready To Let Go..

[Staffyluv]

Oh MSJ,

What can anyone say...

You have our support and condolences for the position that you are in...

If you have any doubts, talk to your vet... But deep down I think we all know when the right time has come to say our farewells...

Hugs

Jodie

[Georgie-boy]

Hesapandabear - that was beautiful. I am sitting here crying as I type

Julie-Anne, My heart breaks for you and Michael but you are obviously aware and conscious of your beautiful girl and how she is. You will know when it is right.

Most vets will come out to your house but it would probably be best to arrange this a few days in advance so that they can make the time to spend with you. They will charge you an at home rate which is much more expensive but then I guess its all relative. I think I would prefer my kids to go in the comfort of their own home if I had the choice.

Not sure about your vet but we are able to arrange cremation for our clients so I would ask about that too. I will be cremating because as morbid as it might seem to think about, it will give me something to "talk" to if that sounds right.

I am so sad for you guys right now and can only imagine how emotionally torn up you must be. Know that I am thinking of you and sending you lots of :D

[AgilityGirl]

Hesapandabear you have me all teary!

Julie-Anne, I am so sorry to hear about your baby.

I know it probably doesn't feel like it now, but you will know when it is time to say good-bye. There comes a point when life no longer seems to bring any joy to your furbaby, and keeping her with you is too much for you to bear. When this time comes, you will know it is time to let her go...

I will be thinking of you and your girl.

*Hugs to you both*

[Joey Rocks My World]

thankyou every one once again, you have all been very supportive in this hard time atm

and to Hesapandabear for all those verses, THEY are so beautiful.

iim haviing a very hard time atm with it all, and im making myself very sick over iit..

and im worried joey will pine for her and not cope..im worried i won't either

HEr eyes look so glassy lately and shes not smiling much....and i thiink that sign is almost here..

I think i will be makiing a decision with the next 2 weeks....i just have to get the courage...im almost th ere now....

ii just want this all to end..its killing me as well

i feel for any of you out there going through a similar time or to those who just have been through this recently...

my heart feels so heavy and im finding myself having anxiety attacks over this...

[rdr71]

i am so sorry for the heartache you are going through

Ruth

[Joey Rocks My World]

i am so sorry for the heartache you are going through

Ruth

thankyou also

i just cant stop crying all the time and she hasnt even gone yet!

[Tassie]

Hang in there. You will cope - and Joey will too. And it will be hard, and there will be lots of tears - don't try to hold them in. You have a right to grieve for your lovely girl - which is part of what you're doing now.

Remember that letting her go peacefully is a wonderful thing that you can do for her (if only humans would be so lucky) - but that she does need for you to let her go - to tell her it's OK, so she doesn't feel that she needs to hang on for you. Does that make sense?

And, as far as I'm concerned - and I'm sure lots of others here too - feel free to vent. It's important - and you know that lots of us know exactly where you're at - and know that you can make it. Don't feel bad if non-dog-owning friends/family don't understand - just pity them, because they've never known that wonderful dog/human bond.

Barb

[Joey Rocks My World]

Hang in there. You will cope - and Joey will too. And it will be hard, and there will be lots of tears - don't try to hold them in. You have a right to grieve for your lovely girl - which is part of what you're doing now.

Remember that letting her go peacefully is a wonderful thing that you can do for her (if only humans would be so lucky) - but that she does need for you to let her go - to tell her it's OK, so she doesn't feel that she needs to hang on for you. Does that make sense?

And, as far as I'm concerned - and I'm sure lots of others here too - feel free to vent. It's important - and you know that lots of us know exactly where you're at - and know that you can make it. Don't feel bad if non-dog-owning friends/family don't understand - just pity them, because they've never known that wonderful dog/human bond.

Barb

thanks Barb..

i thiink she is hanging in there, just for us...liike you thiink she might be..

i see residents iin the nursing home i work at , and wish some of them could be let go and not have to suffer..i was crying at work the other day, for them as well

thankyou.....xx

[Meriment]

Oh MSJ, how utterly heartbreaking and gutwrenching your story is. I sit here with tears streaming down my face

I wish you all the strength & courage you can muster to get you through this very sad time

[ShesaLikeableBiBear]

Although it is one of the hardest things we have to do, we do have the ability to let go without the suffering that you see in the rest home.

I'm so pleased you liked the poem. Below is another which I have posted before, (OK so it relates to shelties) BUT imagine Jenna there.

Its now just been three years since I had to make my first decision (my animals had always been a part of the family). I had a purebred Arab, Prince, and boy did he live up to his name. I had had the pleasure of being his "Mum" for 17 years and at age 28 I had to go through the ropes. He had lymphatic cancer, and I had a wonderful vet who made all the arrangements for me, a horse is harder than a dog if you get my drift. (no details). Yes I BAWLED INCESSANTLY for three weeks whilst the arrangements were being made.

(You can see a picture of him on www.portraitsinpastel.co.nz under Arab, the shelties in here are mine!!)

Then 18 months later it was Sandy. We were coming to QLD on hols from NZ and I was to have someone look after all of them for me. I had all his vitals checked about three weeks prior and he was OK, but on 01 Sept 2004 he was in the sunroom lying down and no amount of coaxing would get him up. When eventually he did he stumbled sideways. I knew then that he was just plain tired, and that afternoon Matt came.

PLEASE keep posting and we will all keep talking as it does help enormously.

[ShesaLikeableBiBear]

BRRRRRR, SORRY, I am in tears reading back through these that I forgot to post.

TO JENNA AND HER MUM AND DAD (and all extended family)

With Love from Safaree Shelties, Maleny QLD

Welcome. I am Laddie Braveheart, Second Year Resident of the Rainbow Bridge.

This is your introduction to the Rainbow Bridge. I have been a resident here

for a little over a year and am now a member of the Welcome and Orientation

Committee, Shetland Sheepdg and Scottish Breed Division. I have the extreme

honor of

escorting you to the Scottish Ancrestral Sectionof the Rainbow Bridge where

those of our kind wait.

You have already received your Silver Harness, and it looks so good on you.

Now, let us begin our journey.

As you see there are fields of sheep and cows for the herding dogs, and over

there are the lakes, marshes and fields for the hounds and sporting dogs to

play. And here are Beau and Sam, the Goldens I lived with -- we visit often,

after all we have loved and are waiting for the same Humons. {See ya later,

me mates)

Oh, look! The agility games are going on. This is one of the newer areas at

the Bridge and they have just finished the Rally-O field--this time with the

directions for each station written in Dog.

All the areas at The Bridge are for all the animals here and we have a lot

of

fun together. I have even seen some of the cats at the swimming ponds.

See that area over there? Where the sun shines bright and warm all the time,

and there is a gentle mist for a few hours each day? That is where all the

reptiles and amphibians are. They all have nice tree limbs and warm rocks to

lounge on.

But let's continue onwards.

Oh, check out those hedges and trees - that is where the bunnies and the

mice, rats, gerbils and ferrets are. I like to come down and watch them play

they just have so much fun -the flurry of activity and squeaking for joy

when one

of their Humes is coming is a treasure.

Now watch your step, this is the Large Animal area. Occasionally all the

horses, mules, donkeys, even the cows and goats get a little carried away

with

the Herd Running Game and can give a smaller critter like us quite a

surprise as

they break the hill at full gallop. Even the pigs and chickens take part.

Here, the hills get a little steeper and woods a little thicker. It is so

much fun to run full speed, up and down the hills dodging the trees. Here

you

will see the 'exotic' animals. The tigers and lions and bears and wolves,

all

the animals thought of as wild but have hearts shared with humans. They, too

will cross the Rainbow Bridge with their special person.

But our journey carries us still further.

You feel the air getting crisper? And look, your coat is fuller and your

Silver Harness shines brighter. We are getting close.

Now, step carefully we are crossing the Crystal Bridge. Here, the weather is

always clear, the snow just the right depth and the tracks are, perfect.

Since we have arrived during the afternoon, I can show you some of the

activities we have.

The Scottish Breeds have many interests and enjoy many different games. I

know you are used to having your Humon hook your harness to the car or the

lead but your Silver Harness has magic and will hitch to what ever you want.

Over here are the sheep right next to the croft which has to be guarded and

over there is on the far side of the isle, are the fields of joy, where you

can run and play with your friends and share a ball or just laze away the

sunny afternoon.

And yes, there are a lot of other breeds up here all doing what they do

best, even though the Humes arnt there to see you, we all gather around to

watch you and enjoy your times as though they were ours.

The Sammies are over there herding reindeer, and there are open streams for

the Inuits and Greenlands to fish for salmon.

The Shelties came up with a great idea that has now become a tradition with

all the breeds. Each year during the National Breed Specialty there is a

Rainbow Bridge Specialty Show.

All the dogs who had show careers and those

who just wanted to be a show dog go into the show ring and go around one

more time.

The Shelties have gotten permission to have visitors from Heaven during that

time.

Humes who have no dog with them are allowed to come visit and watch the

show.

Judges and Stewards come and take part. And the old breeders come to see how

the breeds are developing and visit with their great-great grandpuppies. All

the dogs participating the first time get their Silver Rosette.

You see, every dog here is perfect.

If you look around you see not only are there warm straw beds to rest on,

but houses with soft sofas and fireplaces to just lounge on and swap

stories.

Many of the residents wait here for the night.

That is the time all of the Scottish Breed dogs assemble.

Each night a shelties team is formed and they run and play and herd the

sheep and the cattle.

They can be seen from earth as the Southern Lights and now we are getting

members from the Northern, Eastern and Western Hemispheres, and they also

run and play sometimes as far as the North Pole of earth, to give them

lights too.

Each March is a special run. That is when the Iditarod is run on earth and

all the dogs who have raced and played and worked together, team up for a

special display.

Many of them are cheering on their Humes who are racing. Many of them have

family members in the fields. It seems the Collies and the Borders work

their hardest

to make the most spectacular light display.

Well, I think you are pretty well acquainted with the Rainbow Bridge both

North and South, East and West.

There are just a couple of other things you should know.

You are able to see your Humes when you miss them most. They may have gotten

a new puppy. That is good.

It means they have started to heal from the loss

they felt when you left. But remember, a part of your heart remained with th

em to replace the part of their heart they gave to you.

Now, occasionally, your Human may be particularly sad and missing you. You

are able to send your love to them any time. They will feel your love. It

may be as a shadow in the corner of their sight, or the soft sound of your

voice,

or a gentle breeze caressing their cheek. And it will bring them comfort.

And there is one special night, Christmas Eve. All the animals waiting for a

special person gather together and send their gift of love to that person.

That night we are able to see into that person's home and if the person

looks, there is a star shining particularly bright. Just for them from us.

Oh, I see the sun is setting and you are looking at all the dogs gathering

together.

Go, and run, play, run and jump, . It is your night.

[Erny]

Goose bumps .... beautiful. What a lovely poem. It brought tears to my eyes. How heartwarming.

[labsrule]

thank you for replying to my PM, I didn't know about this thread and only stumbled on it when checking something in the nutrition section.

I thought it might be timely to add that I do know exactly what you are going thru and share the heartache I had to go thru myself 6½ years ago when my darling Cassie, my black lab was diagnosed with kidney disease at 13½.

I was completely and utterly devastated when I received the news and had trouble coping knowing I was going to be losing the love of my life . Despite my devastation, I vowed she would not suffer and I would do the right thing by her when the time came.

I immediately cut down on my work hours and spent as much time with her as possible, fed her favourite meals to her every day and took her to the park she loved so much, albeit I had to drive her as she struggled to walk the entire distance. She semi collapsed at home twice within 3 weeks of her diagnosis and had to be hospitalised overnight the first time and two nights the second time to be rehydrated. During both of these overnights stays, I thought this is it, but funnily enough each time I picked her up from the hospital, she seemed almost normal, bounding around like her normal self before she was diagnosed with the kidney disease. Anyway after her second hospital stint, I spoke to my vet and he said I think the time is drawing nigh and he said he would come to my home when I needed him to.

I couldn't go to work during the two days she was in hospital as was a wreck, in tears and not coping at all. The night after I brought her home from her last hospital visit, she had her favourite dinner and then I helped her up on to our bed and we lay there and I cuddled and stroked her and told her how much I loved her and what a wonderful life we had had together and she looked up at me and I told her "darling, you can let go if it is too much for you, mummy will be alright" (not) and we both drifted off to sleep. The next morning I woke up and she had gotten off the bed and had gone around to the floor on my side and she had passed away, peacefully during the night.

The awful decision that I would have had to make was taken out of my hands and she died in her favourite room of the house and with me there, albeit asleep. Even today, 6½ years later, it seems like yesterday and the grief and devastation is as raw today as it was then. For me there are no half measures when it comes to loving my dogs, I bond extremely closely to them, treat them like my children and am completely devoted to them, so when their time comes, I suffer terribly. All this pain is worth the price of having them in my life and loving them so much and I am so grateful to have had the most wonderful 13½ years with my darling Cassie. I know I will go thru exactly the same when my darling Fitzy, my 6½ year old male black lab's time comes. :D

So the devastation, helplessness, terrible sadness, frustration, anger, anguish and gut wrenching pain you are feeling as Jenna's end draws nigh is "normal" for us dog lovers who choose to have these wonderful babies enrich our lives, albeit for such a short time. Just cherish the time you have left with Jenna and know that your love for her will be a lifetime love. You are not alone and all of us that have had to go thru what you are going thru now, cry with you.

Edited February 11, 2006 by labsrule

[Purple Julie]

and im worried joey will pine for her and not cope..im worried i won't either

I'm like that too, Jyra's only 3, but I when think about the day in the future that it'll be her time to go, and I read stories like the one called "A Living Love" that Hesapandabear posted, it makes me cry and I really don't know how I will cope when Jyra goes.

I really feel for you. It's a hard time. Hugs.

[Joey Rocks My World]

we all had the most restless night last night, and i've decided this week, it will be, whiile she has some dignity left in her.....

thank everyone, you are all truely beautiful with your support.

[ShesaLikeableBiBear]

Hi again

This is actually the one I was looking for, I couldnt find it yesterday, but this morning located it in Sandy's picture albumn.

IF IT SHOULD BE:

If it be I grow frail and weak,

And pain should keep me from my sleep,

Then you must do what should be done,

For this last battle can't be won.

You will be sad - I understand

Don't let your grief then stay your hand.

For this day, more than all the rest,

Your love and friendship stand the test.

We've had so many happy years,

What is to come will hold no fears.

You'd not want me to suffer..so

When the time comes, please let me go.

Take me where all my needs they'll tend,

But stay with me until the end.

And hold me firm and speak to me

Until my eyes no longer see.

I know in time you too will see,

It is a kindness you do to me.

Although my tail its last has waved,

From pain and suffering I've been saved.

Do not grieve it should be you

Who must decide this thing to do.

We've been so close-we two-these years,

Dont let your heart hold any tears.

Best wishes for the next few days

[Joey Rocks My World]

that is so beautiful, i am crying

i am convinced this iis 'the time'xx

[Mooper]

Thinking of you all

[Joey Rocks My World]

jenna will be getting her wings tomorrow at 4,45pm

[Silverblue]

Will be thinking of you

Be strong