Daisy Decides to Die - Act 1
She’s gone. Dead and gone.
Good ol’ Daisy’s got her wings.
Fly, dog, fly!
I found her in the classified ads on a chilly November morning, back in 1996 – the 12th, to be precise, it was a Saturday.
You can check it out for yourselves, I kept the page from La Presse all these years because that’s the kind of gal I am, I stock a lot of documents that have to do with the past. It’s something I intend to work on in weeks and months to come – The Big Past Paper Purge – starting no later than Thursday or Friday. Maybe. I’ll see how it goes.
Daisy’s ad is the one in the middle, where it says (and I translate):
COCKER SPANIEL, 1 ½ years old, operated, vaccinated, sweet,
housebroken, country or suburb, low price, 385-8529.
That’s how Daisy came into my life.
At a time when I was pondering
whether or not to leave it.
She made me get up in the morning, damn it!
She made me go downstairs, in the yard, and
pick up her shit three times a day.
Winters…
Arrrg!
She kept me active and made me smile.
She had a stare that gave me the blues;
both of us were stuck in a housing co-op
waiting for something to do.
She made me feel like a kid again…
She was never sick.
Never had her shots.
Never had a problem.
That’s why when I saw how much she was scratching away at her ears, digging her paws as deep inside as she could, slowly, painstakingly, non-stop for a day, I decided to consult a veterinarian.
This was on March 29 of this year…on a Saturday.
The nice lady vet thoroughly examined my Daisy-Mae, diagnosed an ear infection, told me she needed a shot of antibiotics plus drops to be administered twice a day for seven days, and then proceeded to bring my little world to a halt.
Looking straight into my eyes, the vet asked me if I noticed how Daisy had gotten fat around the stomach. I said I’d seen the sagging gut, but had attributed it to old age – she had turned thirteen on the first of the month, she wasn’t exactly a spring pup.
The vet then brought her hands around Daisy’s belly in order to show me that something was definitely wrong, she could feel a mass the size of a grapefruit: cancer.
*Sigh*
I left the hospital with my dog, my sorrow, and a bottle of drops, walked back home without a thought in my head, and entered three days of watching my Daisy-Darlin’ slowly make her way into another dimension.
Right there, right then, she stopped eating. Weird stuff started to grow on her long floppy ears, looked like gravel had been stuck to them with crazy glue. The ears became very thick and heavy – kind of disgusting, actually – and then the next day, the “stuff” started to grow on her muzzle, first at the bottom and then quickly spreading towards her eyes.
Things weren’t looking good.
By Monday, both of us had hardly slept a wink, Daisy was barely drinking water, and friends were telling me how animals will endure lots of pain before they get to a point where they can’t handle it anymore and will finally start to moan. This meant Daisy was already suffering, silently, and probably had been for weeks.
So I called the vet and booked an appointment for the next day, at half past noon.
To be continued…
Don says:
I am so sorry to hear about Daisy. I have lost two companions in my life. They were both my best friends.
August 5, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Allen Sentance says:
Hey Oza,
You put a tear in my eye, it was a happy tear as ,just picturing you & Daisy and the beautiful relationship you 2 obviously had not many people get to experience in one lifetime. If you are spiritually minded then you understand where her spirit lies. She had a good life as well, to reach around 80 is also beautiful. So dwell not on the loss but the wonderful times together, when you got to clean her shit up 3 times a day.
Love & light
Allen
August 6, 2008 at 5:54 am
OzaMeilleur says:
Hi Don!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment…truly appreciate it.
And yeah, they sure are “best friends.” They can teach us a thing or two about unconditional love.
Hugs
xoxo
August 7, 2008 at 1:03 am
OzaMeilleur says:
Hey Allen!
Yes, I am spiritual. And no, I don’t dwell on the loss. Like you, I know where her spirit is…it’s all around me. She filled my life with joy, and that joy will never leave me.
Hugs
xoxo
August 7, 2008 at 1:07 am
Joyce van den Berg says:
Hi Oza,
So sorry to hear about your old friend. I’ve had to make that very tough decision as well to stop the suffering. Happily you know that you have a sweet angel watching over you.
Best Wishes,
Joyce
August 7, 2008 at 2:08 pm
OzaMeilleur says:
Hey Joyce!
Awww, so kind of you to stop by. (((HUGS)))
So you know how it feels, huh? It’s a tough decision…but as you’ll see once I post the rest of my story, it becomes easier, much easier.
Love always,
Mudd/Oza
xoxo
August 7, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Ed Shaz/ says:
Oza,
I had not seen this.
I am glad you enjoyed the friendship of this wonderful gal.
I know she had the wonderful life because of you.
I have thought of my previous dog every day for 24 years. :~)
?
August 7, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Tracey says:
Beautifully written, I can imagine the love that Daisy brought into your life. The hardest thing about pets is that we can be the ones who choose to end their suffering… but as I told myself when my gorgeous cat friend Tikki, who was in my life for 15 years since I was eight became blind, incontinent and distressed, she choose me as her carer and stuck around because she trusted me enough to look after her and love me, and that she would trust me to love her enough to let her go. I’m sure Daisy would feel the same way about you. xx much love to Daisy’s spirit and to you, Oza.
August 7, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Ron Lee Hagelund says:
Hey-I can re-ate.I’m sorry to say, 3 years ago my best friend of 10 yearsgot cancer and died way too young! Hearbreaking, devastating,and so very fucked up.
August 8, 2008 at 11:13 am
OzaMeilleur says:
Hi Ed!
Wow…24 years and you still think of her every day. That is so touching. This means she’s been wagging her tail ever since…
Love
xoxo
August 8, 2008 at 11:49 am
OzaMeilleur says:
Hi Tracy!
Growing up and learning to deal with life and death…this is often what animals — our beloved pets — teach us. They live, giving unconditional love, and they leave without a fuss. Very Zen, my friend
Love
xoxo
August 8, 2008 at 11:56 am
OzaMeilleur says:
Hey Ron!
So nice of you to drop by…sweeeeet
Sorry to hear about your best friend. Hope your heart heals…think of the good times you had.
If you stop the world from turning, he’ll still be present, making you laugh.
Extra Warm Hugs and Love,
Mudd
xoxo
August 8, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Marti says:
Awwww. That was beautifully written, but so sad. My heart goes out to you.
Thank you so much for stopping by - I love hearing from my friends!
August 8, 2008 at 5:09 pm
OzaMeilleur says:
Hi Marti!
Thanks for your kind words. Daisy was a doozy!
And so nice of YOU to stop by…and bring a smile
Hugs and love,
xoxo
August 8, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Peggie Arvidson says:
Oza,
thank you for sharing your story . I miss Daisy. I love what she brought to your life.
Hugs,
Peggie
August 9, 2008 at 4:39 pm
OzaMeilleur says:
Hi Peggie!
I still have to write the second part of the story, don’t want to wait too long before I do.Should be in a day or two.
Thanks for your kind words…love ya!
xoxo
August 10, 2008 at 5:30 am