Sasha, my eleven year old Scottish Terrier has to be put to sleep today. She had terminal cancer and lost the battle. I feel like a piece of my heart has been taken. I had her since she was 8 weeks old.

She was a great dog and I don't know how I am going to get through this! I have been crying for hours. I just can't seem to stop. I just can't get her face out of my mind. She was a true friend who always guarded me and loved me. I just can't believe she is gone.

My husband seems to be handling this much better than I am. I just feel kind of sick. How do you make the pain go away? I miss her!

Sasha Sue Hill
12-23-93 to 2-5-05

Nancy

Dear Nancy-
I am so sorry for the loss of your Sasha.
I lost my 10-year old Australian Terrier, Indy, 5 weeks ago.
He also lost a battle to cancer.
It takes time for the pain to subside. Somedays will be harder then others.
At 5 weeks I have some very hard days. Today was one of them.
About the husband thing....mine also seemed to cope better though he says he misses our boy terribly.
Maybe it's just because men display emotions differently we think they are handling things better then we are....
The people here at LS are kind and their gentle words will comfort you as they have comforted me.
Thinking of you.
Fran

I'm so very sorry for your loss.

You have come to the right place for help.

There is no easy way to get through the early stages. Coming here helped me a great deal.

Dear Nancy,

I am SO sorry you had to say goodbye to your sweet Sasha
Cancer is such a terrible illness. I have discovered in this forum that is it much more common in our furbabies than I ever thought possible. I lost my precious Rachael to cancer too. Like you, when the cancer became too much and took away a quality life for her, I had help her end her suffering.

I think we all agree in this forum that a piece of your heart does go with them. However, they have left us with SO many wonderful and loving memories. Sasha will always live inside of you and you will carry her spirit with you forever. Unfortunately, our furbabies don't live as long as we do. We usually know when we let one into our heart that a painful goodbye will follow someday. However, we all are VERY willing to take on that pain for all the wonderful years of unconditional love that they give us. I know that I wouldn't have given up those years I had with Rachael for all the money in the world. This pain seems SO intense, yet I tell myself that it is so small compared to all that she did and went through for me.

When my Rachael became weak and could no longer stand, I knew that I had to help her. Many in here have said this, and I want to share it with you too...we take on the pain and suffering for our furbabies so that they no longer have to. I would take on Rachael's pain and suffering for her a million times over! It is the biggest and ultimate act of love

I wish there was a magic cure for our broken hearts, but this is what makes us special! We are very caring and loving people. We feel and experience emotions. Only time will heal your pain. As hard as it is to believe, I promise you that time will make your pain lessen. There is no set time line, everyone heals in their own time. I can only suggest that you allow yourself to feel the pain. Let the tears flow. Every tear you cry will bring you closer to healing. Write about Sasha and tell us more about her.

You're in my thoughts!
Cheri

Nancy- I cry as I read your post about losing your baby Sasha. I know you must be feeling the same agonizing grief that I am. I am so sorry. Cancer is just terrible, and I am so angry that it took Lucy from me. It hurt me to see her body being taken over by that horrible disease. I still have a lot of anger, but hopefully it will get better with time.

All day, I have been walking around in a haze. Our house seems so empty. I cannot even go into the garage as that especially reminds me of her. That is where she hung out with her Daddy and when we would open the garage door after being out, she would always run out to greet us.

I miss her terribly. So much, that like you, I feel sick beyond words. I know in my heart that the pain will decrease as time marches on, but that doesn't seem possible to me now.

Just know that there is somebody else out there who is feeling the same things you are right now, the incredible pain, the tears that won't stop flowing. I know how much you hurt.

I also know that my Lucy is in a better place and that she is no longer suffering, but that somehow doesn't seem to lessen the pain. I wish she was here with me, so that I could hug her and feel her warm breath one last time. Maybe we can help each other through this.

Tonight I am going to light a special candle for Lucy. I will say a prayer for Sasha and tell Lucy to look for her. I am so sorry for your loss.

Caroline

Nancy, I am so sorry your baby is no longer with you and I know your heart must be so broken. You most likely will be crying those tear for a while to come but that is alright let them flow. We are here to listen and to help you all we can we are here to share each others pain. Tell us more about your sweet little girl Sasha. I bet she was a doll and I can hear the love you had for her.

My heart still feels like it has been broken and shattered like glass. First we lost our son's chihuahua to cancer, she had to be put to sleep. Six weeks and 3 days later my sweet Snookie lost her battle to cancer cushings, and diabetes. Snookie had been sick for over 10 months and she fought so hard. She passed away on her own 6 weeks agon in the arms of my family and I.
Hugs, Ann

I am sorry about your loss, I to have had a huge piece of my heart ripped from my chest when my Moose was put to sleep, like Cheri said, this is what makes us special..to be able to love so deeply. I try and look at Moose as a gift if only for a short time. And think of him with thankfullness, but it took a few weeks for that to happen as I was just to devastated in the begining. Like Kath said you have come to the right place because we are all here because we lost our loves. Pamela.

I just want to say I am so sorry for your loss of your baby Sasha. It is so very hard to watch a very special family member struggle and lose ground. It is also very hard to take an animal in to be put down. I have had to do that twice in the last 3 yrs, and it is one of the very worst things to have to do. But its the right thing, and the fair thing, and the loving thing.
My husband showed alot of emotion when we first lost our kitty Clay but after a couple days, he seems to have moved on almost. I know he still misses him greatly, but men do show emotions differently than women. Men, too, often will go take out their aggravations in the garage, where a woman needs to cry or talk to a girlfriend about the loss.
Dont expect too much of yourself right away. I lost Clay on Feb 1st and its like nothing else matters. I havent done any housework or cooking since he died, and dont care really. Its funny how things that used to seem important, arent anymore. I spend time crying and grieving, but am also trying to do a few things that distract me from the reality of the moment, like walking with a friend like I did yesterday.
Know that people care about you. And we will get through this.
Susie (Clay's Mom forever)

Dear Nancy,

I'm so sorry about Sasha.

I lost Shiloh 5 months ago to lymphoma. She was only 5 years old when she lost her battle. I can tell you from my own experience that the pain takes a while to go away. Honestly, I don't think it will ever go away completely...it gets less intense and it's not as bad as when she first died, but I still am overcome with grief from time to time.

The best thing to do is come back here to LS and share your thoughts and feelings. The folks here will embrace you and your grief with comfort and support.

Take care,
Kathleen