December 24, 2014 Can two opposite feelings be experienced at the same time? I am terribly sad my Medo, my dog has passed away, but I am very happy that he died in my arms before we all were set to travel to Beaufort to celebrate Christmas with Danielle, Corbitt, and Graham.
It was 6 months ago, I noticed that Medo was slower, slept more, started losing weight, but still barked and ran to any person or event troubling the farm, I knew he was near the end. My mind was preparing.
When I was driving back from being at Danielle’s for Graham’s birth, Dan called me from Greensboro and said that Medo had gone outside and collapsed on the porch. Greensboro is about 4 hours away. I don’t think I ever went so fast on the interstate. I had a mission. Get home.
Medo was still on the porch when I got home. Dan and I had to carry him in. He didn’t move much. I slept with him in a sleeping bag in the woodstove room that night. He didn’t go much after that. I was surprised one day, when something was an alarm for him at the farm and boy he jumped up and barked like he was 5 years old again.
All days blend together now, especially that I am typing this weeks after his death. I was preparing to go to Danielle’s for Christmas and I didn’t want Medo to have to stay ‘in the horse trailer’ or somewhere he wasn’t used to. I pleaded, cried and seriously asked God to let Medo go ‘on to heaven’ before I left. When Medo didn’t pass away, then my prayer changed to let him live till I get back.
It was the NIGHT before I was planning to go to Beaufort and Medo was breathing really strange. He had done that a few times before but he always seemed to be ‘back to normal’ after a few minutes. Well, this time, it was much longer and I imagine that God allowed me to have the thought that maybe he was having a hard time breathing and his lungs would go out and he would suffocate. I cried, and pleaded once again, but, this time, even though I was leaving the next day, I vowed to call the vet and have the vet put My Medo to sleep. I would do that because I couldn’t have him suffer.
Medo soon got back to breathing fine. I laid with him in the floor, hugging and petting him, talking to him sweetly. He was an amazing dog. He would follow me everywhere at the farm. I often envisioned that he would be the one to attack a ‘wild’ animal or veer off a rattlesnake in the path, just for me. I could easily take a big ole steak bone from him but let someone else come close to him and you might fear for your ‘leg’.
I went upstairs to get final things organized and came down and he was lying down, I picked up his head and he breathed his last breath. My Medo, my dog, my companion, my fearless guardian. Hugs, tears and happiness that God had granted my wish, my prayer, before I left, flooded me like no other.
I thanked my God more than you can imagine. Amen
It brings me to the realization that we all will go on to God’s world sooner or later. I can’t imagine, but I know the day will come when I will have to go through the sadness of hearing the news of my parents or my parents-in-law. It is an amazing path I am on now to still have both sets of parents alive and doing fairly well. God bless Mom and Dad and Bud and Bernice. I will go ahead and ask God to spare them pain in death, to take them quickly.
Well, enough of sadness.