My Dearest Wammer, My Pee Pee, My Mr. Poopie Butt but above all, P’s Wammer.
Wammy, it’s been a very tough three months hasn’t my Big Boy? We tried didn’t we? We fought the fight, the battle together and You and I were damned determined to win weren’t we? Unfortunately unknown to us there was another player in the mix, CANCER!
Pee Pee, you were so loved, so very much loved right from the beginning sight unseen. You were the most “Stateliest”, most “Regal” and “Edwardian” Greyhound I ever had the privileged to share my life with. You were a Grand Champion winning 26 first place titles of the 86 races you had to run for your room and board until
they released you to retirement.
You were a beauty, big beautiful gorgeous brown eyes that I simply adored. I loved to lay on the floor with you and look into your loving eyes that so melted my heart. You were so soft; I loved stroking your coat, your tail, your paws and toes. You loved getting your ears scratched and your knees rubbed. You made it especially fun when I’d hit that sweet spot in your ear and let out that “ear orgasm” that every Greyhound owner knows, that low “Adams Family Lurch” oh yeah moan give me more please! You were a Big Boy at 75 pounds, all legs and a torso that went on forever it seemed like you were a lot! of dog from nose to tail.
Fortunate for us that you were a return from another family that cared for you and your sister Willow for eight years or we would have never met. Our first meeting during a hot June in 2011 was a lucky one for you as we were interested in Willow and did not know she had a brother and we were asked if they could bring you along as they hoped we would adopt both of you to keep brother and sister together. I said ABSOLUTELY! Before I even knew of you I knew I wanted two and I said yes without ever setting my eyes on you. You were stunning! Oh my! What a beautiful red brindle lovey boy you were. You trotted right into the house and out into the backyard taking strides so long and so effortless I was simply in awe by your presence. Larger than life yet respectful and polite and I said, when can we begin life together with you,
your sister Willow, and us!
We adopted you both on July 5, 2011 a day that is referred to as your “Gotcha Day”, a day for celebration, you finally, finally, FINALLY! Not only found, but GOT YOUR “FOREVER and EVER” home with us. I don’t care what was to come, I am not one to give up and You and Willow would NEVER EVER need to worry about being cast back ever again because you were HOME! Or so I thought? As GOD had other plans as we so painfully learned, GOD only gave you to us on loan.
From July forward we did so much going to Festivals; Meet the Greyhounds, Parks, Picnics, Road Trips, Holiday celebrations, Walks and Truck Rides. They said if the door was open, you hopped in to go for a ride. You so ADORED your rides in my truck along with Willow. You loved to go for walks lighting up like a Christmas tree jumping with excitement and wagging your lengthy tail like a helicopter blade. I was so proud to walk in the graceful presence of such beautiful creations that GOD had bestowed upon us, so well mannered you just shrugged off the small and big stuff enjoying yourself in new surroundings.
It did not take you long to discover the basement, another whole different world of exploration. We became so attached at the hip you and I that everywhere I went you were by my side. So much so that you chewed the doorknob trying to get to me on the other side and you chewed off the corner of the hall bench whether out of excitement or frustration I’ll never know, but you were always there to greet me at the door with all of your LOVE!
We first lost your sister Willow, thee most Beautiful, Special, Extra Ordinary and Unique Greyhound that ever graced this earth early on a dark November morning as GOD took back the first of his installments on temporary loan to us. Poor Willow, she suffered so horribly from an unexpected ruptured tumor on her spleen called hemangiosarcoma bleeding to death internally. There was absolutely nothing I could do to save her and sadly we had to release her back to GOD’s grace and loving arms. That was November 15, 2011, a date that changed our lives and mostly it changed you forever.
You fell into a sad depression. I was so heart broken at not only with the tragic loss of our dear Willow, but I feared we would lose you as well to a broken heart. I thought I would never see the joy in your heart again, the love of running in the yard. Nothing I tried to cheer you up was working until one night that sparkle came back. My love for you brought you out of your depression and you began to run with me, play with me once again and you started to wag that long tail of yours that I so loved. Then on December 6th your life changed again for the worse following a dental cleaning. Your blood work came back pristine? for a Greyhound they told me. So what went wrong?
You were ultimately diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS) giving you severe bouts of uncontrollable diarrhea. Then we learned you were Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 deficient. We tried and we tried to make you well once again. So many Vet visits to different locations, so many different medications and so many different types of foods. I stopped buying ready-made foods and started cooking for you myself. I so desperately tried to help you but it was to be all in vain as GOD once again came to get the final installment on our loan with life.
You started to limp and yelp for no apparent reason? On walks you used to be the leader but as time went on you fell back to be the follower just trudging along struggling to just walk. Those long graceful gliding strides I saw back in July were gone replaced by small steps. While you were clearly hungry, nothing I presented appealed to you. It was a struggle to get you to eat; so much coaxing but you began to lose weight. Not even your most favorite treats were of interest. You loved marshmallows something they give track Greyhounds as a treat. You loved cake doughnuts? So I always kept some on hand and you no longer wanted those either and that is when I knew there was really something wrong. In this last week as each day went by it became harder for you to breathe. After Willow died you began sleeping with me in bed, something I loved feeling you next to me and when you dreamed you ran in your sleep kicking your legs as if you were back on the track. The night before your death was especially difficult for you as you struggled to breathe.
By the next afternoon you were by my side as usual lying on your pillow struggling to breathe and now having coughing spells and I knew you needed help NOW! I took you to the doctor thinking you were in pain due to your IBS. I told them I wanted chest x-rays done on you. You continued to yelp and limp not knowing why? But the x-rays told the story as the doctor came in and gave me such devastating news that your body was FULL OF CANCER! And I hung my head in disbelief and said, NOT AGAIN! This explained why you yelped, you limped, your slow walking, not eating, coughing and breathing problems.
We had just celebrated your birthday on January 27, 2012 when you turned a grand twelve years old.
They asked what I wanted to do, what could I do? Let you continue to suffer? Never! It broke my heart into such pieces as we had such plans to spend more years together but GOD said no! While at the doctor’s office you really went down hill struggling even more to breathe. Again they asked, what shall you do? What will you decide? And as difficult and painful as it was to look you in the face and into those big beautiful marble sized brown eyes, I said I can only set you free to join with your sister Willow who waited your arrival at the “Bridge”!
As the tears of heartbreak streamed down my face, I unleashed you, removed your collar and laid by your side as I so lovingly did so many times before, massaging your neck, kissing you on the face as you struggled to breathe, I whispered into your ear and told you it was alright, things would be alright and it would soon be over and that Willow was waiting, that it was dinnertime in heaven and
to hurry up or it would get cold.
And at 5:55 PM on February 22, 2012 on a cold cloudy evening I surrendered you to GOD debt now paid in full for the undying loyalty and love that such a special, such special Greyhounds could give, LOVE! As your breathing slowly faded in sync with the setting sun I painfully said goodbye to my Pee Pee, my Mr. P’s Wammer
so Stately so Regal and loving.
I will never feel your body next to me as we shared the bed in slumber. Never will I feel your kick. Nor will I see your beautiful brown eyes greeting me at the door with that long tail wagging. Never will I hear you whimper in excitement when I always asked if you wanted to go for a walk, for a ride or just to go outside. I will never be able to caress your silky coat of brindled fur, scratch your ears and
hear you moan in delight.
Wammer Boy, you were such a lovey love bug as you allowed me to snuggle with you. You have been taken from me forever, so unbelievable as I was your FOREVER HOME! But GOD said no, that he was your ultimate FOREVER Home.
Wammer, my P’s Wammer, I will ALWAYS LOVE YOU! My heart is so broken with losing you, the grief unbearable. I need you, I want you I Love LOVE Love you SO VERY MUCH and thank you for the little time we shared a short seven months.
Until we meet again, and as you and Willow are together once again, look after each other until I rejoin with you and we can finally spend eternity together.
My heart is so broken, I don’t know if it can ever find its way home. God speed Wammer, you lived a long twelve years and you have finally earned your deserved eternal rest in peace without pain and worry. Just know that I will always love you and please wait for me and greet me when it is my time to cross that RAINBOW BRIDGE.
I love you with ALL of my broken heart Wammer, I LOVE YOU , WE LOVED YOU SO! Thank you for being in my life, for sharing my life.
LOVE
Love is patient, love is kind…it
always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres,
love never fails.