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Friday, April 11, 2008

Sad Day in the Ireland Home

We buried our little furry friend today. Somewhere, over the rainbow, Scooter, our 17 year old Maltese, is finally at home. He once was blind but now can see. He once was deaf and now can hear…and he can once again run like the wind…frolicking in magic pastures with our Westie, Spikey Lee, and all of our other beloved companions from years gone by. They are there with yours as well…waiting to greet us when we all come home to be with them for an eternity so beautiful…so impossible to imagine.

We knew that Scooter’s time was short. After all, he was born on December 10, 1990. That’s a long run for any four-legged critter. His lifelong companion was our Westie, Spike (Spikey Lee), who was born that same year on December 24. Norma and I found them both sharing the same cage in February of 1991. Our dentist John (Jack) Spreitzer and his wife Dee also owned and operated a pet store called “Our Living Things” on the first floor of their two-story dental facility in Crest Hill. I picked Spike and Norma picked Scooter. He was the little guy shivering in the corner.

As fate would have it, we had to put Ruffles, our Pappion, down in December of 1990. We had found Ruffles, lost and terrified, 15 years earlier…a puppy dodging cars on busy Route 30 in Crest Hill. We were blessed that no one ever claimed her through the ads and notices we put in our local paper. When we adopted Spike and Scooter in February of 1991, we did not know their birth dates until several weeks later when we received their pedigree papers. We will always remember being amazed at the connection we felt between Ruffles and Scooter and Spike. You see, Ruffles became very ill on December 10 of 1990…the day Scooter was born.

We did everything we could for Ruffles who was experiencing kidney failure. Dr. Terry Mesamore, our vet at the time, did everything in his power to help Ruffles survive, including flushing her system with IVs. She did very well for several days but then she faltered. A pet owner/lover knows when it is time to do the right thing. So on December 24, we took Ruffles to Dr. Mesamore’s office and while both of us held her in our arms…we said goodbye. It was instantaneous, humane and no pain for Ruffles. The only pain was in our hearts…she was at peace…still waiting on the rainbow bridge. Spike was born on December 24. There are no accidents.

On April 29, 2003, we had to say goodbye to Spike after a courageous four-month battle with stomach cancer at the University of Illinois. Dr. Craig Zabel, our vet, came to our home that morning to send Spikey Lee to the bridge while he rested on our laps for the last time. Had it not been for our flannel gray cat, Chevy Van, Scooter would have felt totally lost after losing his lifelong companion. However, after Spike was gone, Chevy Van “adopted” Scooter and became his shadow. They would curl up together and drift off to sleep. When Chevy Van succumbed to kidney failure in November of 2006, we had her cremated due to bad weather. Today her ashes were buried with Scooter. Chevy Van was our hero too?

As many of you may recall, during Norma’s critical period at UIC, I received a phone call from my brother Terry informing me that Scooter was not doing well. My Mom had called the vet’s office because Scooter had diarrhea and he needed a refill on his medication for this. They wanted Mom to bring him in before refilling his prescription, so she did. Apparently the doctor gave him two shots in his back near his spine and when Mom brought him home, he could not stand.

I came home with the thought and intention of having to put him down. I knew that Norma would be devastated at not having an opportunity to say “goodbye”. I prayed for God to spare Scooter and give us a little more time. By the time I got home, I found Scooter was stronger than when Mom had called. The next morning he was able to stand and he was eating and drinking. I was able to return to UIC to be with Norma and a huge burden was lifted off me…Scooter will always be my little hero! I believe he knew he had to wait.

Last night, shortly after our return from UIC at approximately 5:00 p.m., we were huddled around Scooter in our kitchen saying our goodbyes. We looked out our back windows…and gazed hypnotized as four deer slowly emerged from our woods from the east. They majestically moved across our back yard until they arrived at the middle…then in unison, they halted, looked up and did an “eyes right” as if paying their last respects. Then they drifted back into the woods towards the setting sun in the west. It was one of “those” moments. God is merciful!

Scooter made it easier for us. He passed away naturally of old age in his sleep on April 10, 2008 while Norma, Nancy and I were between Marianjoy and UIC. Mom was with him as she has been every day since February 8. She has been incredible in caring for him. He was in no pain…the only pain is in our hearts. He was only three pounds when he left us…but the joy he gave to us cannot be measured. He was and always will be a big doggie to us! We will miss him dearly!

Until later…at the rainbow bridge.

Love,

Norma & Ken

kenireland2@aol.com

P.S. Have you hugged your pet today?

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