April Showers by Anne Maisy Scott

Our family had recently suffered the loss of our family pet, Lindzee.  Even though she was on the eve of the young age of five, she lived her life to the fullest.  She was full of personality and always enjoyed telling us stories in exchange for a doggy treat.  She never refused a cuddle and she truly believed that our company who came to visit us was exclusively for her.  She was not only a people lover, but she enjoyed being in the company of other animals as well.  She especially enjoyed rabbits, but not in the way one would imagine from such a sweet and loving girl. 

Unfortunately, the time came for us to make that decision to free her of her chronic pain and suffering of her degenerating joints in both hind legs.  We discovered in June of '08 that she will not recover from this disease that will eventually cost her her life.  We witnessed her decline in mobility and her quality of life took a nosedive particularly before Christmas.  My husband and I agonized over putting her down before the holidays, but we knew that we did not want her to suffer any more than she had to.  I watched my husband walk into the pet clinic to make the appointment for euthanization.  Instead of an appointment card within his grasp, he showed me that he purchased her pain pills to get her through Christmas.  He just could not bring himself to make the appointment.

We cannot believe that we made it through February of 2009 as we continued to watch Lindzee's mobility deteriorate.  We stretched her pain meds from December because her vet would not allow a prescription of more that 10 pills because we were behind on Lindzee's shots of Parvovirus and Bordetella.  I felt that our dog was being punished for us not affording another costly vet bill for which costs nearly as much as a human office visit.  This came from the same veterinarian who tried to have us pay for surgery for our dog $1,500 per knee to exchange pain for pain.  She truly tried to sell me on the idea that what I was doing for Lindzee was worse than what she wanted to do for the dog.  That was when I knew we were on our own.  This was how we agonized over making the decision on how or when to know when it was time.

When we rolled into March, Lindzee's bad days were more consecutive than ever before.  We started to bring her water dish to her at her request.  She always communicated with us by licking her chops coupled with that begging look in her eyes.  She refused to go outside unless she really had to because it was too painful to move.  She never messed inside the house, but I knew we weren't far from that happening.  We made the appointment at the Humane Society for her to be at peace on Saturday.  In fact, Lindzee seemed to be at peace as if a feeling of acceptance enveloped her in knowing that the pain was at its end.  She could still walk, but it was a real effort on the bad days.  She only moved when she felt she had to. 

Lindzee was a gift to my son on his 10th birthday in 2004 from my sister.  That was the best gift anyone had ever given my son.  It was the only gift that I can recall that the whole family shared and benefited from.  All three of our children suffered on Lindzee's bad days with knowing that her pain was unfair, yet keeping in the back of their minds that she would never get better.  Our son had the week from hell when we could  not prolong Lindzee's suffering any longer.  Jared was diagnosed with pneumonia on Monday, which kept him out of school for the week of exams.  To finish off his week, on Friday, was when he learned that at noon on Saturday was Lindzee's appointment at the Humane Society.  My son's first broken heart came from a girl named Lindzee, his dog/friend.  We had one more day with Lindzee, which was a very beautiful day indeed!

Our girl seemed to know that the kids were suffering and she actually comforted them by many kisses and she hobbled around to each family member.  Our younger dog even knew what was going on and why there was sorrow.  We were standing in the front yard enjoying the warmth of the sun that we so rarely saw during the long Michigan winter months, which seemed to bring comfort to our battered hearts.  Lindzee got a surge of energy that we have not seen in months and ran around the yard like the puppy we remembered.  We had put in a garden pond in front or our house last summer, which Lindzee always wanted to plunge into because of the undeniable Lab running through her veins.  She approached the pond, which had just recently thawed, and took a few laps from the pungent water.  She looked back at me for approval.  I simply said, "Well, what are you waiting for?"  Much to our surprise, she jumped into the pond creating a huge splash.  My husband grabbed the camera and we watched her wallow around like a walrus stirring up leaves and other winter debris.  We were thankful that she didn't notice the dead frog floating amongst the other floaters in the pond.  Our other dog, Lexi, thought Lindzee was crazy as she stayed close by to supervise.  She too is a Lab, but she fears bodies of water.  She enjoys playing with the hose, but she even fears her baths.  Our two dogs were Ying and Yang.  Unfortunately, Lindzee paid dearly for her actions and had suffered Friday evening worse than we had ever seen of any of her bad days combined.  Dave and I found ourselves looking forward to Saturday at noon. 

Saturday morning came around and I could hear Lindzee hobbling around the kitchen waiting for her breakfast.  I was thankful that she was feeling a bit better from the night before, but I could still see the great effort she was putting into being the dog she was expected to be.  She discovered that it was easier for her to lay on the floor to eat.  Our kids went great lengths of trying to avoid the clock by busying themselves with video games and talking to friends on the computer and telephone.  An hour before we were to leave, I was getting dressed anticipating, yet dreading, the time when we actually walk Lindzee out of our house forever.  As I walked through the kitchen, I saw all three of my children huddled beneath the table loving on Lindzee.  She was talking to them and demanding cuddles from each of them.  She looked happy.  She didn't even growl at Lexi for trying to steal some of her spotlight as she has been known to do.  It was very touching to witness.  After about an hour of fussing, Lindzee walked a few steps away from the kids and she turned her back to them.  She was hurting.  My eldest daughter thought she was personally being snubbed as my youngest daughter thought Lindzee was angry with her.  My son ignored Lindzee's actions altogether because he figured that his dog was annoyed with his sisters as he continued to pet her.

As the time came to warm up the van, my youngest daughter tearfully said to me, "Why?  Why does she have to leave?  Why did God send her to us only to have her taken away too soon?  Why couldn't she have been born a poodle?  Those dogs live forever!"  I took a deep breath and said cautiously for all to hear, "Lindzee was born to be our dog, but never for us to keep.  She was loaned to us by God."  She asked me again why God would have put her sweet soul into a broken body.  I simply told her, "Because God knew that her broken body would get her back home to Him when the time was just right."  My husband walked into the house from the garage and said the dreaded, "It's time."  The kids said "good-bye" as Lindzee bolted towards the door.  I did find the humor with that.  However, I did not count on Lexi, the surviving pup, to cry aloud as my kids kept her restrained.  I sternly said to Lexi, "No, Lex!  You have to stay here."  That's when the tears escaped from me.  Luckily, the kids did not see it. 

The lesson we learned from Lindzee was this:  Love 'em while they're here and harbor no regrets.

God Bless our Four-Legged Friends and Everyone Else Too!!!!

Anne Maisy Scott

Lindzee

She was born to be our dog,

but not too long for us to keep,

Our memories of her are golden

as our minds still mournfully weep.

Her puppy paws are forever imprinted

upon the hearts of many.

She is now able to run and play

while chasing rabbits of plenty.

In Heaven is where she now belongs

reflecting upon us lovingly and pain free.

Our love holds the key which opens our hearts

to a most glorious place we one day will all be.

Much Love, Cuddles, and Thanks To Our Special Girl:

Lindzee Nicole, Lindzee Lu, Lulu-Belle, Lindz, Lu, Gimp

March 7, 2009

Jared (Dad), Janie, Jaci, Ma & Pa

Poem by Anne Maisy Scott