Friday, August 2, 2013

Celebrating Abbey




Larry, Joseph and I said our goodbyes to Abbey and she passed away Thursday, August 1st.

Over the last month, her 13 years, 9 months (that's a graceful, nearly 98 year old in doggie years) had been showing in subtle yet progressing challenges for our sweet girl.  Tuesday eve was her last begging for dinner scraps and lying down for the night in the entryway (she had stopped climbing the stairs to go up to bed with us about a week before).  By Wednesday morning she had suffered something neurological and became listless, no panting and not herself.  She did walk outside and go poop and pee and then looked lost again in the front yard.  She need to lie down out there and we had to carry her, on a tarp, back inside.  We hoped she would chipper-up by the afternoon, but there was no change, no tail wagging (and a second vomit).  We took her to the vet. 

Whatever was happening in her body had caused her to go into heat stroke, with a high temperature, irregular heartbeat and more loss of function in her back legs.  After ice bath, alcohol bath on paws, intravenous cold fluids, her temp went down a little and she was prepped to stay the night.  We saw her in the morning, and she couldn't stand and her response was still going downhill.  Silent, with dignity, sliding into her own peace.  We had to make a decision.  Holding onto some hope, we waited until the afternoon, and then said our goodbyes, kissing her head and rubbing her ears.  Abbey lifted her head slightly for us, and then would lay it back down, close her eyes for a bit, and open them up to see us there on the floor starring into her eyes.  Still no tail wag.  We whispered our love and our thanks to her over and over.  She was going away and her body was not strong enough to show us her feelings anymore.   If ever there was a time for the phrase, "it was her time to go," this was it.

I write these details to package this final time we had with her, to process the science behind her departure (because that is what I do), and to find peace with her own graceful exit from Earth.  Her spark, her soul, is back to the universe and we remain so very thankful for the time we had with her in our lives.  Now, Abbey lives within our hearts forever.

From an 8 week old pup to a 13 + year old "girl", Abbey has brought immeasurable joy to our lives. She was integral to every day life in our family.  Larry and I got Abbey as a pup in downeast Maine, two years after we were married.  When she was almost six, our son arrived and oh the joy!   New action, two different moves, and new adventures always.
Abbey ever present, ever beautiful, full of grace and gentle of spirit.

This video celebration is long, over 200 photos - so be warned.  There are hundred(s) more in hidden places and videos, I'm sure.  For some reason, even beyond the fact that we didn't have a digital camera when Abbey was a pup, there are not many puppy photos.  As any dog owner knows, this puppy year goes by way too quickly.

Abbey is an odd spelling, we know.  She also went by the names:  Little Blackie, Abigail, Abbeygirl, Abbeydog, Abbeee, Abbs, Abbster, Little girl, Pup pup, Scuppy, Scup, Fluffy, Pupperator, Abbergail, Dog dog, Snark, Stinkbutt, Fluff butt, Fluffnut, Flufferdoo ... and from there, as you can imagine, we continue into whatever loving coo flies out!

Thank you to family and friends who shared their love with Abbey. 
She gave love back to all of us unconditionally, in abundance.



Abbey
October 30, 1999 - August 1, 2013