Jody came into my life in Jan 1996 she was 8 weeks old and the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I have had animals all my life but this one was very different, she crawled into my soul and will always be there as much a part of my being as breathing is. She was perfect from day 1, hard to believe but very true, never destroyed anything, never growled, always happy and loved everyone.

We were moving from the UK to Canada and I was having her and my lab Jessie checked over for travel and shots there was a black dot in one of her eyes, I took her to a specialst and it was a melanoma, I took her for 3 treatments where they put her under and irradiated the tumour, after the 3 she was good to go, I was so relieved as the whole time I had been terrified she would die.

Time continued on with Jody and Jessie , they both loved water and trips in our motorhome to lakes were really enjoyed.
They are and were both very spoiled and as they got older the uneasy feeling returned of the future and how long, I spent many unhappy hrs terrified one or both would die.

Jody was by now having medication for an underactive thyroid on a daily basis, it made her very hungry but otherwise she was as always very happy.

Jody always looked at me with complete adoration and I at her, she would watch me with her big beautiful brown eyes with complete trust and love.

To be loved liked that by such a perfect soul is a very humbling feeling.

In Nov 2006 my youngest son saw what he thought was Jody having a seizure, I called my vet and he said not to worry sometimes animals can have one for various reasons and to call him if she had another.

2 weeks later she had another, 6.30am out on the deck when let out to do her business. She was started on Phenobarb to try and keep control, I kept asking the vet what was causng them and he said idiopathic(meaning know known cause)he was so wrong, I had been to the same vet for several yrs and trusted him.As time went on and the seizures continued I was on the phone to the vet regularily for changes in treatment, by this time my beloved Jody was also having partials as well and she would twitch on one side of her face.The vet said (what is the point of an MRI as who would do the surgery at her age) she was now 11yrs old. Except for the balance problem due to the phenbarb she was a beautiful puppy full of life.

We went on vacation with Jody and Jessie in 2007 and I cried as I felt again this would be her last Vacation, she loved playing in the water and had no seizures while away.

Shortly after coming home she seemed to be increasing her sleeping habits substantially, sometimes not even aware we were there. I called my vet and said to send a referral to the specialist hospital as I was taking her that day.

They kept her for the night after she had 3 seizures in 24hrs and I arranged for an MRI for 4 days later. My worst fears were confirmed, she had a large brain tumour, oh my God how terrified I was, I was going to lose my Jody, after a meeting with the surgeon who said he could remove the mass and she would have a very good chance of living for at least another 2 yrs I was so happy but still scared of the operation. The date was arranged for the following week, he told me that she had no greater risk at her age that any other animal and that was a 10% risk with the sedative.

We spent the next week taking even more photos and giving even more love to her , getting up at night to check on her and I had bought a baby monitor to listen to her.

On the Wed of the surgery she had to be there for 7am for the preparation, I had taken the day off work as I needed to be available for her whenever she needed me. I got a call at 1pm to say it went very well and he had removed at least 99% of the tumour and that Jody had come around, the relief was amazing, crying with the release of tension.

We went to see her later that day when she was fully recovered and her attitude was, just get me out of here. The surgeon said he was very happy with her recovery and she would be able to go home in a few days. I called that night and again they said she was doing great. Next day in the afternoon I was at work going to see Jody after work, I got a call, she had taken a turn for the worse and they needed to do a Cat scan to check for bleeding , I said go ahead and left work to go to Jody, my husband came from work.No Bleeding just water they said, gave her meds to draw off the fluid. She was heavily sedated as she was stressed, we left later and called several times to check on her.Next morning Friday, I called at 7am and the surgeon was doing his rounds and would call me back, at 8.50 he called , said she was very stressed and they had her heavily medicated, she had some bad signs but all were reversible. I did not go to work, called my husband to let him know and sat by the phone terrified.9.50 a call from the surgeon, please come they had her on a ventilator.Left crying 30 min drive to the hospital, crying all the way begging, please be okay Jody; 10 mins from arriving got a terrible feeling of peace and a voice in my head said she had gone, called 2 of my sons and they made their way there; my husband arrived 1st, he met me as I went into the building, I said no please no, I needed to see her, I went in and she was laid out looking so beautiful, my sons arrived we were all crying. I knelt down beside her and part of my heart left me for ever; we stayed for nearly 2 hrs with her I did not want to leave knowing it would be the last time I would see my perfect angel. Now nearly 8 mths later I still break my heart everyday thinking of her. I have photos of her everywhere and wear a necklace with her hair in it plus an engraved photo of her with Jody Love of my life forever, nothing helps but it is part of her close to me. I love you Jody so much and will always to the end of time miss you. Jessie is still here but very stiff now and I know she misses you as well.

Time continues to pass but the pain gets no easier, I wish with all my being I could turn back time and forever will regret making the decision for the surgery, I know she could not have gone on much longer as she was but now think I should have gone the way of the radiation treatment. If only I could make the decision again if only I could turn back time.

For all the people who are told something by their vets but in their heart feel uneasy, get another opnion, if I had nearly a year earlier maybe my beloved Jody would still be with me. I would never go back to that vet as I would never trust him again.To late for my Jody.

Precious angel Jody know I will always love and adore you nothing could or would take your place. To have known you is to love you,

Thank you for giving me your love in return, I will always be grateful for you being part of my life, and you will be part of my future within me.

Doggie Love of my life.