Sunday, April 08, 2012

Lessons from Our Pets

I received this note from a buddy who is a retired, senior, Army officer and Master Aviator. Ben is an avid hunter, a total Patriot, and, I am proud to say, we flew together on many missions in the Arizona Army National Guard.


Warning--Language


I’m sure any of you that are pet owners and especially Dog owners, have been taught many things about life and its values by those pets. Well yesterday another lesson was taught by our Lab BO to this old “insensitive Bastard”.


Bo was 13 yrs old(at least since we could only estimate his age 12 yrs ago when he “leaned against me at Pepco during a Lab Rescue Adoption event and wouldn’t leave my side )so “He Picked Me”. I was looking for a Big Bad Black Male to counteract the effects of our 1+ yr old “Bitch-Pushy-Arrogant-Libber-Demanding-Hardheaded etc etc” yellow Lab female I got conned by Sherri & Kylee in to buying.


Well appearances deceive and Bo grew to 103 lbs of the most “cuddly-Woosey-friendly-sensitive-loyal” dog you could imagine a buddy to EVERY dog that came over, leaping on the bed when thunder rolled 50 miles away, and easily dominated by the bitch from hell.


Thus went the last 12 years until yesterday when Sherri and I held him and watched that great friend slowly die.

A couple of days before, Bo started to be very lethargic and then Thursday Chad noticed blood in his nose. Sherri & Chad took him to the vet for test and medicine. There was the thought it was cancer but nothing could be found.


Yesterday Sherri & I took him back for retest and found his lack of clotting ability was off the charts and immeasurable. Basically he was bleeding out right before us.


A lesson he taught me was there are Drs who care enough to set down on the floor beside your dog and you to comfort him.

The last lesson that Bo taught me was he didn’t fear his fate and just wanted to be held as he looked at us head held high like I think there’s thunder coming but “all is ok” and then just put his head down, relaxed and left us.


The worst lesson that he taught me was just how weak I am that I could look at my friend of all these years dying and the women who I love more than life itself crying her heart out AND I COULD DO NOTHING TO STOP IT. I COULDN’T FIX IT! Even the dark humor we use for protection didn’t help as I blubbered out “It’s a F---ng Dog”


Ben