Farewell to our Oji

Dear Oji-poo,
It's been a month and a half since we said farewell to you. Even now, the thought of it brings tears to my eyes and I get a bit, no, a lot, choked up. You had been suffering from B cell lymphoma since March, when it was first diagnosed. Dad/David discovered lumps under your chin, much like swollen lymph nodes on humans. Your vet, Dr. Kirby, aspirated one of the lumps and after a day or so, called back to tell us that you had lymphoma and gave us several options. Although you were only 3 years old, we decided not to make you go through chemotherapy and took a more holistic, more humane route. We adjusted your diet incredibly because you had to take neoplasene, a medication made from bloodroot which kills tumor cells. It apparently tastes horrible so good food was a must. Your basic meal was cooked ground meat (beef, chicken), cruciferous veggies, rice, and chicken broth. We also gave you a bit of vanilla ice cream. Anything to get you to eat... that was a challenge since you were a particularly fickle pooch and well, not food-driven. You received your first Prednisone shot in May when it was apparent that the neoplasene was no longer keeping the lumps from growing. You weren't losing weight but that was attributed to the fact that ALL your lymph nodes were getting larger, including the ones in your belly area. After the 3rd Prednisone shot, we were told we had at most, a couple of weeks with you. Dr. Kirby was kind enough not to say what kind of condition you would be during those last weeks, but looking into cousin Mickie's face, also a vet at Dr. Kirby's, we knew what those last weeks would be like for you.

You never stopped wanting to go on your daily walks, although you were slowing down occasionally. You loved to hang out and watch the world go by outside the front window. It took the better part of your year with us before we could leave you leash-free on the front porch. You loved quietly watching the painters as they painted "your" house. You never stopped chasing birds, either. It was the hardest decision to put you to rest but to see you suffering without complaint and knowing that we only had days, maybe a couple of weeks at most with you. We knew that in those last weeks, when you would be feeling your worst, we would be undergoing a major kitchen renovation and the house and backyard, your backyard, would be topsy-turvy and chaotic. You would not be comfortable at all in your home. We knew in our hearts that we would have been very selfish to keep you until you couldn't get up, until you couldn't get any food or water in or keep it down, until...

So we made sure that your very last day with us was a good day, a fun day, one filled with love and good memories, for those who loved you and hopefully, for you. You went on a couple of car rides. You visited Bella at Ms. Sandra's and played with the kids and stared/terrified the birds. The kids remember you fondly.

Thank goodness we were also able to reconnect with Katy and Hannah so they could visit with you "one more time." They are the young ladies who found you wandering around 281/1604 and brought you to the SNIPSA adoption fair at the Broadway Starbucks.

Thank goodness we were also able to visit one of our most favorite getaways, Decker Creek Bed & Breakfast & Biscuit, so that you could run wild and free and say hello again to Pat & Byron Rathbun, the wonderful proprietors and dog-lovers. Although we have a ton of photos of you, there are very few with Bella, you and me.

Please know that we loved you dearly. I held your head while David patted your side until you took your last breath, as Tita Mickie administered the shot. Bella was asleep by then but when she awoke the next morning, I'd like to think she could sense something was amiss... her buddy, you were not around to greet her.

We had such a huge hole in our family when you left. We had so much love to share and wanted Bella to have a buddy, a dog, with whom to grow. So last weekend, after weeks of longing and missing your incredible presence, and knowing that the mess made of our kitchen renovation was nearing the end, we took a visit to a local animal shelter. Just to look... we came home with a young terrier mix who looks a lot like a little version of you, but is very much his own personality. Where you loved car rides, little Charlie dog is a bit of a nervous wreck. Where you loved to be near us, but didn't like to be touched, he is still very much a puppy and a total cuddler. Where you loved to sleep near Bella's hammock or in the doorway to her room, Charlie prefers to be a bit further away from her and definitely away from little kids who like to hug, kiss and scream in delight (they freak him out in to hiding).

Because no one can replace you, dear sweet Oji poo. We miss you.