llm51807

I'm so sorry Taylor is gone, Mark. What an amazing journey you three had together. Taylor was a Superhero to all of us who have had osteo hounds. Run free, Taylor, I hope you run into Cecil at the Rainbow Bridge.

I'm so sorry for your loss; 7 is so young. Cancer is so not fair and Miles sounds like he was an awesome boy. The suddenness of all it has to make it even harder with no goodbye. Not that the long, drawn-out feels much better, I can attest. I don't have any experience with this, but I do know there is an increase clot risk with orthopedic surgery for humans, so I imagine the same with dogs. I just wanted to say that you were doing your very best for Miles and that's all you could have done. He knew you loved him dearly and now he's pain-free. So sorry.

What a lovely face Lizzie had. I'm so sorry she's gone. Losing a greyhound is such a difficult loss bear.

Yes, yes, yes! Great news. I just love hearing about happy boys! xoxo Taylor!

They're all gone. I'm so sorry they are and so very sorry there will be others in here soon to replace them. Jen, I have nothing to offer to make you feel much better given where you are. I'm two weeks ahead of you to the day and I'm still struggling. Lots of second guessing and that's one thing, but then there's just the heartbreak of missing my boy. Those eyes were always on me and our worlds revolved around each other in many ways. And now he's just gone. I guess I'll move through this and I guess you and Carol and Miriam will too. I've been pretty absent here because I have so little to offer by way of comfort. I just hurt. I am not on the ground in heap; I get through my days and do just fine, but my I am overwhelmed many time in the day and just take a few minutes to get myself together. We have Cecil's ashes in his beautiful urn, but I also got a small but lovely stainless steel circle pendant threaded through a little velvet rope that holds a few of his ashes and a tiny tuft of his hair. I felt weird about this choice at first, but still compelled to buy it and pack his remnants into it. And now, I think, it has brought me more comfort than absolutely anything else (even though I still think it's a little weird - but, I have no issues with weird, thankfully). It will be better for all of us soon enough. We have our Jet, our Skye and Violet, and our Greg to love on and care for. If I have one wish that could be granted it would be for Crouton, Cecil, Zuri, and Macy May to be the last of the osteo hounds in this thread. I'll do what I can to support those causes. xoxo to you Jen, Miriam, and Carol. And always remembering those beautiful hounds and loving humans who came before us.

Carol, Ryan and Greg, I'm so very sorry. Two beautiful souls in one day. Godspeed Macy and Zuri.

Jen, I'm so sorry. I've been think of you both all day. I'm glad he went peacefully. Your photo is pure love.

Jen, been thinking of you and hoping for an update. Just not this one. I've not had a good day (measured in terms of how many times I break down in tears) and as I walked over to my laptop to check-in, I had a feeling it wouldn't be good. Not any amazing powers of precognition. Stories don't end well in here. But we have each other and I can't tell you how comforting that has been for me. Jen, I hope you, and Carol, and Miriam feel the same; even though I know we'd trade it all to get our beloved boys/girls back to us healthy and happy. Cecil and Crouton will be waiting for Zuri and Macy. xoxo to you and Carol and handsome Zuri and sassy Macy May. We will be heartbroken together.

Oh Carol, I'm so sorry. The final days are so hard knowing you're likely doing the "lasts" of everything with her. We tried to enjoy our time with Cecil after his osteo diagnosis, but the last few weeks were just so hard. You and Jen have been on my mind all weekend. It's hard for me to be here - I can't bring myself to read the poem that was posted and I can't bring myself to write my 6 words for Cecil, even though I know what they are. Roux, good to see you're keeping busy; it's good for an aching soul and I suppose I should get up to something myself this weekend. On a brighter note, Carol, Greg may surprise you. Our Jet sure has surprised us. After a rough week or so shortly before we let Cecil go and then a few days after, Jet has blossomed in his new position as the one and only house hound. He even learned a new trick over the last few days (as I've mentioned Cecil was the serious smart one and Jet was the goofy one). We never expected much out of Jet in terms of tricks; we just wanted him to behave and that was challenge enough with him. We still struggle to keep Jet from jumping on guests and licking their faces. Cecil barely acknowledged guests and sometimes wouldn't even bother to get up from his bed! But if I grabbed the clicker and the treat bag Cecil's eyes would light up and he turned into a different dog. He loved learning new things and I always said he'd learn to dismantle a bomb for a treat. God he was smart. But Jet learned to speak in just 3 sessions over the last few days. And he jumps into bed with me every morning and cuddles, and he's been left completely alone for 4 or 5 hours in his crate and has been calm and relaxed when we get home. I'm so grateful for that. Carol, sending hugs and peace to you and your family and your sassy little Macy May this weekend. xo

I'm so sorry Carol. I'm checking in on you and Macy and Jen and Zuri here, but it's still hard for me. So much second-guessing even a week and half out. If Macy says it's time, well, then it's the time. Thinking of you and Macy May and your family now and this weekend.

Roux, great to hear from you. So glad you're doing well. Awesome news about Macy May; it really is a day by day situation and you absolutely must have easy access to and the support of a vet. I don't know what we would have done without that. Good for you for firing your vet, Carol! Hopefully the in-home vet will be a good fit for you and Macy May. So happy she's back to her demanding self! Jen, terrible timing on the A/C! It's been so super hot. I hope they're able to fix it today. We're still hanging in there. Jet's getting even cuddlier with me and he's been such a good boy. He's still a little afraid and paranoid about flying things when we're in the backyard after the bee attack last week, but I think we're getting past it. He's been fine on his own with zero separation anxiety when he's left alone. We crate Jet because he's a famous shopper and will get into drawers and cabinets like he has opposable thumbs. He starts perusing the minute you walk out the door. But in his crate, he's perfectly content. Cecil was always the one to remind us when it was time for anything; he'd be in your face 2 minutes beforehand giving you the stare-down. Jet just waits patiently. New rhythms, but we'll learn.

Hope Zuri is having a good weekend, Jen. Seems things are going well for him and I love your futon mattress idea. Cuddling is everything now. He's such a handsome gentleman - great photos! Carol, I'm sending good thoughts to Macy May that some of these changes with the meds start kicking in for her. We're hanging in there. Jet is back to normal and has been such a good boy. Jet and I went to pick up Cecil's ashes on Friday and then we stopped at our favorite park and went for a walk in the woods and then to DQ - Cecil's favorite things. I had ordered a beautiful turned-wood urn for his ashes from an artist in Columbus, OH and it also came on Friday. Today we'll take some time and reflect on how wonderful Cecil was and how lucky we were to have loved him for six years. And we'll put his ashes in the urn. It's a beautiful piece of art and perfect for his final place of rest. We'll love looking at it for the rest of our days.

Just checking in on everyone. Jen, keep the good news coming with Zuri. Sounds like he's doing well aside from his zonked out period on the Amantadine. We didn't try that for Cecil so I don't have any advice. Just glad to hear he's still doing well. And good to hear Macy is feisty! A little sass goes a long way. I'm reading posts, but I'm not in a very good place for responding much right now. I poured myself in Cecil the last few weeks and now I've got a lot of work piled up and I'm not in prime condition to do, so it's really taking it out of me. I don't have much left. We're hanging in there (even though I'm using a thread) and Jet is bouncing back. Bloodwork all looks good except thyroid was a little low and we all know that greyhound story, so I"m not worried about it at this point. He has no other symptoms and the vet agreed. He's eating again and back to his goofy self. And he's jumping into bed with me every morning, and for that I am grateful.

Just checking in. It didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped. He struggled against the injection of the sedative and was very vocal about it. Traumatic for all of us, really. In hindsight, I actually think he would have done better at the vet's office where he was used to be needle-stuck and prodded. Once the sedative started to kick in we had a very peaceful 20 minutes or so with him as he drifted to sleep. I'm heartbroken, but relieved he's no longer in pain. As you all know this last week was really tough. He still managed to eat steak and ice cream until the very end, though. Forever my chow hound. Jet jumped into bed with me after Geno got up this morning and he curled up next to me and put his head on my chest just like Cecil always did. Jet rarely gets onto the bed, so I was so happy he came up. He's been off his food and vomited yesterday; he's been acting like he's afraid. I know he knows something is wrong and has known, but I was concerned this was related to the bee attack on Saturday, so I took him in today for a check. He did eat a little this morning and drank a little and took treats from our vet. Vet said his vitals were all good, but we drew blood to make sure it's nothing worse. Please, please, please, nothing worse. My heart is aching and I feel like someone punched me in the gut. Our bond was very strong. I'm trying to reflect and gather my thoughts so I can make posts like this, and maybe here in the Remembrance section, and certainly on Instagram where Cecil had so many fans and friends. But the eloquence isn't coming. I'm hurt and sad, a little angry and feeling guilty too. And I'm not feeling very philosophical about it. Just raw. Life goes on like it does and I don't have much time to sit around and cry. The last few weeks of hospice care for Cecil took up so much of my time and attention, I now have some catching up to do with work. And I need to make sure my sweet Jet boy is okay too. Our day has been so quiet. Cecil was quite routinized and to be honest, rather demanding when it came to what was going to happen and when it was going to happen. If you did it once and he liked it, you better be ready to do it again forever after and at that same time everyday. If not, he'd use his telepathic greyhound powers to will you into it! Jet just kind of goes with the flow. This new rhythm is a big change for our home, and that's in addition to just plain missing Cecil's supremely handsome face. I work from home and he was my shadow; even when he hurt, he'd get up and follow me into the other room. Jen, I am so rooting for Zuri. He seems so happy and he really is a handsome man. I love the gray faces. Jet is getting more and more gray every day and will surely look much like Zuri in a few years. His young man photo is just stunning. What a looker! Glad the consult with the at home vet went well. Thankfully some of Zuri's peripheral problems seem to be under control. We all talk about pain and quality of life around here, but I can imagine an itchy butt is no fun especially when you've got other things going on too! Roux, thanks for continued stories about your current and past pack. Your conversation today with Jen about being good hospice caregivers brings me some perspective. I think I'm pretty good at it as well, at least in the moment. Right now though I feel like a bomb went off inside me. Honestly, Roux, I'm hoping you rush right out and adopt another. You are obviously fabulous greyhound parents and I simply cannot wait to see what name you choose for your next greyhound family member! And thanks to all those coming into the thread checking in on us and sending good thoughts. I can't tell you all how much it means to me.

Thank you for your good wishes Roux - or I should say Miriam - both are so lovely. You really have the name thing down in your family! Jen, good to hear you two are out enjoying the weather and I'm sorry to hear this has been such a full year of loss for you. Sending you strength and wisdom energy this morning; well, as much strength energy as I can muster anyway. Got him to sleep around midnight and he stayed settled until 4AM and then he started pawing at me for comfort. I cuddled with him for an hour or so, but he wanted to get up and get a drink and then get up and go out. I could see his anxiety building up again and the MJ Sundae didn't help much this time. He's calm now after breakfast thankfully. The vet is coming around 4 or 4:30. I just can't believe I won't lay eyes on his handsome face again or smell that familiar Teddy Bear smell of his ears. And he has the softest bunny fur on his head and neck - like silk. Still, I'm relieved we made it through the weekend and I'm grateful we can do this at home. He's been eating grass-fed filet and gingersnaps this morning. We'll have more steak and some ice cream a little later. And lots of cuddles.