What can I say?? I'm devastated.My heart is shattered.I'm lost without my Fatman. He watched my girls grow up. We had 16 1/2 terrific years.My youngest daughter is 18, so Fatman is all that she remembers. This is so hard on her.My other daughter is 20 and Fatman watched her grow up.We cry, we are in mourning. We don't know what to do.
Fatman had many health problems. Heart failure[he was on Enacard, Vetmedin] Kidney Failure [NF canned food] severe arthritis of his spine & back legs.Hypothyroid.Blind and deaf.But he loved to eat & have his little Cheerio hunts that he enjoyed throughout the living room.
Saturday morning I woke up to him lying in his own poo, pee and he had vomited.My daughter & I cleaned him up, he threw up again, so off to the vet we went.
The sweetest vet was there, I swear an angel in disguse.She said they could do blood tests or put him on more antibiotics[he was just finishing a regimen of Flagyl for bowel problems & diarrhea]but these peoblems would keep coming back. My baby's heart was beating so fast. He couldn't even stand.They held him up to put his rear paws backwards[u know dogs usually flip them forwards again to walk]...well, he didn't. What does that mean? The vet said if this was her dog she would let him go with the angels peacefully.She put a catheter in his leg so he wouldn't feel the needle and he was wrapped in a big blanket like the King he is.....we hugged him and told him that it was okay to let go & all of our pets that we've lost are at the Bridge waiting for him & we can't wait to see him again. We held him until the vet said "He's with the angels now".OMG, I'm so thankful it was a day that our vet was open, ER vets don't know my dog nor do they care as much.We cried and wailed as they left us alone with our baby.
Now the guilt....could he have gotten better? We've known for 3 yrs that he had these conditions. His life had become walking into walls, lying down in pain etc. Maybe I was cruel, but I couldn't let go. Even my girls say Fatman treated them better than their own father.He came first in everything that we did.He had painpills but he was real good at hiding his pain from us.
Where do we go from here? His memory is everywhere.I loved him because he was my kid, just like my girls.
Plz help us.Our Boston is mourning his brother.We are broken hearted.
Full Version: Lost Our Precious Little Boy On 1/10
I am so sorry about the loss of your baby boy, Fatman. I am glad to read you had him for over 16 years (I lost my Little Guy just over 16 1/2 years old).
It is truly heartbreaking when it is their time to leave us. It sounds as if you cared for him wonderfully for a long time (you mention problems of at least 3 years duration).
The best I can say right now is something one "Mom" here said about her loss:
The pain of losing him will never ever be greater than the joy of knowing him.
That thought gives me strength to bear the pain when it comes. It makes me remember the joy. It reminds me of why I had to let my boy go..so he had no more suffering when there was no cure.
It still hurts. It will always hurt. It is the pain of missing them that is devastating. And we miss them because we love them so very much.
I wish you and your family peace and healing. Take it one day at a time and try to focus on the good memories when you can.
Come here and write your thoughts and feelings about your pretty boy. His picture is quite precious. You might want to post more pictures and even think of some special stories about him that make you smile to remember.
He is a part of your heart and being there...he can never be taken from you.
When you are here...you are never alone in what you think or feel...we have all been there..more times than we care to think about. But they are worth the pain to have had them in our lives and we don't regret having them with us...we just always, always wish for more time..more quality time...their time with us is never long enough. It creates a bond of love that lasts forever and can never be broken.
Hugs and healing,
Judy
It is truly heartbreaking when it is their time to leave us. It sounds as if you cared for him wonderfully for a long time (you mention problems of at least 3 years duration).
The best I can say right now is something one "Mom" here said about her loss:
The pain of losing him will never ever be greater than the joy of knowing him.
That thought gives me strength to bear the pain when it comes. It makes me remember the joy. It reminds me of why I had to let my boy go..so he had no more suffering when there was no cure.
It still hurts. It will always hurt. It is the pain of missing them that is devastating. And we miss them because we love them so very much.
I wish you and your family peace and healing. Take it one day at a time and try to focus on the good memories when you can.
Come here and write your thoughts and feelings about your pretty boy. His picture is quite precious. You might want to post more pictures and even think of some special stories about him that make you smile to remember.
He is a part of your heart and being there...he can never be taken from you.
When you are here...you are never alone in what you think or feel...we have all been there..more times than we care to think about. But they are worth the pain to have had them in our lives and we don't regret having them with us...we just always, always wish for more time..more quality time...their time with us is never long enough. It creates a bond of love that lasts forever and can never be broken.
Hugs and healing,
Judy
First,
I'm so terribly sorry for the loss of your cherished family member. It is so hard to say good- bye to the little ones who have been there during every stage. have given comfort in every disappointment, shared every family joy. The emptiness their going leaves behind is unbearable.
In answer to your question about seeing if they reposition their feet. That is a test to see how well the feet and legs are receiving nerve impulses from the spinal cord. I they continue to "toe under " as you baby did, that indicates paralysis, and maybe progressive neurological degeneration. You did the most loving thing you could for him.
We've all been in your shoes...we are here. lean on us a little.
God Bless you and your Fatman...and watch between you until you are together again.
Dayna
I'm so terribly sorry for the loss of your cherished family member. It is so hard to say good- bye to the little ones who have been there during every stage. have given comfort in every disappointment, shared every family joy. The emptiness their going leaves behind is unbearable.
In answer to your question about seeing if they reposition their feet. That is a test to see how well the feet and legs are receiving nerve impulses from the spinal cord. I they continue to "toe under " as you baby did, that indicates paralysis, and maybe progressive neurological degeneration. You did the most loving thing you could for him.
We've all been in your shoes...we are here. lean on us a little.
God Bless you and your Fatman...and watch between you until you are together again.
Dayna
To Judy & Dayna~~
Thanks sooo much for your words of support. They have helped me & my daughters so so so much!They grew up with Fatman.The pic I posted of him was taken about 3 years ago, before his problems really began.At his passing he was really thin.Vet said that they lose muscle mass as they age. He ate every 3 hours because of acid reflux and his meds. He loved to eat.
Our lives have changed drastically. Our Boston, who is 7 , knew Fatty as 'Brother' and as Fatty got more fragile, we had to yell 'brother!' when the Boston played to close. Now he is in mourning. Sleeping, howling by the window, he has lost interest in a dog that we had rescued over a month ago from a kill shelter in Ga.Fatty loved her & before we brought her into our home, my oldest daughter told Fatman what was going on..."there is a girl dog that is going to be gassed to death tomorrow morning Fatty, if we don't save her.Do you mind if she comes home with us?"Fatty licked her face over and over again, covering her with doggie kisses. We took that as a yes.
Juneau joined our family & her and Fatty got along great. She is as big as he was small. She tiptoed around him.
So here we are....a few less tears, but always looking around the corner for our baby.I've lost both my mom & dad but nothing can hurt as much as losing the love of your pet.
We love you Fatty. And I'll be so happy to see you at the Rainbow Bridge.Even my girls said they aren't afraid of death anymore because of our pets waiting there.
Love to all you precious ppl~~~and especially to the furbabies that loved us~~
Thanks sooo much for your words of support. They have helped me & my daughters so so so much!They grew up with Fatman.The pic I posted of him was taken about 3 years ago, before his problems really began.At his passing he was really thin.Vet said that they lose muscle mass as they age. He ate every 3 hours because of acid reflux and his meds. He loved to eat.
Our lives have changed drastically. Our Boston, who is 7 , knew Fatty as 'Brother' and as Fatty got more fragile, we had to yell 'brother!' when the Boston played to close. Now he is in mourning. Sleeping, howling by the window, he has lost interest in a dog that we had rescued over a month ago from a kill shelter in Ga.Fatty loved her & before we brought her into our home, my oldest daughter told Fatman what was going on..."there is a girl dog that is going to be gassed to death tomorrow morning Fatty, if we don't save her.Do you mind if she comes home with us?"Fatty licked her face over and over again, covering her with doggie kisses. We took that as a yes.
Juneau joined our family & her and Fatty got along great. She is as big as he was small. She tiptoed around him.
So here we are....a few less tears, but always looking around the corner for our baby.I've lost both my mom & dad but nothing can hurt as much as losing the love of your pet.
We love you Fatty. And I'll be so happy to see you at the Rainbow Bridge.Even my girls said they aren't afraid of death anymore because of our pets waiting there.
Love to all you precious ppl~~~and especially to the furbabies that loved us~~
just want to say I am so sorry for your loss. I cried reading your post, not just because it was sad but also because the end was so beautiful and dignified for Fatman. And to have such a wondeful caring vet too.
You have no reason to feel guilt. You loved him so much and you did the last thing you could do for him. You didn't let him suffer.
I think guilt always comes with immense grief, even if we know we did everything we could. Its just part of it.
take care
Von x
You have no reason to feel guilt. You loved him so much and you did the last thing you could do for him. You didn't let him suffer.
I think guilt always comes with immense grief, even if we know we did everything we could. Its just part of it.
take care
Von x
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.