July 2016 - Dr. Frost's Observer Today Article

Saying GoodbyeBy Dr. Rebekah Frost - OBSERVER Columnist The day has come to say goodbye Memories of you run through my mind The day we got you, the challenges we faced The joy you brought into our lives Your wagging tail, your sloppy kisses The companionship and loyalty you provide And now I watch you lying there Your body failing and in pain We know the decision must be made It's just so hard to let you go I look up at you and wonder why You have tears welling in your eyes You are my leader, and my forever friend I can sense there is something amiss I cannot run and greet you anymore My legs just don't work the same But I will always be by your side Through whatever you must face I painfully stand up and follow you to the car I have to be lifted into the seat We travel down the road And pull into the place I know so well. I look at my schedule and wonder why I have to again help an owner say goodbye This is an appointment that I always dread But I know I will be helping relieve the pain I try to pull my emotions together And walk into the room with chart in hand I know this dog and owner well I have been there through Every year of this dog's life The dog comes up and gives me kisses He rests his head on my chest as I kneel to pet him The tears start to well in my eyes I do not want to say goodbye But I have to be strong for what is to come The sedation must be given You fall so peacefully asleep We know that your pain is now relieved One last injection and one last breath We know you have left us in this world The tears are flowing, but the memories will remain With each pet we say goodbye to A piece of my heart goes with them forever You will always be remembered here As if you were one of our own.