It is 2 years today that my beautiful Joe died.
As sad a day as it was, he could not have had a better ending….for himself and for me as well.
He had not been well for some time…suffering from cancer that had spread inside of him. I knew the previous summer he would not live a lot longer and I prayed to God that I could have him for one more year, and one last summer together.
The last year he was slowing down more and more. Joe always had so much energy and life to him, so it was hard to see him start to fail. Yet, he had moments of his youthfulness come through. As if he forgot that his body had started to fail him.
Thankfully I got my year, and I got my summer, and as summer was coming to a close, I knew I would have to start back to work on the Monday, so I was worried about leaving him alone all day, and how he would manage.
It had been raining for the best part of a week and we did not go every day, on our twice a day walks. Didn’t matter to Joe, he always wanted to go for a walk. However that final morning, it was still raining but it broke around mid afternoon, and the sun came out. There was Joe by my side, pleading for his walk. I said, “let’s go Joe’! We walked down the street and to the school yard near by. Once we got inside the school yard, I took off his leash. I have no idea what made me decide to do this,I had not done that in years, as for one reason, it was against the city bylaws, and two, if Joe had one fault it was that he loved to run and run, and I sometimes had difficulty getting him to come back to me. But for some reason that day, I decided to take it off. I am so glad that I did, perhaps I knew it was for the last time.
He stood there and looked at me, as if wondering what was up. I said to him, “Joe, you’re free! run Joe, run! And he did. He joyfully took off and circled around me and my other Boxer puppy that I had got 6 months before. He must have ran in circles for 5 full minutes. I laughed out loud and was so happy because it was if Joe were a puppy again. It was a magical 5 minutes. It had been a bit since I had seen him so playful and puppy like. I was filled with joy.
Then he seemed to tire and came back to me…which was rather amazing, without any struggle. We continued on our walk for another 10 minutes and came home.
Within the hour, as I was sitting on the sofa reading, he walked by and must have passed out, and fell and banged his head on the hard floor. He was dazed looking, and I knew immediately that it was not good. I was in a panic. I tried to comfort him and left the room trying to think of who to call. While I was in the other room on the phone, I turned around and my faithful companion…had some how gotten up and followed me and collapsed again on the rug a few feet from me.
He did not want to be alone.
I phoned for help and stayed with him. My friend came and carried and held him in my car….we got him to the vets and the vet said, he is bleeding to death. He must have exerted himself somehow and started the bleeder.I told him as a matter of fact he did, that he had a run, and played today.
Joe died a few hours later! So sad and heartbroken, I was still so thankful that I got my last year an summer with Joe, and I shall always remember his last day and the run and puppy play that he experienced just hours before his death. I am so so grateful that I got to see that, that he got to have that last special afternoon.
I will never forget my Joe, he was one special dog and companion. I hope he is in a good place…I like the poem Rainbow Bridge and wish to think of him there….and that he is waiting for me there.
God Bless you Joe,
I love you and miss you so much!
Till we meet again, one day!….
at Rainbow Bridge.
Love you, mom
Wait for me at Rainbow Bridge,
| Eleanor |