In the last couple of weeks, Jose and I have been dealing with the fact that our dog Charley is dying. He has been our puppy since he was eight weeks old. He is now eleven and facing death. It is happening so fast. His annual check-up earlier this year showed he was fine. But, two weeks ago we took him to the vet because he was short of breath. It would be the first time they would tell us something was not right. The findings got progressively worse until the doctor finally handed us his death sentence. Charley has cancer in the liver, spleen, and lungs.
The word compassion runs through my mind like a ticker tape, a flashing billboard, a broken record. How can we let Charley go in the most compassionate way? How can we show him we love him? How can we express how much we appreciate all the years of happiness he’s given us? We pet him, give him water, help him move, gently touch him and we hope he knows how much we love and care for him. He has moved with us from house to house. He’s walked miles and miles by our side. He’s traveled with us in our RV. He has kept us company all these years when either Jose or I were not at home. He’s been there upon our return, so happy to see us, always trusting we would return. And soon, he will be gone. We will keep him here with us until it is impossible to do so and then we’ll say our goodbyes. Our life will not be the same without our Charley. We will miss him forever.
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