una_dogger
Well-known member
A little late posting this, its been a rough month. We found out last July that our dear friend and best hiking companion, Terra, had a brain tumor. At age 13, we decided rather than try to medically intervene in what was a 3-6 month prognosis, that we would instead spend the time doing things together. We spent the summer hiking smaller peaks, and doing lots of camping and exploring. We spent several long weekends in Grafton Notch, and two separate 5 day trips into the Debsconeag Backcountry. Tee's biggest final hike was Sunday River Whitecap via bushwacks, her last official hike was the Turtle Ridge Loop in the Namankanta Unit of the 100 Mile Wilderness. When her time came, she quietly let us know.
Letting Tee go was a deeply personal decision and the first time I've had to make it. We have had the gift of foresight to know that this day would be coming soon and in the power and grace that knowledge brings, her last five months were a time to really make the most of time with Tee. Inasmuch I had been watching her closely. Every wonderful hike, run or walk we have shared this summer and fall - a little more life left Tee. In late October while walking together in Maine Tee had an episode where she temporarily lost all use of her body and since then, she has seemed to drift. There comes a time in the life of every cherished pet where we must look beyond the love and need in our hearts and look at what life is giving to them. Tee has spent more time distant, confused and lost since that day and on our last day together it had become quietly yet unmistakably clear that Terra was ready to take her rest.
I took her to one of her favorite places and despite the rain she spent her last hours greeting, sniffing and simply being with many of her kind. She didn't want to walk our circuit of trails and was content to look about, eat grass, roll in leaves and be happy and present. There seemed to be no barriers to what unfolded. Our vet said she was here until we came. Michael was able to meet us.
We lay on a blanket with Tee in our vet's quiet room and stroked her gently as the tranquilizer took effect. When we were ready, Dr Rogers placed a loving kiss on Tee's sleeping head and then administered the agent that brought her peacefully to her final rest.
This was the hardest choice I have made but when the time seemed right I entered into it without resistance and gave my dear friend a quiet passage from this world to the next, not knowing if we had minutes, days, weeks or more left, I chose to be early rather than late and hopefully spared my dear friend more confusion, fear and struggle as the disease in her brain took her away from us.
I will never know if there was more time. I can only trust that whatever last feelings she had were of safety and inclusion and I will always remember her as a happy dog.
Hug your trail doggies tight. There is just never enough time on Earth with them.
Letting Tee go was a deeply personal decision and the first time I've had to make it. We have had the gift of foresight to know that this day would be coming soon and in the power and grace that knowledge brings, her last five months were a time to really make the most of time with Tee. Inasmuch I had been watching her closely. Every wonderful hike, run or walk we have shared this summer and fall - a little more life left Tee. In late October while walking together in Maine Tee had an episode where she temporarily lost all use of her body and since then, she has seemed to drift. There comes a time in the life of every cherished pet where we must look beyond the love and need in our hearts and look at what life is giving to them. Tee has spent more time distant, confused and lost since that day and on our last day together it had become quietly yet unmistakably clear that Terra was ready to take her rest.
I took her to one of her favorite places and despite the rain she spent her last hours greeting, sniffing and simply being with many of her kind. She didn't want to walk our circuit of trails and was content to look about, eat grass, roll in leaves and be happy and present. There seemed to be no barriers to what unfolded. Our vet said she was here until we came. Michael was able to meet us.
We lay on a blanket with Tee in our vet's quiet room and stroked her gently as the tranquilizer took effect. When we were ready, Dr Rogers placed a loving kiss on Tee's sleeping head and then administered the agent that brought her peacefully to her final rest.
This was the hardest choice I have made but when the time seemed right I entered into it without resistance and gave my dear friend a quiet passage from this world to the next, not knowing if we had minutes, days, weeks or more left, I chose to be early rather than late and hopefully spared my dear friend more confusion, fear and struggle as the disease in her brain took her away from us.
I will never know if there was more time. I can only trust that whatever last feelings she had were of safety and inclusion and I will always remember her as a happy dog.
Hug your trail doggies tight. There is just never enough time on Earth with them.
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