Luke was very special to me. He went from being one of the most pitiful cases I've seen to one of the most fortunate of my rescues. He came to me after being abandoned by his "family" at a Maryland shelter. He was filthy and sick with heartworm disease. In spite of all he was suffering, he never stopped wagging his little tail. His spirit would not be daunted. I presented Luke's case to a very special lady from Kentucky. She wanted a certain someone to love, and I had a strong feeling that Luke was for her. I explained his situation, and she did not hesitate. She wanted him. She wanted him so much, she was willing to assume all his expenses until he was well enough to fly to her. I did not know what to say to such kindness and generosity. I still don't, especially since Luke never fully recovered from the disease. The damage to his heart was more extensive than anyone realized. His fight to live was actually just beginning. Little did we know. But his mother never wavered. I am happy that Luke and his mother knew some good times. Many days were wonderful, and they shared a life that Luke should have had from the beginning. I just wish it could have been longer. Much longer. It's just not fair. His mother has told me his favorite toy was always his rubber airplane, one of the first gifts. Ironic and lovely. I believe he is buried with his treasure. His death is a terrible tragedy that could have been prevented if Luke had been given a simple pill once a month. His mother sent me this letter months after she lost Luke.
It's taken me four months to be able to write this email. I lost Luke on April 2, one of the saddest days I've known. As we had talked about, he had been really struggling with his heart disease, and we were constantly at the vet adjusting his meds. Every step forward we took was followed by two steps backward. It was so frustrating for us both. He had gotten to the point that his heart failure could only be controlled on Lasix injections. We were well underway until a week into the therapy when he would start cowering from me and became totally withdrawn. After a lot of soul searching, I decided that my whole purpose for adopting him had been to give him a chance at a happy rest of his life. I felt like I was torturing him, especially since I knew he had a terminal illness. I stopped the injections and we tried to do the best we could with just pills. I have never struggled so hard with a decision before. I hope I did the right thing. Within a week, he began to get worse, and I decided to take him to the country to my parents' house, one of his favorite places in the world. He got to lounge outside, and he was never left alone. He just kept getting worse until every breath was a struggle. He left this world in the company of those who loved him most. My heart broke that day, and I still miss him more than I could have imagined. We buried Luke under the most beautiful red rose bush in my parents' garden. My mom calls it the "beauty bush," and she says it will protect Luke as he rests. He has his favorite toys with him, including that crazy airplane he loved so much. I stop and say hello to him every time I visit my parents, but I still wish he were back with me. He was such a wonderful companion, and I am so grateful to you for giving me a chance to experience his love. Thank you for continuing to save these lovely souls every day. Luke touched my life in so many wonderful ways. Please try to convince people that dogs like Luke are so worth saving. They understand they have been given a chance to have all the wonderful things that life has to offer, and they give you every ounce of love in their hearts. Missing Luke (Bubba). . . |
This page was written by
Valerie Macys
vmacys@CockerAdoption.org
