Yesterday (12-5-07) was the worst day I can remember. Our beloved Maggie died suddenly. We learned in August that she had colon cancer. She had surgery and we were told that the margins were small and that chemo was recommended. My wife took her for her treatments. She handled them fairly well until after the second treatment she developed a kennel cough. Then they discovered that it had spread to her lungs. I was in denial. My wife was torn up and was really dreading the coming days and what Maggie would have to go through. Maggie was coughing bad for a week or two then she improved. She was running, barking and wallering on her back (she loved to do this). We were sure she would be here for Christmas and beyond. We have not left her alone since we found out about the lung cancer. Yesterday my wife was shopping and I took Maggie to the post office with me. She was fine when we left the post office. My wife called my cell at 4:16 and I told her Maggie was fine and we were heading home. Maggie then layed her head on my arm and almost went to sleep on the way home (unusual). We got home went out to the back yard…I let Maggie in the house. I followed a couple of minutes later, went to my office checked email. Then I checked on Maggie and she was laying on her side in the dining room (unusual). She was having some problem breathing. I called my wife at 4:41 she rushed home and we took Maggie to the vet. The vet expected to find her lungs full of fluid, but the xrays showed her stomach extremely full and there must have been a blockage of some type (tumor?). The vet tried to help, but it wasn’t to be. She was suffering and fading…… my wife sobbing told the vet to give her something. The time had come. Maggie must be the MOST LOVED DOG in the WORLD. We are lost without her. The house is like a black hole. We have Mark’s book and we have started reading. My wife is most of the way through and I have not gotten to the hard part yet. I’ll get there soon. We are grateful that Maggie didn’t suffer long and that the three of us didn’t have to go through the late cancer stages. If it had to end it is better to end quick, but it is SO HARD! We can’t get her out of our thoughts and keep replaying the final moments. She was the sweetest thing in the world. Thank you Mark for providing this site. You are an inspiration and hopefully we can get over this in some fashion. I have been a long time listener of you and Rush and Sean. Keep up the fight we’re with you.

Jay from NC