Is Positive G actually getting soft in this post, you ask. Is he going to show me that he’s actually human? Is he going to prove that his often misunderstood heart is not actually as cold as a Wisconsin winter?
Well, it’s a rare lucky day for you my friend, because the answers are yes, yes, and yes.
While this post does talk about a dog, I am confident that those who are not dog lovers, and perhaps even dog haters, will gain something if you just stick with me.
Cotton, my little West Highland White Terrier had to be put down yesterday. She was 16 years, two months, and one day old. (why I started counting like baby age after she turned 16, I’m not sure)
It was the second time I’ve had to do this with a pet, and neither time was fun. Death, by nature, is not a very pretty thing. It doesn’t matter how well you prepare, how tough you are, or how much you try to talk yourself into thinking it ‘won’t be so bad’. If you’re human, it’s not easy.
Three weeks ago she started losing the use of her back legs; getting noticeably weaker every day. First she couldn’t jump up into my truck. This progressed to not being able to jump onto the floorboard area of the car, and eventually to me carrying her up the stairs, which I didn’t mind. At only 10 pounds it’s not that big of a deal. (the stair thing, however, will be different when my 97 pound dog gets to that point – I might have to break out my old weightlifting belt once again)
By the last day, Cotton’s legs where so weak she couldn’t even stand up in the back yard to do her doggie business, and I decided to break out the long-ago-used doggie diapers. (actually a sort of belt to hold doggie sanitary napkins during that doggie time of the month). I modified them to be able to absorb more than a doggie menstrual flow by using regular ‘overnight’ maxi pads cut in half to fit. This seemed to be a better alternative than trying to make her stand up in the back yard when she couldn’t. She seemed to be more comfortable this way also, since she has always been notoriously cold even in moderate temperatures - and today just happened to be a little cooler than normal, resulting in the first snowfall of the season. By using the doggie diapers she could stay inside all day.
In the morning, when she was half way through eating her normal dog food, I decided enough of that crap, and for the last half of her meal she ate Lucky Charms right along with me.
She fell asleep in her favorite sweater, and in the warm sun as it shone through the window – her favorite thing to do; especially on chilly days – and she slept there most of the day without me bothering her one bit, other than to change her diapers. When she did wake up on occasion, she was usually met with a special dog treat. After that, it was back to doggie dream world.
When it finally came time to hit the road to get to the vet on the other side of town, we made a special detour – through the drive-through at McDonalds for a McDouble with no mustard, and also an apple/caramel sundae – both were her favorite. The drive-through was probably her favorite place to go in the car. And yes, she got to eat the treats – not me.
By the time we reached the vet, she had a full mustache of caramel and ice cream. She was pretty much in heaven in her own little doggie world. I had said everything to her that I needed to in the days prior to this, and spent time with her today that I normally would have spent working. I was patient with her out in the back yard in the days leading to this day, and I carried her everywhere I could so she wouldn’t have to drag herself on her back hip, while adding to some scabs that were already forming from the times I couldn’t get to her soon enough.
When the time finally came for the final good-bye, it was as good as I believe it could be. Nothing can take away the sting of a ‘loved one’ leaving this earth, but when the sting wears off, I know I will always get a small chuckle thinking about her last minutes with that caramel all over her face, and how happy she was right up to the end. I know that I did everything I could to make her last day on earth one of the best days of her life.
Those of you who are not dog lovers are wondering when I’m going to fulfill my earlier promise I made. What’s in this for non dog lovers?
I’ve mentioned in the past that the best way to treat people really well is to do so as if you know a little secret that they don’t – that it’s their last day to live.
I could have complained about changing my dog’s ‘diapers’. I could have rushed her and yelled at her in the back yard for taking her time and getting distracted instead of just doing her business. I could have hurriedly given her the normal breakfast and spent my usual day working. I could have went straight to the vet without stopping to give her what she loved so much. But I didn’t. And as a result, I feel very good about those decisions. I had two choices; treat her how I would like to be treated on my last day, or treat her the same as every other day – and forever wish I would had chosen option number one.
While it’s not realistic to think we could give everyone we know a ‘last supper’ treatment every day of the week, (I mean, Betty in accounting IS always a pain in the *ss), it doesn’t hurt to do the best we can to remember that no matter what situation is presented to us, we still have a choice in how we react. How we react dictates how we feel from that moment forward. How we feel from that moment forward is what we call life.
Choose wisely.
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