Sad news!
Post date: Jun 12, 2014 8:46:42 AM
Do not grieve that it should be you, who has to decide this thing to do,
We've bee so close, we two, these years, don't let your heart hold any tears.
although my tail its last has waved, from pain and suffering I've been saved.
I know in time you too will see, it is kindness you do to me,
you'll not want me to suffer, so, when the time comes please let me go.
We've had so many happy years, what is to come will hold no fears,
for this day more than all the rest, your love and friendship stand the test.
You will be sad, I understand, don't let your grief then stay your hand,
Then you must do what must be done, for this last battle can't be won.
I'm afraid the absence of posts to our blog for May has been partly due to being really busy generally but also to the sad news that our beloved Dickins passed away. He had been diagnosed with an aggresive cancer just a couple of months prior, after we noticed he was struggling a bit with some of his chews and treats. Sadly the answer was a tumor at the back of his mouth which was inoperable and over the following weeks spread to his insides. We had thought the original tumor would end up so large he could not either eat, drink or breath properly and that would cause the end, but in fact it was the spread and resulting build up of fluid in his abdomen that became too much.
He was still generally living life to the full and was still able to eat really well with a few changes to his food, which he was still certainly enjoying. We don't think he was in pain, more uncomfortable and a bit fed up at times, but he was a little trouper and after enjoying a good long walk around the whole of our land and river on the Tuesday, he decided that Wednesday was going to be his last day and told us the time had come - his timing could have been better than 11pm when the vets were closed, but none the less we called them and off we went at 11.30! Ben attended too so he would understand what had happened and where Dickins had gone. Due to complications with an apparently long-previously buried horse (long story!) we decided to leave Dickins with the vet for individual cremation so now have him back with us in a casket - sitting on the shelf with his original mate Daisy in fact!!
So he lived to the full right up to the last 24 hours really and we know for sure the time was right for him, having been jolly stoic about the whole thing until then. Many tears later we were ready to make this post and are starting to think about another dog to fill the hole left behind in our home and give Ben a new friend as he misses his buddy Dickins as much as we do.
Spoilt in his final days and allowed on the sofa, see picture, now he rests in peace - the words that came with the casket set us both off on the tears again, as has writing this, but I thought I'd share here as they were very moving. Loved forever darling Dickins, a very special boy.
If it should be....
If it should be I grow frail and weak, and pain should wake me from my sleep
