I want to take a brief moment and tell you the story of a wonderful dog named Tuesday. Tuey was and remains our Angel Girl.

Tuesday was, I believe, God’s gift to us and we will be forever thankful.
Tuey was the living definition of love and life. She had a smile that would brighten every moment and we held ‘paws’ during the hard times. She taught us, my husband and myself, that even though we were not blessed with being able to have children, God had a way of allowing that unconditional love into our hearts and our lives. She taught us that no matter how difficult things may be there was always time to chase the squirrels..

Our Tuey, unfortunately, always had health issues, but you could not tell her that! She kept us moving even when she herself could barely walk. At about the age of 8 she developed what we thought was arthritis, later we were discovered that she could not move her back legs. We of course rushed her to the vet, it was diagnosised as degenerative myleopathy. It is a neurological condition that causes the rear end area from about the mid back down, not to function. Her days of chasing squirrels were over, or so we thought! The vet told us that we had two options, put her down or learn how to care for her. We chose the latter.

It was not a rapid progression, however, over the course of time, she could not rise up anylonger and had to be carried in and out of the house, up and down the stairs..up and on our bed. Toward the end, we even had to help her use the bathroom..it did not phase her one bit. She chased those squirrels -on the couch- out the window. She smiled when I thought my own neurological condition would get me down and simply put her paw in my hand. Tuey still waited for daddy to come home from work, sitting up (with some help from me) barking and wagging that tail a mile a minute. Her spirit remained true for years even though her body failed her.

She was with me through major surgery, my own health diagnosis, job changes, election nights (poor thing sat up with me for 33 days during the Florida recount!)..she loved us through it all. One night, she simply laid down and could not breathe. We rushed her to the emergency vet clinic and we knew the look was gone, she had already left us. We held her tight, I told her to “go to Jesus” and be a good girl, and I loved her very much. We asked God to be with us, she gave us both a kiss and quietly slipped away.

My husband had to pry me away from her as I was afraid she would be cold, fur mom’s worry too! We took her collar and left her to God. My heart broke, but my Tuey’s heart healed it. Over time, when we talk about her, we smile. We have moved to a new home and have a new yard and we laugh thinking of how much she would of loved it here. She is here though, forever in our hearts.

We took care of her for many years, so many told us, “it is not fair to her, she can’t walk!” I would not trade those few years when we had to care for her, I would do it again, selfishly. Tuey taught us that physical limitations, illness, hardships, pain are capable of being coped with if there is love. Love of life and yes, love of family. Now as I learn to deal with my own neuromuscular condition, I look back at her and realize God gave me my teacher in the form of a wonderful dog named Tuey.

Today she runs with the squirrels, chases the cats and gets all the heavenly love of eternity. God is petting her right now. We have a joke that when we get to heaven she will run Jesus over to greet us, I am sure she will..and Jesus will recount the stories of her adventures. At least we will have eternity to share it.
Thanks Mark for letting me share with you the love of my Tuey. Spite and Tuey are chasing the love of life in heaven and one day, we will be blessed to have them again in our arms.

God bless you all,
Paw hugs all around
Rachel from NY