She’ll never jump in my lap again.

(Posted by Ron)

Yesterday I felt my sweet dog Betty relax as her soul left her body.  She was tired and had definitely fought the good fight. She made me proud.

I drove her to the vet yesterday morning.  I knew she would not be coming home with me.  We carried her to the car in the bottom half of her crate and laid her in the back of our car.  On the way to the vet she woke up.  She sat up and looked around at the scenery passing by.  A few minutes of the sights of Irving, Texas.  Not normally important, but if they are your last….?  She laid back down before we got to the vet and was not really aware of anything after her farewell to Irving.  We carried her into the vet in the bottom of her crate and laid her on the treatment table.

I knew the night before that she was almost finished with her journey on this earth.  Gayle and I talked about taking her to the emergency vet office where we had taken Pebbles after she died.  I didn’t like that option.  First, I wanted to let her friend David come and spend time with her.  He did, and loved her and laid his hands on her to let her know she was loved by him.

I also wanted to take her to her regular vet.  We gave her one of the sedatives we had to give her every time she went to grooming (she was a “pill” as the groomer said) and she slept through the night with her friends and loved ones beside her.

I don’t write posts to help build someone’s business but I have to say this.  Dr. Michael Burkett has been Betty’s (and our other pets’) vet since she was the little six-week old puppy we brought to his office.  We know him and his love for animals.  That’s why it was important to me to bring Betty to him.  He loved her, too.  He had tears in his eyes and hugged us as Betty’s soul left us.  If you love your pets, make sure you have such a loving person caring for them.

As I said, I felt her soul leave her body.  I believe in the Rainbow Bridge.  I know Betty and Pebbles and Barney and Daisy and Mystic and Izzy and Corky and… will be there when I pass.  I have also learned from each of them, and others, about the art of dying.

Barney died in Gayle’s loving arms after a nine month struggle with cancer.  Corky died with someone who thought he was rabid – I didn’t.  Pepper died after a good, long life.  MrLo died because we loved him enough to not let him suffer, as did Daisy.  We learned from MrLo, though, to never let them die alone, if we could.  Pebbles died after having a fun afternoon playing with Freddie.  Mystic died quickly so that Gayle would not suffer.  My mom died after she and I discovered the real depth of love and understanding between us.  Dad died when he knew he was finished with this journey and wanted to be with mom again.

Betty – she got old.  She would have been 17 years old in January, a long time for any dog.  She seemed to be in good health until the last few months.  Then, it was as if she realized she had done all she needed to do on this earth, in this life.  She had only one thing left to do – let us see how a Queen dies.

I’ve learned that we each die our own way.  I hope to be surrounded by people who love me when it’s my time, but, if not, just knowing their love for me will help me go down that tunnel, across the bridge, or whatever it really is or however I do it.  Like all of those sweet souls who precede me, I will be greeted by my God, my family, friends, and pets, and will be loved and encouraged through the passage by the ones I leave behind.

I miss Betty now.  I will miss her for the rest of my life.  She was my dog without question.  I picked her.  I loved her.  I taught her to jump in my lap so I could scratch her stomach.  She was as stubborn as I can be.  She was as bitchy as I can be.  She was as loving as I can be.  She was a little, black, four-legged me.

So what is the big lesson she taught to me?  Trust the ones who love you.  Trust them with your life and with your death.  Maybe death is a topic I will return to later.  I don’t know.  What I do know is this.  She did not die alone.  She died peacefully and without pain.  She died with the aid of a man who loved her and with the hands of the people who loved her on her body as her soul left.  I believe she was welcomed with great excitement on the other side.  What more could any of us ask?

The Queen has gone home.

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