Saturday, April 22, 2006

In memory of Harleigh (Octobre 18, 1994 to April 18, 2006)

This has been a bad week. I had to put my best friend down. Last week (around Apri 12th) she started shaking and wouldn't stop and she had this frightful/fearful look in her eye. Really bugged eye. I kept calling her name and holding and petting her but she didn't snap out of it. She did this a few times that week and was peeing on the carpets. She wouldn't bark when someone came to the door, or jump up on the couch. Just basically not herself.

Harleigh would walk right off of the couch, fall down the stairs, get stuck behind the door and not know how to get out. She would get and then go and pee on the carpet. She even let the kids hold her! We took her to the vets on the 17th and they said she had cateracts and thought possibly she had arthitis and diabetes - she was weighing 25 lb. She's a lapapoo. They wanted us to get a urine sample and they would test it. $134. dollars later we went home. She was actually pretty fine when we took her. She could walk on her own and not fall over and perky.

We decided that night that Brian would take her in and have her go to doggie heaven. At 4:50am on Tuesday morning I heard her downstairs and she was going in circles and falling on the floor. I sat with her for 20 minutes and talked to her and held her and kissed her and telling her she was a great dog and thanked her for the 11 1/2 years that she was with me. Called hubby down at 5:15 to sit with her so I could get my shower and go to work. So he laid on the couch with her. I went to work (why??? had to do something) and he got the kids ready for school. She went outside for a # 1 and 2, fell down the stairs, walked between the rails and the steps and my daughter caught her, my son had to help her out from under the computer wires as she couldn't figure it out. This was all by 8 am.

We believe that she had a stroke or several strokes. Brian took her to the vets and let her with the receptionist. Harleigh had been going there since she was 1 years old. She was put down around noon.

I went in after work and got to say good bye to her. I kissed her and petted her and cried on her She looked so peaceful and at rest. I got the kids and they said good bye to her too. I didn't want to do it but I knew she wouldn't be in pain and wouldn't want to suffer. I know I wouldn't want to suffer neither if it was me.

Its been a helluva week. The kids keep saying they see her by the door or on the couch with me. Especially in the first few days. She was my first baby and my life line that first year of marriage. She always knew when I need a kiss or cuddle from her. She was a great dog!

Harleigh I hope you are having a wonderful time up in Heaven and we will be together one day my friend.

Love always,

Mommy

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Leigh;
My heart breaks for the pain you are feeling right now, and while it will never go away fully, it does ease over time. You had a long stretch with your best pal, and I'm sure you meant as much to her as she did you...

I wish you and your family comfort as you grieve, and I wish Harleigh lots of green grass and biscuits over the Rainbow Bridge.

Mz Mar said...

Take some comfort from knowing that Harleigh is free from her pain and confusion and running free at the Bridge.
Hugs to you and your family.

PnP said...

Im so sorry Leigh. We went through the same thing with our pups, Winnie and Cricket. Winnie looked alot like Harleigh. They both made it to 15, but it was hard to say goodbye. Take care, it gets easier. Soon only the good memories remain and those of when they are sick fade.

Leigh Ann said...

Thank you for all the well wishes. Its been almost 2 weeks and I still miss her. We have her sister coming to stay with us the week of May 7th. Hopefully it won' be too hard. Bailey's a good dog too - though she looks more poodle that lappa