Hi, I'm new to the site and even new to chatrooms. I've read some of your postings and have been crying, which I've been doing a lot of lately. It is therapeutic for me. I just lost my beloved companion of nearly 9 years. Her name was Kona and she was a beautiful lab-shepard-newfie-rottie mix with a fabulous personality. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in August and we had to have her front left leg amputated. She was doing great as a tripod when suddenly she got really lethargic. We took her to our wonderful vet who found that she had a new cancer in her spleen. She recovered enough to go on one last trip to the Oregon coast. She got to smell the ocean air and dig for "sand rats" one last time. Last Monday she started to go downhill fast. We had to say goodbye on Tuesday morning.

Being Thanksgiving, I am thankful that we got to spend the last 4 months spoiling our girl. We took trips to her favorite places...the beach and the mountains. She got extra treats, extra walks (or hops in her case) and extra petting. That pooch knew she was the center of our universe.

I am also thankful that I have found this site. Even though it's hard to read the stories of such beloved pets departures, I don't feel as if I'm the only one.

Kona's Mom a.k.a. Susan

Hi Susan,
Welcome and I am so sorry you lost your beloved Kona. Here we all know about tears and hearbreak, sadness and sorrow. We have wonderful people here who will cry right along with you.

It sure sounds as though Koma had a wonderful last 4 months of her life filled with all the fun things she liked to do and most of all love. I can see how much you loved her and I know she will be so sadly missed.

My Snookie has cancer, cushings, and a very inlarged liver nearly twice the size it should be and other health problems. I just lost my son's chihuahua Chili Bean on the 11th of this month. Please come and talk to all of us we help each other when it feels we can't go on another day.
Ann

I to came here after losing my lab Moose ..he was hit by a car. I have never known such pain and utter lonelyness those first few weeks. I am to say the least shocked at all the cancer. So many have lost their furbabies to cancer, a long goodbye. My Moose loved the coast also, I am from the pacific nortwest, and we had a life of alot of fun, he was my constant companion. When I found out they could not save him, I had to make the decision, most of that first week I can hardly recall, but I kept coming back here, crying over my keyboard,typing my feelings no matter if they made sence or not and I found I was responded to from all over from people whom were hurting as deeply as I am...I have found strength in so many of the responses and it also helped me to know I was not alone. I am so sorry you had to come here, but you will be glad that you did. I find it amazing that I have made it this far, because there was a time I could'nt even imagine that I could go on. I still cant look at my pic's, I still cant sleep in my bdrm but we all need to do what we can to be kind to ourselves and help each other cope. Pamela

Susan, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Kona's last months must have been wonderful because of you. Just know that you're not crying alone anymore.

I am sorry for your loss. You gave Kona a great life, and you loved and were loved.

Hello Susan,
I'm sorry to hear about your beautiful Kona. I'm fairly new to this site, too. I lost my little dachshund named Baby a week and a half ago and I've been crying about her every night. The people on this site have been just wonderful. I don't post very much, but I do visit every night to read about the loss that others have experienced. Just reading the stories and crying over them seems to have helped me a little bit. I know that may sound just awful, but I don't feel so alone in my sadness. Here, I feel comfortable saying that Baby was a family member and not just a pet. I can't say that around certain people without the conversation turning into an argument. I seem to be coping a little better now than a week ago and I believe it is because I found this site. It's amazing how a total stranger can take the time to reply to you with such kindness and sincerity, and really mean it. I'm so, so sorry about Kona.
Linda

Thank you all for responding. It really does help to hear from people who are hurting as much as I am, though I wish it were not so. I've been able to stop crying for bits at a time. I'm so sorry about all of your losses too. It sounds like everyone here gave their pets fabulous lives. To Linda, of course Baby was a family member, but one of the best kind. The kind that love you no matter what. To Pamela, I'm so sorry about the sudden loss of Moose. I can't imagine not having the time to say goodbye. To Ann H, take good care of Snookie and I'm sorry about Chili Bean (what a great name).

I really don't know what I'm going to do when I have to go back to work on Saturday. I work with very caring people, but if they ask about Kona, I know I'm going to loose it big time. It seems like I can't talk to anyone for very long without crying. I can cry here while typing and not feel self-conscious. Thank you all for listening.

Susan

Dear Susan,

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss of Kona. Your story sounds so similar to my story with Shiloh. She was diagnosed with lymphoma in May, we did chemo-therapy all summer and she was doing wonderful, then in August she came out of remission. I lost her on September 17th and I've cried pretty much every day since her passing.

So many people don't understand what an important part of the family our furbabies are. This website has been a wonderful place for me to grieve. When friends and family have said "Gee, she was only a dog, you need to get over it," the friends I've made here have embraced my pain and given me comfort. Keep coming here and sharing...it really will help you heal.

Take care,
Kathleen

Hi Susan,

I am so sorry for your loss. You gave your precious Kona a beautiful life, and were right there by her side making it even better near the end. What a special little girl she was. She endured so much and continued to live life to her fullest.

Like Pamela stated, I am so surprised at how many furbabies develop cancer! I used to feel guilty when I discovered my Rachael developed cancer. I thought that maybe I did something, fed her wrong, let her play in the dirty rivers too many times, etc..... However, coming here, I have discovered that it seems to be very common among the animal kingdom.

Work will probably be good for you. It will get you back in the "normal" routine. When I lost my sweet Rachael I chose to return to work that Monday (she left me on Saturday). I thought that if I stayed at home, I would hurt TWICE as bad! My co-workers were very caring. After a while, they acted like nothing was happening if they walked up to me and saw me wiping away some tears.

Take care of yourself!
Cheri

Hi Susan,

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. Your Kona was determined to live life to the fullest, despite her physical impairments. She showed incredible strength in the face of such huge obstacles. I'm glad the two of you got to share each others lives for nine years.....I know she had a great life with you.

__Jim