I have said goodbye to Mom and Dad, to friends, family and I have helped bear the caskets of Bill and Louise, my second parents. I was shocked at the notifacation of Dad's death. Dad's death was particularly hard since I feared his death since I was a small child. I was led, by Mom to believe that Dad lived on the edge of death because of his previous coronaries when I was less than two. I listened for breath sounds at the door of my parents, bedroom at night, fearing his sudden passing. These vigils trumped my fear of the dark. When Dad died it left me alone and it hit me hard.
So the passing of our two elderly dogs last month should be relatively easy, one would think, but each of their deaths affected Lois and me profoundly.
Our niece, Missy, sent me an e-card after Corky's going home and I couldn't open it for a week. I did so today and the tears gushed uncontrollably. I thought it wouldn't be as bad as if I would have viewed the card last week and I was ambushed. The grief is still there, a grief that only dog-lovers can understand.
You have to live with a pet and their uniqueness and experience their unconditional love to understand this.
