MisserGil

Awww... I am so sorry.. so many of us are going thru this grief at the same time.. Love and Light to all of you.. I know Scout will be missed...

I am so very sorry for your loss... Its hard on everyone and just make sure you take time to heal..

Xan.. I am so sorry to hear about Wabi... And you will be getting a Tattoo.. I think your design is great and we will make it very special for you..

Thanks again everyone.. Today I brought Tanners ashes home.. Unfortunately the hurricane delayed a few things for many businesses. Tanner loved everyone he met and so many of you were able to meet him over the years and it was through him that many of us became friends. Love and light to everyone..

Thanks everyone.. I woke up this morning after a night of tears, hoping that it was all a bad dream. There is another major void in my life.. Like I have said before, losing three in six months has been tough. I still get teary eyed when I even think about it all..

I am so sorry...

Back many years ago I joined this forum under the name of TannersDad. I had just adopted Tanner in 2002 and he was about 18 months old. Adopting Tanner spawned many great things and I have seen over 500 greyhounds come through my house into their new homes.. Through it all, Tanner was always the gentleman and a big goofy baby boy. He fell in love with some foster dogs, and some he was glad to see leave. He was such a cutie and I could tell him at any time it was time to go to bed and he would trot off down the hall to the bedrooom, only to come peaking out when I didn't follow him. He was always smiling and loved everyone. He was my big baby boy. Last night he had was not feeling well, threw up his food from breakfast and typical stomach discomfort. By morning I realized it was more than that. Nothing I could do would help him. Called and took him in this afternoon for xrays etc. The xrays confirmed what I had suspected. There was a mass or blockage causing the abdominal pain and other issues. Due to his age, and other health issues, we decided surgery was not the way to go. I made sure that he had plenty of drugs and sedatives and he and I snuggled on his bed for a while together as he finally was sleepy.. So many old time Greytalk members knew Tanner.. And through him, so many more hounds found new homes.. And as I sit here typing feeling that its the end of an era... Maybe its just the beginning of another one. In the last six months I have lost three amazing hounds. No, its not fair, but its something that we all will have to experience at some point. Well hopefully not three so close. Through Tanner, I have made some amazing friends, and have had some wonderful times. Our lives have become enriched by our knowledge and love for the Greyhound. Thanks to Tanner, I have been able to be a part of this amazing community.. Tanner is peaceful and has joined his first love, Belle. He also has joined with Dimples and Tyrone who passed away earlier this year, as well as Pumpkin and Toby who passed away two years ago.. Its hard losing one.. Each one leaves a mark on your heart and I am feel fortunate that Tanner was the beginning of what has been an amazing and rewarding experience in the Greyhound Community.

Thanks everyone.. Tyrone also loved going to the events and hanging out with everyone getting lots of loving. Its hard only preparing one bowl of food. I of course slipped last night and called for him to go outside and potty with Tanner and Gracie.. Hell I am still calling for Dimples.. Will be seeing Big Dave for the halo over Tyrones tattoo portrait on my back next week.. But I think I need to find a little skull and crossbones for him as well since he was my little badboy pirate.. I was also thinking last night how when we lose a pet that has been with us at so many events and others have grown to love, that everyone loses that special pet. Thankfully we all have our memories..

Where do I begin and what do I say.. Tyrone was my little buddy and a whippet that gave so much love to everyone.. He loved having his ears rubbed and was always ready to snuggle. Since Dimples went to the bridge in February, Tyrone seemed to have the hardest time dealing with it. Doing weird behaviors and stuff. Last night he ate his dinner and curled up in a chair. About an hour later he was getting down and collapsed.. I took him to my vets house which is five minutes from where I live and we both went to the Emergency Vet. He passed quickly and we were with him. He was the guardian of stuffies, and of course could jump a fence if he saw a butterfly, squirrel, bird or dragonfly that he wanted to chase. He was also the guardian of the food bowls in the house. Many of my Greytalk Friends met him over the years at various events. I don't know how many people wanted to steal him from me. He was my little bad boy, wearing pirate jammies, pirate collars and loved showing off. He had a great life. First he was a retired show champ, then a field coursing champ. I got him after his retirement. He quickly settled into living the good life and I made sure he knew that whippets had to stay nice and warm, so he started sleeping under the covers with me at night. He had many adventures with his buddy Diego whippet at the camper and even one year both went to GIG with me. To be honest, this all happened so quickly that I am still in shock. I don't really know what to say and do. Its highly possible that he missed Dimples so much that he had to be with her. Who knows. I do know that I will miss him so much and feel lost in bed without him. Why do I have a kingsize bed when there are no pups to snuggle with? Thanks to everyone for all of their love and support throughout the years. Tyrone knew he was loved and I appreciate the fact that I got to share him with so many others..

I am sorry Beth.. Yes, they do slip from us so quickly

Thanks everyone.. Dimples loved going to Dewey Beach.. No she didn't get out much but she loved seeing everyone come to the house to see her. She got to meet so many people that way. We knew our limits and her greeting others in a place she felt comfortable was always best. The house we stay in at Dewey was a place she knew and felt comfortable in. So many friends stopped by to visit and that was always special to not only her but me as well. She was a beautiful girl and looked just like her father, Gable Dodge who was just as freaky as she was. LOL The Luberly Miss Dimples is going to be missed, but she is still around. Someone has to keep the rest of the kids in line here..

I know many of you did follow the last five week journey on Facebook and I appreciate all of the comments and support there. The last five weeks I was focused on Dimples and her recovery. And like her surgeon said yesterday, this is not how this was supposed to be or end. His concern and care was amazing. He even came in on his day off to do one of her surgeries because he wanted to be the one that did it. So many people have been with us on this journey and helped out. And the love and support from around the world has bee overwhelming. She loved her pretty collars and actually expected one when Uncle Chris Carpenter came for a visit. And he knew it too and made sure he had a collar for her when he came to visit. LOL The other day, I removed the price tag on a really expensive raincoat that I had bought her right after I got her. I had bought the other dogs these coats as they would use them.. Everyone told me that I couldn't leave Dimples out even though she didn't really go places to need one. So i got her one anyway. It actually worked well to keep her from bothering her incision. LOL

In January 2004, on a trip to Shoreline Star to take one of our Foster boys for Surgery to have a broken leg mended, I met a little girl who was there.. She was frightened and in the back of her crate. Something about her kept calling me to her and I asked Penny what her story was. She told me that she was a genetic spook that had been there for six months. Not many groups have the ability to take a major spook and she felt that if someone took her and spent time wit her, she would be a great pet. After we finished helping feed and turnout the dogs, we headed back to Virginia in what was supposed to be a little dusting of snow, but turned into a major mess in the North. If I remember correctly numbers like 18 inches of snow arrived. While driving home, I kept thinking of Dimples and couldn't get her off my mind so I called Penny and told her to go ahead and have Dimples Vetted that week and I would pick her up the following weekend when I picked Kidd up from his surgery. She asked me if I was sure, and I said I could never be more sure about something and would do my best to work with her and find a good loving home for Dimples. After we picked her up, the ride home was interesting.. Here we had a dog who was scared to death and one with repairs to a rear broken leg. My son rode in the back of the van with them and gave Dimples lots of loving along the way, but he remembers that she didn't move the entire trip home and was scared to death. Once we got home she quickly found her crate and was happy there. During the first week she went out one night at last turnout, and decided she wouldn't come inside. I did everything I could for 4 hours in 18 degree weather to lure her in. Finally I learned I had to leave the door open and hide.. That worked and after that she went out on a leash for a while, and then we went back to leaving the door open and hiding so she could come in. She figured out each of our hiding places but we kept doing it and soon she figured out it was safe inside. Once I showed her the couch, it was apparent she was feeling more comfy. After a couple months, I had an adopter who fell in love with her and wanted to give it a try with her so I let her take Dimples home. About three weeks of trying and Dimples would have nothing to do with another home. The day she came back to the house, Dimples ran into my house and jumped on the couch where she stayed. I knew she was home and would not be leaving. Over the years, the use of medication daily, Dimples blossomed. She loved people but only loved watching them.. Having someone come to our house was major trauma and threw her into a tailspin. She was always ready to ride in the van, but didn't want to be around the people so many times she would sit in the back of the van on the big seat and just watch out of the many windows. I learned her limits but also learned how to push them so she could experience new things. I learned how to alter routines that I had so she could experience things. We would arrive at Dewey Beach early, go to an area where no one was and take walks on the beach so she could enjoy the sand and water. At home she quickly learned how to open baby gates with her mouth. If I was working on a project, either cooking, or renovations on the house, Dimples would stand there with me observing, me telling her each step. I kept hoping that one day she would take it on herself to finsh some of the many projects we started. LOL The strides she made over the years were amazing and while large crowds of new people were difficult for her, once she realized they were going to give her loving, she became their best friend. Five weeks ago, Dimples broke her leg while I was at the Evet with our friend Nerice and her Whippet Diego. We will never know how she broke her leg but it was a nasty spiral fracture in the bone between her elbow and shoulder. Her First surgery was tough but she managed to learn the tripod walk without using that leg even though it was her favored leg. I created a recovery room and slept on the floor or on the loveseat so I could give her pain meds every four hours as she recovered. Right as we were two weeks into the recovery and going in for a check up, the pin in her leg started protruding more and more from her shoulder. An xray showed the break had slipped, so a second surgery was done with heavier wires and a larger pin/rod. We made it to the two week part and had staples removed, however the rod had to be reset deeper, and a splint added to help straighten the paw. Then the same week we had to add staples because the rod kept busting the stitches. Pain meds were constant and this past weekend it was apparent that they were now working as they should be. On Monday I started Injections of a strong pain medication until we could see the surgeon on Tuesday. Tuesday morning we went in and the rod was protruding an inch out of the skin. He kept her so he could sedate her for an xray. Yes, she was still spooky enough to not deal with things like that well. I received the call that the repairs had blown out and it looked as if no healing had taken place over the five weeks. And while there was no visable signs of cancer, we all knew that something else was keeping the bone from growing. Her pain was kept under control only by high doses of pain meds. And after speaking to many friends and greyhound collegues, I knew what I had known had to be done. So on February 15th, Dimples joined so many other Greyhounds including some of my own at the bridge. Our wild and wacky girl was no longer in pain. Dimples gave so many of us such joy and taught us so many things. Her outlook on life, the way she nuzzled my neck at night, how she loved the kitties, but would get tired of them and with a little spasam like movement from her back leg would kick them off the sofa. How she learned to open a baby gate with her mouth and how she tried so hard to open the doorknobs on the house, she did what she wanted to do, and knew she could do it. Her love was amazing and she had so much to give. She didn't understand personal space and had to get to know someone by sniffing their hair, ears, face, all on her own terms. What a special treat it was for me to be a part of her life, and to watch her as she blossomed and grew. The love she gave was uncondtional and it will be missed. My heart is broken but I know she is no longer hurting and is chasing the furries at the bridge and I am sure she immediately found a sofa to lay on as she waits. Run free my sweet girl, come back to visit when you want as you know your place in my heart and home will always be here. Thank you for all that you taught me and for allowing me to be a part of your life. Thanks for the endless amount of love and joy you brought me. You went too soon, but there is a reason you had to go join the others. This morning I know you visited me and woke me up. Your special way of waking me up is going to be missed.. I love you Puddin head.. Reb's Dimples... 09/2001 - 02/2011

This is one of lifes hard decisions.. I have had to make it several times and have had to help people make it as well.. My boy Toby was a picky eater and always was.. I made extra food for him, Fat Balls, "Gil's Good Stuff" etc.. I fed him raw stewbeef from the package.. Anything to help him eat. He ended up having a Gastro Tumor that was sapping his body for the calories. Up until I knew it was time, he would romp in the yard, play and bounce like a pony when I got home.. No it wasn't as big as when he was healthy but he still wanted to do the things he enjoyed.. I could see it in his eyes how tired and weak he was. Sometimes the physical body is ready before the spirit of the dog is. I would continue to watch her, think about her quality of life and really search her eyes.. You are one of the lucky ones to have a hound at 14. You will also rather remember her when she was able to do things than when it comes down to where she can't get up and many other things.. Sure she can roach and enjoy the loving you give.. Most dogs do.. I helped one of my friends with her dog.. Black lab.. She had gotten to the point of having trouble getting up and walking.. did fine on the rug... I had to go over and help get her up one time off the wood floors and once I did, she seemed fine.. Took her outside, watched her with the steps and in the yard. She enjoyed her times outside, but also watched her compensate coming up the steps.. She hopped up them to compensate for her weak back side.. Within a few days I was there to help her to the bridge.. She had a fighting spirit, but her body said it was time.. She even ate well, but when the rest of her life was tough, we all knew.. Heck she was bouncing around when we got there to the house for her shot. But you could tell, deep in her soul she was ready.. Good Luck to you in your decision.. ITs a hard one but one you have to make with her in mind and how her body is reacting.

I am so sorry.. Flossie has a very special place in my heart....

Just a reminder that there are a few more hours to add pics to this memorial. Even if you are not going to be at GIG, its nice to include everyone.. We got into Gettysburg yesterday afternoon and its been wonderful..

Just a quick note.. The Pet Blessing and Memorial service start at 10am on Sunday morning.. Its supposed to run until 10:45 or so...

Of course you can add Icarus.. I have snatched the pic and it is in the folder already..

I have been pretty silent for the past year, however I do need to comment here.. Trish and I would talk on the phone a lot. She would call me just to chat.. I remember our discussions about her and Adrian and when he asked her to marry him. It was a long discussion and I told her that he was a man who loved her for who she was and thats a very important part of a relationship. I discussed with her how he was always there to help her and to just be there for her. I think she wanted assurance that she was doing the right thing. Adrian had been such a big part of her life and loved her very much. I am saddened that their time together was short but I know she is waiting for him. She loved her hounds and was a wonderful and caring person that loved everyone. She had a heart the size of the universe and she touched so many lives. I also feel sure her pain is gone and she is smiling down on all of us. I know its weird but her phone number is still programmed in my cell phone.. I just haven't gotten to the point of removing it. God gives us gifts everyday even if we don't realize it or not. Sometimes you don't know of that gift until its gone.. But some gifts live on in our lives and memories.. Just like Trish.. She will live on in our lives and memories forever...

There is going to be a blessing of the Hounds and Memorial Service on Sunday Morning at the Park.. All are welcome to come and be a part of this even if you don't have hounds with you.. Gettysburg Recreation Park This park is located at 545 Long Lane. From Steinwehr Avenue (Business 15), take Queen Street in front of the Patriot Point Village/Dinner Theatre and the American Fuel Gas Station. Drive down Queen Street to the end and make a right turn onto Long Lane. Gettysburg Recreation Park is on left. If you are staying at a nearby hotel, then you might want to walk there.

I will be taking pictures up until Friday before Gettysburg since I have to travel and I don't know what kind of WIFI signal I might have in Gettysburg... I have a new computer and still have to install my wireless modem and if I can do that I will be able to go until Saturday afternoon, then I have to finish compiling them. This morning once again just seeing all of these pictures, I get tears in my eyes..

I ran a preview a while ago and haven't even added my own dogs to this list and I still cried.. I think I am up to around 100 pictures.. The song is 5 minutes long but we might have to make it repeat itself just so we can get the entire show in... Some pics are not turning out the best but thats because of size, however its really a memory of them that counts..

I am so sorry.. I hope I can use his pic for my Memorial Service this weekend..

These are all wonderful pics... I was scanning the Remembrance thread and sometimes the pics there are not the ones showing our Bridge Kids as they were living life to the fullest.. Thanks for everyone sending these in.. It will make a wonderful presentation and if I can figure out how to post it once I am done, I will do so..

Hi Gang.. I will be performing the Pet Blessing and Memorial Service in Gettysburg this weekend.. I am putting together a slideshow to music for the memorial service and will include your bridge babies in it if you like.. Please either email me your pic or post it here. My email address is: ghcjr@aol.com Thanks.. Gil