header

ASTRO

Hi Mark,
I just finished reading you book last night and was moved to tears. I feel almost as though we’re old friends now . We had to put our dog, ASTRO, to sleep on Sept. 21 this year and everything you wrote about what you felt is the same things I felt.
My husband and I don’t have kids or any other animals so you can imagine how astro was such a BIG part of our lives. He was a yellow lab mix, 9 years old, and he was my baby. We got him when he was only 6 weeks old. Our good friends has his dog mother and when she had puppies Astro was a wedding present to us. I could have never imagined the kind of impact this dog would have on us. He was so smart and friendly and of course showed us unconditional love everyday. All the neighborhood kids came to our house just to see Astro.

As he had had some hip joint problems in the past, and a few ear infections,we could have never have prepared ourselves for what was to happen the week of Sept. 21. He was doing just fine, chasing squirrels, playing with the kids in the neighborhood, full of kisses for everyone. Then he started acting like he had pain in his abdomen.My husband and I thinking he had just ate something he shouldn’t in our woods went with him to “wee wee’. And when he did it was pure blood. We immediately took him straight to the vet. A week later and after several x-rays, blood tests, etc. exploratory surgery showed advanced kidney cancer. We were devastated. We opted not to bring him out of surgery after being told it would just be a matter of days before he was in bad pain. All of a sudden the 9 years we had with him seemed so short. But I guess 19 years wouldn’t have been enough time in our hearts.

The grief has been horrible.

My husband and I could barely function for days.
Lying in bed not long after about 12:30 am one morning not able to sleep is when I saw you on the repeat of Hannity and Colmes talking about your book and your Sprite. I immediately got online and went to Amazon.com and ordered it. You have managed to put into words every emotion I have experienced. I will never forget Astro and the love and bond we shared.Your book has helped me deal with my grief a little and let me know how I’m so not alone. And for that I “thank you”.
p.s. wanted to send picture, computer messing up.

Donna from KY