Angel Ricochet - I Miss Him

[ChiliDog]

Today is Ricochet "s "Memory Day" as I call it. Two years and 4 months ago a coupla "newbie" greyhound owners picked up their first grey. It was love at first sight.

Four months later he was unable to walk, whisked off the the vet and then whisked off to a special vetrinary hospital. He was diagnosed with a malignant tumor of the spine (which I now know was the dreaded "osteo") Not knowing anything about the disease, not having anyone to talk to about it (our group leader was vacationing, her contacts never returned our calls) and hearing words from the vet like "amputation" "chemotherapy" "30% chance of recovery" and "90% chance of it coming back" we decided to have him sent to the Bridge. To this day I still agonize, wondering if we did the right thing.

 

Rikky - 18 weeks with you was nowhere near long enough.

Momma & Dad miss you.

 

Here is "Ricochet's Tail"

 

Ricochet (DG’s SlingShot) Dec. 21, 1999 – November 24, 2004

 

July 17, 2004

 

The light… the beautiful light…

 

That’s the first thing that I see as I emerge from the truck. There are the other dogs I trucked in with. We’re all happy to be out of there … and a bit nervous. Where are we? This doesn’t look or smell like a racetrack.

There are people here, too. Everyone feels happy. I wonder what’s going on? I’d better keep quiet lest someone realizes they made a mistake and I’m not supposed to be here….

Ooh! Someone grabbed me, but a nice grab, around my neck. Now they’re squeezing me, and stroking my head – it feels nice but strange. Eew – now they’re making my nose wet with little bites but not bites – just lips no teeth. Hm, I’m going to stand very still, because if I move maybe they’ll stop.

FOOD! – I see food in a dish – I’d better fill up, don’t know when my next meal will be. Hey, wait! I’m not finished, there’s still food left. Take me back there – oooh nice water, yummy. OK I guess I’ll relax a bit. Here comes some more of that squeezing. I’m beginning to see a pattern. Stand still, get that nice squeezing. Maybe this is Heaven? Oh no – don’t think so, going back into a truck. Not the same truck, but a truck none the less. I’ll pretend that I can’t jump up there – maybe they’ll leave me here. OOF – that big guy pushed my rump into the truck. Well it’s kind of OK back here – there’s a soft blanket. OK, I’ll lie down and see where we go. Now it’s dark and clammy – I wonder where we are? The door opens and I jump out. Now these people are walking me to a small box. They come into the box with me so I don’t feel so afraid, but I am trembling a bit. That lady puts her arms around me and squeezes again and whispers some human-speak into my ear. Have no clue what she’s saying but it’s comforting all the same. Whoosh – I feel the floor dropping away, but the floor is still there. Strange. Then the box opens and it’s magic! I’m somewhere else! Uh-oh –those people are putting the muzzle on me. Am I going to race here in the sky? They open a door and I see a small white furry thing on the floor. YoW! The furry thing snarled at me. Hmm can’t be a rabbit – they NEVER talked back. Oh here’s another furry thing – sort of the same color as me. Oh oh oh – this one has sharp feet. Remind me never to get too close to these creatures. Ahhh more squeezing and soothing words. Did I look nervous? I’m going to have to remember that look, look here are my big brown eyes – squeeze me, yes… yes… yumm!

 

August 17, 2004

Boy – what a greenhorn I was. Now I’m an expert. I’m here to stay. I’m “retired” – that means I’m never going back to that track. At least that’s what Mom & Dad tell me, and I believe them! Those furry things – they’re called “cats”. I don’t have to like them but we tolerate each other. That magic box is an elevator. I still don’t know how it works, but I do know that Mom gets all flustered when I try to pee in there. Haha – sometime I make a pee movement just to see how she reacts! But I’m away from those cats and that elevator for now. Dad tells me I’m on “vacation in the country” whatever that means. All I know is that there’s this big house with a bunch of skinny floors that lead to other large floors. Mom calls them stairs but they don’t have any eyes so how can they stare at anything? This human-speak can be confusing. I do know 3 words; Ricochet – that’s my going out name, Rikky – that my house name, and Cookie – that’s my name when I get those little yummy treats. My friend Coast came to visit one day and we shared my blankie and lazed around. He had to wear a t-shirt because he had some bites on him and, naturally, I had to have a t-shirt tried on me, too… <sigh>. Then my friend Magnum came for dinner. Sheesh – no manners. Marked up the whole house. I got him back though – I peed on his blankie. Mom had to rush it off to wash it. Haha! Dad was laughing. Then Magnum and I became friends and ended up eating a rawhide together.

 

September 12, 2004

Ooh – I’m getting all dressed up for the Greyhound Picnic. I wonder what a picnic is. Uncle Emanuel is coming with us.I love Uncle Emanuel – he’s so gentle with me and he can pat me for hours (and I let him!! Haha). WoW – it’s a big greyhound party!! There’s tons of us here and tons of people. I’m very nervous. Dad’s putting on that muzzle thing again. Oh I don’t like it. Uh-oh now Dad’s taking off the leash. Mom & Dad are looking at me expectantly – what am I supposed to do? They walk away – I follow them. They sit down – I lie down. I see all the other dogs running around but I’m retired – I don’t have to run anymore, do I? I must have looked miserable so Mom came and put the leash back on and took off the muzzle. Why don’t they understand that I want to be with them – not with other dogs. I was with other dogs all my life. Time to be with my people!

 

 

October 13, 2004

Almost every morning we all go downstairs and there’s this car waiting in front of the house. Mom opens the door and it’s Auntie Arlene! And Auntie Arlene always has a cookie for me. (Actually she always has 2 cookies for me – but don’t tell anyone). Then – as if that isn’t special enough, every afternoon when Dad takes me for my walk here comes Auntie Arlene again – with – MORE cookies!! Oh yeah – and she also drops Mom off…. I ignore Mom because Auntie Arlene has cookies but I think Mom understands. Auntie Arlene also bought me my beautiful grey sweater, that I love to wear because it’s so cozy!

 

October 31, 2004

Mom & Dad have put these silly things on my head and are laughing. It’s my Halloween “costume”. I don’t like costume, I feel foolish and everyone is going to laugh at me. Uncle Pierre & Coast came over last week and they saw me in costume. They laughed – especially Coast. But then Coast had to put on his T-shirt so I got the last laugh. Mom took me for a walk in the park and we got to see the “Halloween decorations”. Just looked like more places to pee on to me…

 

November 19, 2004

BRRR – it’s cold! But I’m toasty warm in my raincoat. When it’s a little colder Dad puts on my sweater and my raincoat. I hear that I’m getting a “winter coat” What’s winter? They talk about snow. What’s snow? I hope I like it. Mom tried some feet things on me – eew – my feet don’t like to be stuffed into things.

 

November 22, 2004

It’s my nighttime walk and I feel funny. My legs feel wobbly and I have a pain in my back. Mom is looking at me and getting nervous. She’s patting me all over to see if I have pain. I don’t want her to be mad at me so I won’t tell her I have pain. I’ll just lick her nose.

 

November 23 - 24, 2004

I have a lot of pain. I can’t seem to stand up. Mom is very nervous. Dad is very nervous. Mom is running around shouting at Dad. She leaves. Dad carries me to the car and we go to the doctor. The doctor sticks something up my butt. I try to bite him. I didn’t mean it, but he hurt me. He talks to Dad. We bundle off to the car. We stop. I hear Mom’s voice. I can’t get up to see her. We zoom away. We stop, finally, and people put me on a hard cold metal thing. They take me away. They poke, they prod. It hurts, and then it hurts more. I stand up a bit and I see Mom and Dad. The hug me they kiss me. The doctor says something about a cat scan – I don’t want to be looked at by any cat. I’m scared. They give me a shot – I feel better – the pain is going away. I’m sleeping now. I wake up – suddenly. No Mom, no Dad. I’m scared. The doctor is there – she comforts me. She says she is going to help me. She tells me that Mom and Dad sent me kisses and squeezes. She kisses me and squeezes me for them. Then she kisses me and squeezes me for herself. I feel very loved by everyone. She gives me a shot. The pain goes away…

 

The light… the beautiful light…

[Guest PhillyPups]

Oh Donna And Klaus, I am sitting here with tears running down my face, knowing how loved Richochet is. Hugs to you both

[Batmom]

Tears here, too. Of course you did the right thing -- never doubt that. You made a loving decision for one you loved.

 

Ricochet, send your momma and daddy some sweet dreams when you can, OK? You know they'll never stop missing you or loving you, not ever.

[Guest IGdevotion]

Thanks for sharing the tails of your precious time with Ricochet on his memory day. Tears run down my face too, as I know everyday is a memory day of our special ones gone to the bridge. Rikky was very blessed to be loved by you guys.

[patricia]

Angel Ricochet...you are so loved and so missed. Always send special rainbows to your family as you wait patiently for them.

[GreyPoopon]

:cry1

 

Thanks for Rikky's story.

[HopeForHounds]

Wow! Now I know why I love you guys.

[Guest LuvXRacers]

Wishing you comfort in your memories of Ricochet. What an absolutely beautiful tribute. I am crying with you.

[Guest vahoundlover]

 

 

[Guest PNWtrillium]

Tears from here, too. It's coming up on the second anniverary of Dancer's death and I still don't know whether I did the right thing. But she's out of her pain, as is Ricochet, dear boy.

 

Thanks for sharing this beautiful story.

[Devotion]

I can tell from your posts how much you loved him and still miss him. Treasure the good memories.

[Guest greytgirl]

You gave Ricochet all the love you have and made his last days so happy, it truly is the hardest descision, and the guilt is awful, but its very obvious how much you love him and only did what was best for him. for you. Run free without pain at the bridge Ricochet

[NancyB]

[Guest TinasTroops]

Oh Donna