This is the hardest post I have ever written. Our beautiful girl Breeze, went to the Rainbow Bridge last weekend. Breeze was our first greyhound, and she taught us so much! She was patient, elegant and such a gentle soul. We adopted her after my husband retired, and the two of them had many adventures on their walks together. She loved exploring new places and she was always ready to go when the leash came out! She was so beautiful, with her pale brindle coat, and received many admiring glances from people due to her unusual coloring. She introduced us to a whole new world, and new friends, both in person and online. She loved going to playgroup every Saturday morning with her friends, and made friends everywhere she went. When we adopted her younger sister Beka, Breeze was so patient with her and taught her how to do stairs and play-bowed to her every morning before breakfast as they chased each other around the dining room. She loved life and we loved her. We celebrated her 13th birthday at the end of September with liver brownies and she loved them!
Breeze started showing symptoms of spinal arthritis last year, and we kept it at bay with medication. Then in July of this year, she started having vision problems. She would bump into signposts and fire hydrants, and became very wary of the stairs. We took her to her vet, who said she did not have cataracts and referred us to an ophthalmologist. The ophthalmologist told us that her eyes were normal so it must be something in her brain. We took her to a neurologist who did an MRI which showed that she had a brain tumor, right on her optic chiasm, which eventually robbed her of her vision completely. We built a ramp for her off of the deck so she would not have to do stairs anymore. But what eventually made things worse for her was her spinal arthritis, and she was experiencing more and more pain. Eventually she was having extreme difficulty walking and getting up from her bed. We had to increase her pain medication and ultimately realized that nothing else was going to help her. Our wonderful vet came to the house to set her free to the Rainbow Bridge on her favorite bed with Mommy, Daddy and her sisters at her side.
Here are some of my favorite pictures of our beautiful girl:
With her toys:
At the Jersey Shore:
And with her healing blanket sent to her from Carol and Joy:
Run free my beautiful girl! Now you have your vision back and are pain free at the Bridge. We love you and you are forever in our hearts!