Monday, October 10, 2011

I Miss You

Dear babies:
It's been three months now. In two hours, it will have been twelve weeks since Moose died so suddenly, and in four hours, it will have been twelve weeks since Ox took his last breath, his head on my cheek.

I realized this while I'm sitting here, buried in Biology. I had just begun to feel overwhelmed, when suddenly, my thoughts changed from adenylylcyclase and phospholipase C and cAMP and PKA and PKC and all of the things that were starting to drown me in their complexity.. they changed to the day that I lost you, and how deep the pain was. My heart began to ache and I could feel tears welling in my eyes, and I was wondering why such a reaction was occurring, why all of a sudden I would be reminded of you. I remembered vividly how deeply I grieved your lose, how powerful your deaths were in my life.. was it you? Were you with me just now? Did you feel how overwhelmed I felt and how exhausted? I'm thinking of you, babies. This is all part of the big plan. You are my inspiration. Your pictures are on my wall, babies. I love you so deeply.. I miss you so much. I know Miss Chica is up there with you.. know that I love all of you so much, and that losing you still hurts.

Love,
- M


Saturday, September 17, 2011

Final Scene

Beautiful babies;
Eleven days ago, your mommy went home with her own new mommy and daddy. She is going to live the life that she has deserved since the beginning.. good night, sweet babies. Look over your mommy for me.. she did so much for you. She tried her best, she really did.

And by the way, I saw a movie today that reminded me an awful lot of you -- it was about parenting, and how society's standards have really set children off on the wrong foot in life.. and I thought about you.. and how you came into this world, and I prayed with all of my heart and soul for you to survive; how you were taken from me, and how crushed I am.. and then, I recall how much you changed my life, and the course that my life has taken since your passing. You came into this world, served your purpose, and left it. You served your duty here on this planet, and the Lord beckoned you back. Fly on angel wings, babies - I'll do my part down here.

Love,
- M

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Not in Vain

Dear Beautiful Babies:
You would be six weeks old today. 

It's been a little over a month since Moose and Ox joined their siblings on Rainbow Bridge. My heart still aches for you. So many people did you wrong, and yet, if only one had taken their time to provide you with proper care, you could have survived. You would be learning to sit now, learning to potty outside. You would be barking and running and jumping and playing. You would be the talk of the town - eight gorgeous babies, so full of life, so spirited and smart.. But instead, you are eight of the millions that die every day. You are a drop in the bucket. But I will not let you die in vain. Justice will be served - those who are responsible for your deaths may never know the grief and agony they have caused, but I can prevent babies like you from dying in the future.

I leave for college today - I'm majoring in Biochemistry. I am going to be a veterinarian, sweet boys -- and as a vet student, I am going to do a research project about Fading Puppy Syndrome. Something could have been done to save you, I am sure of it. Some vaccination, some treatment, some mix of magic and love.. The rescue vet told me to just "keep [the puppies] warm and try to keep them nursing". You were too young.. but does age give you a lesser value? Because you could not yet see the world around you, does that mean your place in it was less important? What does this mean for the sightless elderly dogs of the world? Do they, too, get pushed aside in favor of the dogs who still have a long life to live?

No.

I will not let this injustice occur. I may not be able to cure Fading Puppy Syndrome, but I will give it my best. I will figure out how best to treat you - I will publish books and write for websites and magazines about how to save your lives. I will create medicines specifically for your little bodies - I will create machines to look inside of your wee systems, to see what's wrong - I will engineer a system of treatment to save your lives.

And boys, on the door leading to my future veterinary practice, I will have plaques bearing your names. All those who enter will know that Af, Camael, Hamon, Elijah, Gavreel, Hael, Moose, and Ox lived and died here on Earth for a reason and that their purpose will not go un-realized.


Moose and Ox, the two boys that I knew so well.. Strong names intended for two hard-fighting boys, to give them strength. Their strength held through until God beckoned to them, and said that their purpose on Earth had been served.


Af, the blonde little girl who died in my lap, named for the angel of light.


Camael, the black little girl who died in my hands, whose name means "one who sees God".


Hamon, the little black and white boy who died in my arms, named for a great, beautiful, honored prince angel in heaven.

For the three babies that died on the way from the kill shelter to the rescue:

Elijah, named for the angel of innocence.
Gavreel, named for the angel of peace.
Hael, named for the angel of kindness.

I will avenge you, babies. You have touched me, and I will touch the lives of puppies like you in your honor. I cannot wait to meet you again one day, to see you on Rainbow Bridge, grown and beautiful like you should have been on this Earth. You were robbed of your lives, but your beauty showed through your weakness..

I love you.
M

P.S.
Your mommy loves and misses you. Ask God for a little favor - see if he can't help get Miss Abby adopted into a great home? She's been through too much to sit around in a foster home now.

Also, someone I know in the West has a litter of puppies, and the runt has begun to "fade". Please watch over her, babies. If it should be her time, please show her the way to Rainbow Bridge and let her know that even over here in Virginia, tears are being shed in her name.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Lovely Miss Abby


Miss Abby is doing very, very well. (:
She is slowly learning how to be housebroken (silly girl!) -- and climbing into the recliner!


She's gaining weight and learning tricks;
she's SUCH a good, sweet girl.


She's going to make a very, very nice pet for someone special. (:

Monday, July 11, 2011

Good Night, Baby

Minutes before his seven-day milestone, little Ox lost his fight with the darkness that's been ailing all of these puppies. I was sleeping with him in my arms, and someone who I have with me to help with the puppies woke me up to say he had stopped breathing. That was at 11:59pm.






Good night, angel boys.. I'm so sorry about your life - it's not fair. Live well on Rainbow Ridge. We all love all of you.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Heaven Has Another Angel

At approximately 9:30pm, Moose passed away suddenly. He had been drinking, whining, and walking around - I thought he'd survive.


I am heartbroken. Rest in peace, Moose. I love you.


False Alarm!

As soon as I hit "Publish Post", I heard a very sturdy, very angry squeal from behind me, and Mr. Ox drank a whole syringe of water. He's been having some trouble digesting his food, so we think mama's milk may be too rich for the puppies at this stage in their life, given how they've been raised. So, they're on a diet of sugar water and LRS subQ until Monday, when I can get the "Dyne" super-supplement that I ordered yesterday.


Have I mentioned, by the way, how SUPER SWEET Miss Abby is? I've been sleeping on the bathroom floor all morning, setting my alarm for every thirty minutes so I'll get up and feed the babies, and Miss Abby is always either on my feet or against my back or curled up on my tummy. She LOVES to be in contact with me, always. She's just so, so, so sweet. She's going to make someone a really nice little girl.