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Guest cashie

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Guest cashie

I never wanted a dog. I was a single mother living in an apartment, trying to make ends meet. My daughter begged and begged me for one, and I reluctantly agreed to "a small dog who doesn't bark, doesn't shed, and isn't hyper WHEN we get a house someday." A few months after I bought the house we were at Petco and ran into a greyhound meet & greet. My daughter drilled the guy holding one of the dog's leashes while the dog went to work on me. He rested his head against my hip and stared up at me with adorable chocolate brown eyes. I remember thinking "Too bad you are so big buddy 'cuz you are such a sweetie." On the way home we made the decision to get a greyhound but I kept saying "a SMALL one!" We went through the adoption process and went back to Petco to meet our small girl. While there the original big black one kept eyeing me, and whenever I came anywhere near him he would snuggle against my hip. I remember the specific moment where I looked down at him, fell in love, and decided right then and there that he would be coming home with us. A week later our 85 pound "small" dog, Cash, came home and changed our lives forever.

 

My daughter was in heaven. She taught Cash how to sit and shake. She painted his toenails and dressed him up in clothes. He would let her do whatever she wanted, he adored her that much. He slept in her room every night. She tried so hard to get him to sleep in her bed with her but he liked his space and it never lasted more than a few minutes. Like all children do, she grew up and became a teenager. She suddenly had a job, soccer practices, and friends that took up most of her time, and she was never home. Cash was visibly depressed by her increased absences and would sometimes not eat when she would spend the night at a friend's or go away for the weekend. I felt sorry for him and started spending more time with him. He gradually started sleeping in our room and we eventually just moved his bed in there. I started a little routine of taking him on walks every day after work and I would walk into a very excited, dancing puppy. All I had to do was see his happy face and my bad day at work would disappear.

 

Everyone who met Cash immediately adored him. It was impossible not to, he had such a sweet, shy personality with a touch of silliness added in there. He had this way of looking at you that just made you melt. He was so well behaved. Although a few times he ran away from us and did NOT stop when we called him, all I usually had to do was say "wait for me" and he would literally stand in the driveway impatiently while I gathered up his leash, my Ipod, put on my shoes, whatever. When I would finally come out he would give me an annoyed look and then start off on his walk in a huff. If he was lagging behind on one of our hikes I would say "Are you coming?" and he would run up to me immediately. I could leave meat sitting on the table at his level and he would never touch it.

 

About a year ago, I started going through a really rough time. My only daughter went off to college and there were some other areas in my life that made me feel extremely lonely, depressed and sad. For some reason every Sunday I would wake up and just cry all day. I started taking Cash to some trails near my home and just being with him somehow brought me so much comfort. Cash didn't talk to me obviously, but I feel like he understood what I was going through. I started to look forward to Sundays instead of dreading them, and we went on our Sunday hikes well into December thanks to a mild Michigan winter.

 

One unseasonably warm spring day in March of this year, I loaded Cash up in the car to go on one of our hikes. Our usual trail was a mile and a half, but on this particular day he made it about 1/4 of the way in and we had to stop because he was so exhausted. I wasn't too concerned; this had happened before after a long winter of less activity. Cash had always been pretty healthy and aside from a few run ins with unopened screen doors (and once a glass slider :yikes ) he didn't go to the vet much outside regular check ups. A few years ago we noticed he started having trouble with stairs but the vet said he was probably "just getting old." After a few more walks that got shorter and shorter, I took him in and he was diagnosed with emphysema. He was given a prescription that seemed to help but he still wasn't able to endure even a short hike and we had to stick to our short walks around the block. Then his limp started and my whole world fell apart.

 

Throughout the entire time that his body was failing him, Cash was still Cash. You would never know he had cancer until you saw him walk. He still kept trying to greet us at the door whenever he could. He tried to keep up with our walks for a while until they hurt too much. He was always smiling and happy. When Cash developed a new limp in his back leg on Sunday and stumbled down the stairs, I knew it was time to set him free. On Monday I left a message for a vet that does house calls, and then was terrified for the rest of the day that she would call me back. Cash was in a great mood all day and I was somewhat relieved when she didn't call. He was up all night and just couldn't get comfortable. On Tuesday the vet called back and I set up a time for Wednesday, then hung up the phone and sobbed uncontrollably. I knew it was the right thing to do, but it still felt so wrong. My sister flew in from Seattle that day and said goodbye to him, my Mom came, my in-laws, everyone that knew and loved him. I spent all of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with him, alternating between feeling at peace with my decision and then getting this gut wrenching sick feeling because I was losing him. I laid with him and talked to him for hours. We had the nicest vet come to our home. I was so worried that Cash would be scared but she was so good with him. He died peacefully in my arms, no longer in pain and I can take some small comfort in knowing that he is up there running free, waiting for me.

 

This morning I woke up feeling empty. I keep seeing his various beds laying there without him in them and I loose it all over again. For some reason I can't bear to move them though. I keep thinking of all those sweet moments, the silly ones, the times he made me laugh or smile. It would take years to write them all down. I already miss his sweet face as I wake up in the morning, seeing his little head in the window as I pull out of the driveway to go to work, then there again when I come home as if he stayed there all day waiting for me. His excited happy dance when asked if he wanted breakfast, a walk or a treat. The way he would pretend not to see you waiting at the door to let him in, then suddenly whip around, run as fast as he could, leap over the deck steps and then charge into the house. The circles he literally ran in when he was excited, his front leg stretch while I scratched his butt, how he loved to be dried off after being in the rain. His obsession with green peppers, and how everyone loved to pet his soft little ears but my daughter and I were the only ones he trusted enough to actually get away with it. How he tried for a year to befriend the cranky Siamese cat that eventually became his best friend that couldn't help but give him kisses every time she walked by him.

 

My dear sweet boy, I will love you and miss you forever. Everyone says it was so great that I rescued you but they are wrong. You rescued me.

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Guest FawnFan

I'm so sorry for your loss. Your tribute to him was simply beautiful. Thank you for opening your heart and your home to him. Run free dear sweet boy run free.

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A beautiful tribute to a beautiful boy. I'm so, so sorry for your loss.

Valerie w/ Cash (CashforClunkers) & Lucy (Racing School Dropout)
Missing our gorgeous Miss
Diamond (Shorty's Diamond), sweet boy Gabe (Zared) and Holly (ByGollyItsHolly), who never made it home.

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Your stunningly beautiful tribute to Cash moved me to tears. Every dog should have a person who loves them as much as you clearly loved Cash.

 

We know the heartache you are feeling right now. It's awful for a while, but it does ease with time. Thinking about you.

 

Godspeed, Cash.

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Tricia with Kyle, our senior mutt dog 
Always missing Murray MaldivesBee Wiseman, River, Hopper, Kaia, and 
Holly Oaks Holly
“You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.“          -Bob Dylan

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I am so very sorry for the loss of your handsome Cash.

 

You shared so much...hopefully the memory of those times will get you through the next few days, weeks, months....

 

:bighug

 

Nancy...Mom to Sid (Peteles Tiger), Kibo (112 Carlota Galgos) and Joshi.  Missing Casey, Gomer, Mona, Penelope, BillieJean, Bandit, Nixon (Starz Sammie),  Ruby (Watch Me Dash) Nigel (Nigel), and especially little Mario, waiting at the Bridge.

 

 

SKJ-summer.jpg.31e290e1b8b0d604d47a8be586ae7361.jpg

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I am so very, very sorry you had to set Cash free. It is clearly obvious how much you and your family loved him and how much he loved you back.

 

I truly believe we will see our babies again someday.

 

sending you and your daughter many, MANY hugs. :grouphug :grouphug

Kim and Bruce - with Rick (Rick Roufus 6/30/16) and missing my sweet greyhound Angels Rainey (LG's Rainey 10/4/2000 - 3/8/2011), Anubis (RJ's Saint Nick 12/25/2001 - 9/12/12) and Zeke (Hey Who Whiz It 4/6/2009 - 7/20/2020) and Larry (PTL Laroach 2/24/2007 - 8/2/2020) -- and Chester (Lab) (8/31/1990 - 5/3/2005), Captain (Schipperke) (10/12/1992 - 6/13/2005) and Remy (GSP) (?/?/1998 - 1/6/2005) at the bridge
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." -- Ernest Hemmingway

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"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

 

You captured some of those great moments in your beautiful tribute to your boy, Cash.

My heart aches for your loss.

Edited by Greydawg

Cheryl - "Mom" to RUNNER (Gunnah, born 6/15/2012) and FARGO (Ridin Shotgun, born 8/21/2015). Missing my Grey-Angels HEISMAN (RX Heisman) (3/29/2005-2/1/2016) and ALEX (Bevenly) (4/15/2005-6/7/2018).

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Your tribute was beautiful. I cried and laughed along with the stories about he and your daughter.

 

:grouphug

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~Beth, with a crazy mixed crew of misfits.
~ Forever and Always missing and loving Steak, Carmen, Ivy, Isis, and Madi.
Don't cry because it's ended, Smile because it happened.
Before you judge me, try to keep an open mind, not everyone likes your taste.

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I am so sorry Cashie is gone and know so well the hole you have in your heart. The good thing is he was truly loved and that came through with your tribute to him. For that he will be forever grateful.

 

Run free Cashie, run free sweetie..:gh_run

Kyle with Stewie ('Super C Ledoux, Super C Sampson x Sing It Blondie) and forever missing my three angels, Jack ('Roy Jack', Greys Flambeau x Miss Cobblepot) and Charlie ('CTR Midas Touch', Leo's Midas x Hallo Argentina) and Shelby ('Shari's Hooty', Flying Viper x Shari Carusi) running free across the bridge.

Gus an coinnich sinn a'rithist my boys and little girl.

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That was an incredibly moving memorial to your special boy. I have been where you are and it is gut wrenching. I am so very sorry for your loss.

...............Chase (FTH Smooth Talker), Morgan (Cata), Reggie (Gable Caney), Rufus
(Reward RJ). Fosters check in, but they don't check out.
Forever loved -- Cosmo (System Br Mynoel), March 11, 2002 - October 8, 2009.
Miss Cosmo was a lady. And a lady always knows when to leave.

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I'm so very sorry for your loss. Cash sounds like a very special boy. Godspeed Cash.

Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel

Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee

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