Rascal

I received some sad news Friday evening. The day I feared would come arrived too soon and sudden.

My mother called me around 6:20 pm. I was still in work, so I didn't answer the phone. I knew it must have been something important, because my mother wouldn't call me at work unless it was urgent. As soon as 7:00 came around, I was right out the door, and I called her back right away. I could tell by the tone of her voice that something was wrong. She told me that my dog, Rascal, had died this morning. She told me that Grandma Elle took her to get an MRI and surgery, but before she made it to the MRI, her heart stopped. The doctors tried to revive her, but it was no use. Grandma Elle told them to let her go. Rascal died at about 11:15 Friday morning. She wasn't even 8 years old.

I knew that Rascal wasn't doing well, but I didn't expect her to go so soon. When my mother told me, I was speechless. I couldn't translate what I was feeling. The only thing that I remember saying was "There's nothing I can do." When mom asked me how I was, I told her I was fine, which was true at the moment. I handled it well for the first few minutes. It wasn't until I got onto the bus that the tears started to well up in my eyes. I summoned all the strength I could to hold back the tears, but they kept running down my face. Whenever I wiped away the tears, more followed. When I got home, I had an e-mail from Grandma Elle confirming what I feared was true.

The initial injury occurred a while back when Rascal was jumping into the truck and her leash got caught on the door and pulled her back. She landed on her hip, and soon after, she developed a limp. I never thought that her injury would eventually be fatal. I don't know if it was just my optimism or if I was in denial (or both), but I never thought that she would get as bad as she did. Even when I went to Connecticut for my vacation and saw for the first (and last) time how ill she had become, I still thought there was a chance that she would get better. I'm glad I got to see her one last time.

I knew there was a possibility that she might not recover. Just two days prior to her death, Grandma Elle e-mailed me and warned me that she might have to put Rascal to sleep. While I am not a fan of euthanasia, I understood that it might have been necessary if her condition worsened. Rascal did not deserve to suffer, so I accepted the fact and agreed to the decision.

I know that Grandma Elle did everything in her power to help Rascal recover her health. She endured much frustration and spent a lot of money to try to save our beautiful little dog. She took Rascal to get an x-ray, ultrasound, biopsy, and blood work. The doctor put her on prednisone, which is a synthetic steroid. The drug made her gain weight, which only made her condition worse, as it just caused more strain on her leg. Because she was in such pain, Rascal became inactive, which added to her weight gain. Her leg atrophied. She could barely stand or squat. She had difficulty going to the bathroom. As time went by, her condition became more serious. Her injury had snowballed into a great illness. After consulting three different doctors with three different opinions, there wasn't much left that could be done. I thank Grandma Elle for holding on as long as she did and not giving up, and I know that she loves Rascal as much I do.

I have wonderful memories of Rascal that I will cherish forever. She was my baby. I named her, and when she lived with me, I was the one who took care of her. She was famous for her doggy kisses, which were plentiful and unending. She was extremely loyal and protective, and she fancied herself a little guard dog. I've had many animals in my life, but Rascal was the only one with whom I had a strong connection. I love her so much and I miss her.

I leave the last word to Grandma Elle:
"She was a wonderful dog... full of intelligence, love and courage. She was beautiful and only seven years old. She deserved to live a full lifespan... about 13 years. I miss her so much." We all miss her. Rest in peace, baby girl.

Rascal
1999-2007