Mr. Levin,

Thank you for your wonderful book. At times it was hard to continue reading – the details you tell about the emotions leading up to and after your loss of Sprite were strikingly similar to those that my husband and I experienced in August 2006. I make a living in the political world and at moments found the excitement of the balance of the US senate paled in comparison to dealing with the final weeks I had with my dear boy Igor. We rescued Igor in the fall of 1994 when the 10 week old Lab mix was abandoned. We could never imagine that he would grow into 130lb dog and become such an important part of our family. Igor was diagnosed with cancer early in 2006. The Vet said he only had a few months to live and to everyone’s amazement he just kept on going for 6 months. His last spring on earth was probably his best. He spent hours sitting under the blossoming trees enjoying the sights and smells. In July we celebrated his 12th birthday and in mid August we said goodbye. You never really get over the loss – there are days I wish I could wrap my arms around him and kiss him just one more time. He will be in my heart and mind forever – I miss him with a heartache that is deeper than anything I have ever known. Igor gave more to us than we could ever have given him. We learned a lot from him in the end, lessons of courage, perseverance and appreciation for those we love. He was an inspiration.

Miriam from Missouri