Remembering A Friend

Today is an anniversary. The memories associated with this anniversary are both good and bad. One year ago today we had to let our wonderful bulldog Boudreaux go. He had been getting weaker and he also had a very large tumor on one of his legs that really made it difficult for him to walk. I have so many good memories of Boudreaux. He was a very loving dog and loyal to no end. He had a very sweet disposition and would constantly follow me around the house. During the day when we were at work or running errands he would stay in the house and greet us warmly when we returned. When we traveled to Lousisana to see my family for Christmas he would accompany us on those trips. He really traveled well and loved being in the car. He also loved attention - he always wanted to be petted but his favorite thing was to be rubbed on his belly. I really miss him and the house has had an emptiness that I don't think will ever be filled. On that day one year ago my heart was broken and it was one of the saddest days of my life, of course with time I am feeling better and I know we did the right thing by Boudreaux. My memories of his twelve years with us are still vivid and I treasure each and every one of them. So here's to Boudreaux - I love you and miss you my friend.

Good-night, sweet prince . . .

. . . And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

Horatio, act v, scene ii

Boudreaux
November 5, 1996
November 3, 2008

For over a week now Thomas and I have been dealing with some health issues with Boudreaux. He had several visits to the vet and he even stayed a couple of nights. He had a large growth on his right front leg that the vet called a nerve sheath tumor. They checked him for other tumors and didn't find any. So we were given the options to deal with the tumor and we gave them a lot of thought. Not only did we weigh our options we looked at Boudreaux's overall quality of life. For a little over a year now we have been noticing quite a few changes with him. His eyesight and hearing had deteriorated considerably, he had no ligaments in his hind legs and he was also becoming incontinent. With all these problems it was hard for us to make a decision with the options given us by the vet. Here were our options: 1) surgery to remove the tumor [with the understanding that there were considerable nerves and blood vessels in the area and there was no guarantee that they could remove the tumor]; 2) leg amputation or 3) euthanasia. Obviously, we chose option 3. We felt that with all the other things going on that he would have had a hard time with the amputation and even if they could of removed the tumor it would have probably returned in six months. After talking to the vet and to each other and spending time with Boudreaux we chose to make him comfortable and to let him go. It wasn't easy, but as I watched my Sweet Prince drift off to sleep I knew he was in a better place. Thomas and I have been concerned for over a year now that he wasn't the energetic, happy dog we had raised. He slept most of the time and rarely left his kennel. Even though he has only been gone a few hours the house and our hearts already feel empty. We already miss his scent, grunts, groans and snorts. He was a wonderful companion and was a big part of our family for twelve years. He will be greatly missed. Good-night, sweet prince. And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

My Little Boy

Boudreaux is now a little over 11 years old. He was a christmas present in 1996 and he immediately became "my little boy". He is a very special part of my life. I find that as he has gotten older I make it a point to spend a little more time with him. He has a hard time walking so playing fetch is out of the question. His eye sight has deteriorated and sometimes I think he doesn't really see me anymore. But I sit with him, rub under his chin and on his belly and he is "my little boy" all over again. I see the changes of old age in him - bad eye sight, hard of hearing, difficulty controlling his bladder, moving slower, sleeping more and at time he seems a little confused. But I love him more now than the day Thomas brought him home. And I am treasuring every moment with him since I know that the day will come (and all too soon, I might add) that he will no longer be with us. This makes me a little sad but I know I wouldn't change anything. He is the most wonderful dog I have ever owned - "my little boy" has become "my old man" - and I love him.

Ballroom Dancing for Dogs

While having my morning cup of coffee I was perusing the spring issue of the Continuing Education Catalog for the Santa Fe Community College. I am always looking for an interesting class to take. (I am hoping to slow down the effects of dementia - it seems to be creeping up on me.) So, I came across this course offering and it got me to thinking. It is a class to teach you to dance with your dog. I have a dog - a wonderful English Bulldog named Boudreaux. Would I want to learn to ballroom dance with him. I decided "NO". No offense to dog owners or dog lovers out there but I decided that this was just going a little too far. And to pay $75 for this was just way over the top. I love my dog - I really do but this class is not for me. I think I will stick to the basics - going for a walk, playing fetch, etc. I guess this goes to show you . . . there is something out there for everyone.