Looking For Help In Dealing With Loss, Dog passed away yesterday |
Looking For Help In Dealing With Loss, Dog passed away yesterday |
Jun 1 2004, 05:45 PM
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#1
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Group: Pet Lovers Posts: 2 Joined: 1-June 04 Member No.: 353 |
I lost a dear friend yesterday morning. My dog Sadie passed away after a very brief sickness. She was a 10 year old lab/beagle mix. ( She looked more like a plump black lab). Sadie really didn't realize that she was a dog. She did everything that the kids did. I also have three children, ages 9, 7, and 15 months. The two older kids are so upset also, Sadie has been a constant in their lives since birth. It's so hard for me to help them get through it when I, myself feel like just curling up and crying. I always knew that I would have a hard time when she finally left us, but was nowhere near prepared ( not that we ever could be). When you've had an animal for so long, it takes a lot of getting used to not to see her come around the corner, or hearing her nails click on the linoleum at the bottom of the steps after hearing us open the refrigerator door. We decided to have her cremated, because I couldn't bear the thought of leaving her behind when we move eventually. I also made an album of all of her pictures, ( I swear we have as many of her as we do the children). I feel like she was my first born child. ( We got her right before I got pregnant with my oldest son). When I got divorced from my first husband, she stayed with him for about 10 months, at which time his new wife made him take her to the pound after she supposedly snapped at her son over a piece of pizza. Sadie never had a vicious bone in her body. But....if you tried to take her food, yes, she'd snap. I don't know of many dogs that wouldn't. Long story short, we rescued her from the pound ( they were going to put her down the next day.) I'm so glad to have been able to spend all of this time with her. I don't feel like I'll ever get over the loss. I have truly lost my best friend.
Nicole |
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Jun 1 2004, 06:45 PM
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#2
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Group: Pet Lovers Posts: 366 Joined: 18-May 04 Member No.: 340 |
Oh Nicole--I am so sorry!! 10 years just doesn't seem near long enough does it??
By the way you seem to have stumbled into the room with the least traffic on this website--not sure why that is --but if you post in the "death and dying" forum you will no doubt get more response and advise. death and dying forum I am so sorry that you feel kind of alone and lonely with your grief. I bet it is hard being the "strong one" for the sake of your little ones. Your Sadie was probably alot like another kid to you. How can you disquise those strong feelings? I am no expert but maybe it would be alright to have a big communal cry over your Sadie. I read an article recently that stated rituals are indeed very helpful for people --so maybe you should have a wee ceremony together with your children to say goodbye more officially to your loyal buddy. Maybe it would be alright for your children to see how sad you really are. Do you fear that it would scare them? Shoot, I would think it would be helpful to them if you told them that "big people get very sad too"--(but like I said what do I know?? lol---I do not have children of my own ..what the heck am I trying to do advising you?) Still, it does seem to me that I read somewhere that when the family pet dies it is a perfectly wonderful opportunity to teach children about the impermanence of all life. I bet if you took this on a little like a lesson for your children you might even learn something in the end yourself. One other thing, I know what it is like to sort of carry this lonely sadness alone--- my cat was crabby with everyone (except for me) so no one misses him much except for me. . I love that you made an album--that is just what I am going to do...and I bought a nice "suncatcher" for my back yard where my beautiful guy hung out. At first I got so sad looking at it and every day since it has become more and more a happy sight. I love that you saved your dog from that evil 2nd wife and the grim reaper at the pound!! bless you for that!! I know it is way too soon to bring it up but maybe one day you will have another wonderful friend and when you look into their eyes you will see your sophie in them looking back. So sorry you have lost Sadie....but she is not "lost" as long as you remember her, which I am betting will be for as long as your heart beats. {{{{{{{{HUGS))}}}}}}}}}}}}}} -------------------- Ginger was part Norwegian Forest Cat. When I first took him in he was a meanie, so his full name was "Gingersnap", and I did not change his name after I learned she was a he.
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Jun 1 2004, 06:52 PM
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#3
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Forum Administrator Group: Admin Posts: 1,073 Joined: 3-March 03 From: Midwest USA Member No.: 1 |
post moved to Death & Dying Forum for better readership
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