Hello everybody,

I am so grateful that I found this site and that I have the chance to talk to people who truly understand the total devastation of losing a pet.

Last monday, we lost our beautiful baby dog Ginger. She was 13 years old. She was our life, our fur baby, our focus. She went everywhere with us and enriched our lives with her spirit. She had been sick for a while but we had no idea just how sick she was and had been looking for answers for a couple of months. We had to make the hearbreaking decision to let her go after a rapid decline over the weekend. I don't have the energy at this stage to tell her story but I would really love some help in going through the grieving process in the coming months. Right now I am racked with sadness, guilt, loneliness and a thousand other emotions. I want to tell you her story so hopefully this site will enable me to do this in time. There is a big gaping hole in my life right now.

Thank you all for posting your stories. I truly know that I am in the right place and am united with you in your losses.

I look forward to talking with you some more soon.

Amy

Hi Amy,

I'm glad that you found this wonderful forum -- it really is a life saver -- but I'm so very sorry that you have to be here. You are about to embark on one of the most painful journey's we have to go through. A rollercoaster of emotions -- of one step forwards, and two steps back. But now you are here, you will meet some wonderful people who will be right there with you every step of the way, for as long and as often as you need us to be.

Your pain right now is so very raw, and you probably feel like the tears will never stop. The advice we always give during the intial stages of grief is to embrace whatever you feel and try not to surpress your emotions. Cry if you need to cry, scream if you need to scream, sit there and stare into space, pound your fists against the wall ... it may not seem like it now, but it's the only way towards healing.

When you are ready -- and only when you are ready -- we would love to hear more about your precious Ginger and maybe see some pictures. A lot of people on here, myself included, find that it helps to use their thread as a place to 'write letters' or talk to their babies. It really helps get things off your chest, and it's also nice to have a place to write down the wonderful memories.

It will get better with time. I know it's hard to believe that now, but trust me healing does begin to happen. I don't think we are ever the same again after losing something so special to us, but we learn to adjust to a new way of life. We start to realise that our babies are still with us, and always will be, but just in a different way.

Again, I'm so sorry for your loss. Hang in there, and post again when you're feeling upto it.

Sending you hugs -- Cheryl xx

I know exactly how you feel! My spaniel tyson had leukemia and he was only 8. I had to put him to sleep on august 12th. There is still a hole in my heart too. Coming here is a gret place where others can really relate. It won't bring back our babies but you can count on someone to always be there to listen and be understanding. I am really sorry you lost your baby and I know how devastating it is believe me. Know that we all are here for you. I send you hugs. doggielove

Dear Amy

I am so sorry to hear of the sad loss of your darling Ginger. I'm glad that you found this forum, as I'm sure the people here will help and comfort you through your grief. There are some wonderful people here who understand how devastating it is to lose a beloved pet. It's a year today since I lost my darling Samoyed , Noushka, at the age of 14. This forum helped me get through this last year, and I have made some very dear friends.
Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your darling Angel, Ginger .

Hugs
Jan and my Angels and Pixie xx

Dear Amy, I'm not able to respond to your post right now in full because I'm at work but I wanted you to know that you've come to the right place. My heart goes out to you as you suffer the loss of your sweet Ginger. Just breathe.
-Donna

Amy,

My sincere sympathy on the loss of Ginger. You've definitely come to the right place for support, sympathy and a friendly ear. We're a family here, one united by the shared experience of losing a beloved pet. When you feel up to it we'd all love to hear some stories about Ginger, but in the meantime we're here for you.

-Clay

Hi, Amy, please permit me to add my sincerest sympathies in the loss of your precious Ginger. Losing a beloved companion is never easy regardless of the circumstances or how long we have been blessed with the privilege of their company. Euthanasia is the last gift of love we can give to our beloved companions - - at great sacrifice to ourselves - - so that they can once again be healed and restored to their former youthfulness in the company of the angels.

Amy, we will look forward to sharing your story of Ginger and any memories you would like to share with us as well. This grief journey is one of the hardest experiences we will have on this side of eternity. It is filled with so many different emotions, sometimes consuming us all at once, burying our hearts and spirits and minds in darkest depths we never ever believed could exist.

One of the many things you need to remember is that you are not alone in your grief journey. As several wonderful responders have already said, we are here for you for as long and as often as you need us, Amy. It is important that you allow yourself to grieve the physical loss of Ginger. Some folks think that burying their grief deep inside helps to make the grief less painful, but in reality, it only prolongs the grieving process and can inflict serious physical and emotional side effects. So, Amy, let it out - - for the tears you cry are truly healing tears, and this is what your precious Ginger wants for you with all of her heart and love that she is sharing with you even now with her sweet Living Spirit.

Amy, thank you so much for letting us know about your precious Ginger. Take your time in writing - - we are here - - we are not going anywhere. It is my sincerest hope that you will feel both our collective and individual comforting encouragement reaching out to you across the cyber miles. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, Amy, and look forward to hearing from you, to sharing whatever is in your heart, whenever possible.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hi Amy--

Let me add my condolences on the loss of your precious Ginger. I am so so sorry that you are having to go through this, oh so painful, grieving process.

This Forum has been a godsend for me and many others. I came here first when I was losing my Poppers dog (black labrador), and stayed all through the spring as I was losing my beloved Ladywolf (90% Alaskan Grey Timberwolf), and have stayed long past that time, because this IS a family of really compassionate, understanding, wise people who have all gone through the experiences of loss and grieving. Hang out here, and you will be hanging out with good friends.

Expect a rocky road as you process your grief. There is no "set" pattern to it--rather, our emotions tend to be all over the place. We can be feeling fairly okay about things and then some little thing will set us off and we will start sobbing--or, we can be sobbing when some memory will suddenly make us smile and dry our tears. It's unpredictable, at best, this grieving process.

Again, I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved Ginger!

Big hugs from Margi, Spiritwolf, and Leopold the Bold One

Dear Amy,

I am so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you at this sad and painful time. All of us here know and understand your pain. I truly hope you can find some comfort here and knowing you are not alone.

Please share Ginger's story with us when you feel up to it. I understand that right now your pain is so fresh and raw. Sometimes sharing their picture and stories can be healing. We would love to hear about her.

Take care Amy and let us know how you are doing. You and Ginger will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Hugs,
Berta and Chico

Amy

I'm so sorry for your loss of your baby, Ginger. I know how hard it is to make that "decision". I had to make the same one on August 6th for my dog Daisy (I think I will always and forever hate the month of August)

And yes, you are at the right place. Everyone here knows what you are going through. It can be difficult to have to deal with every kind of emotion hitting you all at once. Sometimes it hard for me to look around at people laughing and carrying on with their "normal" lives when mine has fallen apart. I come here to just read....then I get up...go to work...knowing that...no...I'm not alone...there are people out there that are going through exactly what I'm going through...at exactly the same time...dealing with the crying....and that horrible emptiness in their hearts....just like me.

My thoughts are with you.

Annette

Amy, I wanted to add to my reply to you from earlier. Cheryl said it best when she said it's ok to scream, pound your fists, etc. It really is ok to do those things. For me, I've never (thankfully) suffered a loss like losing our first cat, Frasier, last August. I was frightened by the sounds of grief that came out of me. I didn't sound human. I would melt to the floor and pound my fists and wail. I have never experienced anything like that before and it is scary. When our second baby, Niles, died in March, I tried to suppress those feelings. I didn't want to be that out of control again. I'm still trying.
I can't advise doing that, though. Let it out. As often and for as long as you need. There is no greater calm or peace than that which comes after wailing your heart out. And when the tears won't come and you still need to let it out, come here and write about or to your sweet Ginger. It will help. You were a good fur parent to her, I'm sure. I know that because while not all good fur parents make it to this site, only good ones are here. The fact that you came here says you loved Ginger and would have done anything for her. I'm sure she knew that.
My heart goes out to you as you go back and forth through the stages of grief. And sometimes, you'll go through all of them at the same time! Please let us know how you're doing.
-Donna

Hi everybody,

I just wanted to say that you are all wonderful, so kind and understanding. I cried when I read your responses (tears of gratitude, not sad tears) Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply to me. I haven't been able to bring myself to post again properly so far but I hope to be able to honour my beautiful Ginger soon. I feel a bit like I havent had time to grieve properly yet as we have a 1 one year old baby so life had had to go on. speak to you all sooon.

Amy
***

Hi Amy,

Thank you for letting us know how you're doing. I look forward to hearing more from you - but only when you are ready. Take it one step at a time. Do whatever you need to do to help guide yourself through this. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. It is, however, important that you try to find the time to acknowledge your emotions and not "push them away" as this will only hinder the healing process. But, like I said, one step at a time

Take care of yourself. Cheryl x

Hi, Amy, thank you so much for letting us know how things are going. Having a one year old child can certainly keep a person busy. Still, as you know, there is a need to grieve losses, and the loss of your precious Ginger is important. As Cheryl said so well, you must do what you need to do to help yourself through your grief. We will be here to share whatever is in your heart whenever you are able and ready. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers, Amy.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam