Good-bye, DannyBoy

Momsrachel came home with us for Christmas and then her dog, DannyBoy became very ill. At first we thought he just missed her but then it got more serious. He has been in the hospital for 6 days while the doctors tried to find out why both his kidneys were shutting down for no apparent reason and while Rachel and I struggled to reach a conclusion that neither of us wanted to reach. DannyBoy was Rachel's constant friend. The buddy she played and laughed with and the shoulder she cried on when she didn't want to worry her mother.

This morning the vet said there was no more hope that Danny would get any better so we agreed to let him go. My daughter and son-in-law who live with Rachel and Danny in California took his firends, Daisy and Chloe to visit him one last time and then both daughter and son-in-law went in with Danny and held him until he was gone. My wonderful son-in-law insisted that Danny had to come home with them to be buried in their back yard in a special place and he is outside digging the grave right now. It was so hard having Rachel and I 1200 miles away while all of this was going on. But knowing loving family and dog friends were there at the end really helped both of us.

Rachel is in the shower sobbing and crying right now and she wants to be alone. She says when she gets out of the shower she needs to try to get happy because (she says) both of us have cried way too much the last five days. I think I need one of those showers, too. I know in the grand scheme of things, this is probably not such a great tragedy, but right here and right now - to us, it is.

Thank you for letting me share this with all of you. This is the last picture of Danny sent via cell phone before he was put to rest. Good bye, Danny. You will be missed.