rycezmom

Almost five years ago Little Miss Casey was born. She was blessed with blond hair and beautiful blue eyes. She was, however, born with medical problems that no child should ever have to endure. Her survival would depend not only on the skill of a whole departmant of medical professionals but also on the generosity of another family during their own time of grief. Little Miss Casey would require the transplantation of multiple organs. With all of this, she also found herself alone and in the care of the state, no family to hold her, kiss her and care for her. Miss Casey came to the attention of the Liver/GI Transplant Department at the University of Miami Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. For a child with her difficulties, both medical and social, she would become a most beloved and adored little girl. As the transplant department worked tirelessly to keep Casey alive, Barbara Miller, a nurse with the Post Liver/GI Transplant team, and her husband formally adopted her. This was not just a big step but a giant leap of love. She had already become the "baby" of the whole department and now she had real parents. Through several transplants and rejections and complications she was known to many of the hospital staff of this huge medical center. She was a familiar sight with her blond hair, blue eyes, and her little pink backpack. She had become "everyones child". She was claimed by all, treated as their own by all and more importantly, loved by all. I have followed Miss Casey's life through my daughter, Marian, who works with the Liver/GI team. Because I work at the medical center also, it was easy to keep track of her. She spent a great deal of her life in the hospital surrounded by her ever expanding family. After almost five years of the best and worst that life can throw at a little girl, Miss Casey died yesterday. A large medical center can be a cold and scary place, full of uncertainty and pain. Waiting for the generosity of a family losing a loved one and still having the kindness to donate their organs, can be mind numbing. As difficult as her life was, she was a very LOVED little girl who belonged to them all and Miss Casey will be missed by all.

We join in your sadness at the loss of your sweet Poppy

We know that you will miss your sweet girl. She will be with you always in your heart.

Its our old ones that leave the most paw prints on our hearts. He was an important part of your family and we know he will be greatly missed. Thank you for allowing us to know him.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful girl with us. Its very hard to adjust to the empty place they leave in our life. She is in your heart so she is never truly gone.

Hounds steal your heart and take it to the bridge with them. She will never be alone.

Many hound hugs and sloppy dog drool kisses to you Jeff. YOU ROCK

Another heart cries. Another angel to light the sky. Run free Darby

We are so sorry for the loss of your precious Jackson. He will never be alone at the bridge.

Deepest sympathy from our family to yours. We know you hold her close in your heart.

Elders are special and to lose one is to lose ones heart. Thank you for sharing Annies story and pictures. The bring me comfort after the lose of my old boy. Thank you for sharing your heart and home with such a dignified girl.

I'm so sorry that you have lost a much loved hound also. As grief collides with our lives, your Trooper and my Ryce can play togrther. Our hearts cry with yours on the loss of precious pup.

Know that your boy, Sullivan is with my boy Ryce, I can only hope that they are playing with stuffies together. My family holds your family with our shared grief. Hound hugs .

I am sure that your Volanteer met my Ryce at the bridge. Neither was alone when they started their journey across and they will never be alone now.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank this board and all of its members for the care, compassion and understanding that you have shown not only to me on the loss of my special boy Ryce, but to all the others that have lost a beloved hound. It is a great comfort to know that there are so many people that understand that not only are our hounds members of our family but that they hold a place of honor within our lives. Your words of care, sympathy and compassion have made this difficult time a little easier to get through. I have been blessed to have had nine years with my remarkable boy and am continually blessed with my friends on this board. I miss my boy terribly and he will sit up in my heart always as do you all. Hound Hugs to All, Leslie

My 13 year old elder gentleman and family statesman Ryce, crossed the Bridge to be reunited with his bridge brothers and sisters yesterday. I was blessed and honored to have been chosen by this unfailingly polite and giving hound nine years ago. He has been my heartdog ever since. His capacity for unconditional love and caring for both his human and hound pack was unlimited. He lived his life with dignity. My heart hurts.

We lost our first, Bo, to fulmanent liver failure at 12 1/2 yrs old. Our second, Jim, died at almost 10 from a spinal injury. My old gentleman, Ryce, is 13. Gus is almost 8 and Isabella is 5.

Our hearts cry for you loss. Your love for your bridge baby will always live in your soul. Hound hugs from our family to yours.

Thanks for putting that in simple terms for me. I still need the 12 year old next door to help me with the computer when I cant figure things out.

Our heart cries with yours.