Good Little Friend Gone

My dog of 14 years lost his life today. Yeah, he's just an animal but he was also a friend.

<---(Nova sleeping...doing what he does best!)

I named my Lhasa Apso, "Nova" which is short for Supernova. Other than being both blind and diabetic, he was pretty healthy. His parents lived past 17 years old. I knew it was close to his "time" though, being that his life would be cut short due to the diabetes. So in a way, I had time to morn.

We took him in the vet today and he was having trouble breathing. I knew that there was a chance that he may never come home. I was being realistic...maybe trying to lessen the blow somehow.

I remember the very first day that I worked at that very hospital. It was the end of the day and the doctor came in with this cute kitten in his hand...but he had a grim face. He said, "Oh, this kitten has FIV." As soon as he said that, the other vet techs said a collective, "Aw no!" I had no idea what was next until the doctor said to me, "Amanda, could you help me with this little guy?" Dr. Mazzi had me hold the fella as he inserted a needle into the catheter in its baby arm. I heard the doctor calmly kept repeating, "It's okay, you're a good boy.... ." I suddenly felt the kitten go limp in my hand. In my head I was screaming, "Oh-my-gosh-no way did this just happen!" I had no idea until it was too late that the kitten was being euthanized. I wasn't angry or hurt, I just didn't expect it so soon. The kitten had some sort of feline HIV as wasn't going to survive.

I remember that day because I thought about the day...today, when I may have to do the same with my own dog. So, I tried to make many memories of him to take with me. I took pictures and took a second to admire him when he'd be asleep when I'd walk in from work. I'd think, "Ha! His sooo knocked out on the floor right there!"

Today they took x-rays, blood and gave him fluids. Dr. Dempsey showed me his x-rays and things looked pretty normal for a senior dog. She says that she'd keep him on fluids and to call her tomorrow morning. Since my mom and I came in one car, we drove to Dr. Mazzi's house to pick up a few things for his daughter Lilly. (My mom is Lilly's nanny, Dr. Mazzi is a new father today and Lilly will be spending the night with us.) We got a phone call and I was to come in the hospital again because Nova had had a seizure. I left the doctor's house and drove 5 minutes and found Nova comfortably asleep in his kennel.

I took one last photo and...I was there throughout the "procedure". It was the end of the day there and the doctor said that I can spend as much time as I want with him. As she left the room, I pet him for a while. I knew that he wasn't "here" anymore and finally without warning, the tears came.

As I was driving back to Dr. Mazzi's home, he himself called me from the maternity ward. We talked a bit about Nova and how I've had him so long. And my decision on how it was best to handle it in the end. He ended with "God bless..."


Yes, I will miss him but I also know that he is something that God had placed in my life for a short while. I'm glad that I take pictures so that I can better remember the pets and people that God places or passes through my life. I get to stop and remember and think about the things about them when they've gone.