Dear Mark
I bought your book when we were in West Palm Beach at Christmas. I didnt read it until yesterday but finished it this morning.
What a wonderful book.
I know everything you went through. I loved my Dumpy.
Dumpy was a Lhasa Apso
with soulful brown eyes, an overbite and a weight problem.
I bought her when she was 3 and a half months and i had to have her put to sleep when she was 18 years and 7 months. It will be 2 years on 22nd April.
I worried about her from the moment she bounded in the house and vomited on the floor until the day she died. She threw lots of illnesses at me during her lifetime and i was a common sight at the vet`s office sliding down the wall in panic.
I also knew when it was time, she had gone almost blind and although we have
a holiday home in west palm beach, for the last two years of her life, i wouldnt leave her. I carried her up and down the stairs and into the garden to do her wees and her poos.
Holidays were unimportant to me, just having her here and stroking her soft fur and kissing those black lips were better than any holiday. My vet was so kind, he knew that Dumpy was more than just a dog to me… When we decided to put her to sleep, I said to him give me
3 more days and Andrew (my husband) and I will bring her in on Saturday.
He ran me through exactly what would happen.
tThe one thing that i had dreaded since she was a puppy was going to happen, and like you i prayed that she would pass away during the night but G-d wasnt listening to me either and
when i woke her up, she
wasnt in very good shape and i knew today was the right time.
I carried her in the garden
and she did a wee wee and just stood on the grass and sniffed the air just like Sprite. It was as if she knew it was her last morning. She loved the garden. I made Andrew take some photos on that
last morning even though he didnt want to.
Then we drove to the
Vet`s. The staff knew me so well there and were so kind. Then it was time.
I carried Dumpy in and lay her on the table, Richard the vet, told us again what would happen and i said i want to hold her and he said of course… and so it happened, with me stroking her and holding one of her paws and she had the first bit… and then Richard said to me `are you ready?` and i said
`i`ll never be ready` and he gave her the final shot and within a few seconds, my Dumpy had gone and a great big chunk of me went with her…
He left us with her to say goodbye and then Andrew went to pay the bill and
I was left with my Dumpy.
I sang her two favourite songs to her and told her she was the best girl in the world and i thanked her for everything she gave me and then Andrew came and took me out of the room. I didnt want to leave her there but he got hold of me and gently took me out.
Like you, i had arranged for a private cremation and had chosen a little blue ceramic pot for her ashes.
Then i went home and cried and cried, well you know the pain Mark.
That night i could still smell her and for a few days i heard the pitter patter of her little feet.
Her pads on her feet were so worn they were grey and not black.
The house was dark and empty.
People who i hadnt heard of for ages phoned me when they heard.
Like you i have some of her fur. I used to cut it off quite often so i always had a piece with me even
when she was alive. Her ashes came home 10 days later and they are in the little
pot in the cupboard by the
side of my bed along with her collar and a big lump of her soft fur.
Knowing her ashes are next to me is like she is still here with me.
I said i would never ever have another dog but i got `talked into it`. My daughter who is getting married in 10 months said it will be her dog and i`ll only have her for 2 years maximum and then the dog will go with her.
Well Mark, we now have
Fluffy who is the most adorable Shih Tzu. She is 18 months now and i dont have to tell you that Claudia didnt do a thing to help with Fluffy and Fluffy is staying with me!!
I miss Dumpy every single day, its almost 2 years and the pain changed to a different feeling. I`m happy you have another dog. Fluffy has turned my life around, even though i`m back to worrying about the back door being left open and the foxes that come into the garden at night and a thousand other worries, there is nothing like the love you get from a dog…..
Thank you again for writing your book.
Sorry this has been such a long letter.
I`d love to send you a photo of Dumpy and a photo of Fluffy… but i might need help doing it.
With kind regards
Margo from the UK