shatchp Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Maggie was our first dog as a young married couple...we adopted her from a county shelter here in Portland. They said she was a border collie mix, and so after (yes after) I got her - it was love at first sight - I did a lot of research into what that meant. There was a reason they named her "Busy" at the shelter. We changed, and learned to meet her needs...and she quickly became our heart dog. She came to us at age 1 1/2...at age 2, she got sick. We never figured out what caused it or why, but her kidneys were severely compromised. For the next year, it was a special raw diet...kept the phosphorus levels down...weekly, then daily sub-q fluids, the meds...etc. We nursed her, cared for her, and kept her as healthy and happy as possible. It was easy to forget how sick she was...she had such a zest for life. It was a gift of grace that she didn't really suffer until the last two weeks. Then quickly, almost overnight, her appetite dropped away to nothing, and her body started to shut down, and we had to say good bye. We knew it was coming, and were able to take a last, wonderful but bittersweet trip to the beach a few weeks before...her favorite place. That year changed us forever...and I suspect only dog lovers know what I mean when I say I'll never be the same. There's a tender place in the human heart only accessible to the unwavering love of a dog...a place of depth we couldn't trust to another human being. Maggie laid this place bare in us, and in doing so, increased our experience and understanding of life's beauty...she is missed every day. Our first day with Maggie... A character Always up for an adventure A month or two before she left us... The last beach trip Anticipating distant horizons... Our sweet patient... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiegirl Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 What an absolutely beautiful dog. Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 It's never easy. She was beautiful. I am so glad she had a great family to the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WoobiesMom Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 What a beautiful girl. I'm so sorry. I know your pain. I remember sleeping on the floor next to Rush on his last night, praying his stomach would stay in place and not twist again, praying he wouldn't start to vomit foam, promising any being that would listen that if it saved him I would never leave town again, never let anything happen to stress him again and the inevitable pain when the vomiting started again and we had to say goodbye later that afternoon. It's wonderful Maggie had such loving parents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoresDog Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Maggie was a lovely dog. Your description was so moving, I'm tearing up as I read it. It is wonderful that loving her opened up your horizons too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSmitty Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 She was beautiful. I'm sorry she had to leave you way too soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LJS1993 Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Man this is all getting so intense for me. Sometimes I regret my love for these dogs since it can be so painful. I'm glad she wasn't in pain for long and left this world happy and ready to move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgerboy Posted August 8, 2007 Report Share Posted August 8, 2007 Your description and photos of maggies last days with you are very touching, she was so speceal to you and always will be, you must have loved her so much. It reminded me of my last hours with my old Rooney 14 years ago, i laid him on cushions by the fire and gave him a small piece of chocolate to eat, it was all he could keep down, I just kept holding him and talking till the vet came and sent him on his way to peace, it never leaves you. Good luck in copeing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Oop Posted August 19, 2007 Report Share Posted August 19, 2007 What a lovely girl! I really loved the beach pictures. So sorry for your loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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