Monday, April 23, 2012

Rachel Manatee

I know this post is much different than I usually post, and you might need a Kleenex or two…but it is good therapy for me.
I am sitting here in the middle of the night watching Rachel Manatee sleep. She is sleeping restlessly, with her right eye moving almost constantly.  I just gave her some doggie pain medicine…hopefully she will get some good sleep. 
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A few evenings ago we took her on a car ride out in the country, which she loves…she stuck her long nose out the window and barked at everything we passed.  She loves cows and we drove until we found some for her to talk to.  She would only look out the right side of the car, must have hurt to have her right eye to look the other way with the wind.  When we got home, she had a dose of her pain medicine and ice cream for dinner and we all tried to go about our routines.  She seemed really sad like she knows her life on this earth may be close to done, maybe it is pain, maybe she does know that her favorite vet, Dr. Frank, has been out to see her too many times in the last two weeks. 
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Rachel is my son’s first love, other than me of course.  She was named by a 7 year old Veggie Tales fan…thus her name Rachel Manatee (like Barbara Manatee). These two were inseparable from the beginning.  From the time she was a fuzzy little fur ball and he spent every waking moment with her, until now when he is grown up and sometimes doesn’t give her the time of day, he has been her boy.
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Rachel always knew at 3:35 pm she need to go to the top of the driveway and wait for the bus, she would run and jump in excitement waiting for Sam to come home and then she would hop around (all 75 pounds of her!) and tackle him when he stepped off the bus.  She would lick his face and he would push her away and laugh.  She followed him into the house that way, bumping into him and licking, tail wagging all the way.  Her boy was home again! Later she waited for his car to come down the driveway, always meeting him in the yard.  She met me at the car every night too, but not tonight. 
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Sam and I looked at pictures last night, as a sweet fuzzy black puppy with a red bandana tied around her neck, as a sweet puppy chasing Mr. Sweets, the cantankerous cat, as a happy pooch napping with her boy on the couch.  We talked about every picture, funny things that Rachel had done through the years. 
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When she was about a year old she chewed the molding completely off the bottom of the staircase.  She got sprayed by a skunk and the groomer used peroxide on her to get rid of the smell, we laughed about her dyed hair.  We talked about Rachel walking off the deck into a giant snowdrift and falling deep into the drift.  We laughed about the way Rachel talks; sometimes she sounds like Scooby Doo.  About how she loves blackberries, but won’t eat them off the bush, she tried that and got her nose poked, so we would have to pick them for her.
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We buried Rachel on Sunday surrounded by the blackberry bushes she loved so much.  She died quietly with my hands on her and my voice in the air and with her boy by her side, she didn’t even move when the vet’s needle stuck her.  She had cancer growing behind one eye and we chose to not have it investigated or treated.  We kept her comfy and happy and she loved us to the end. 
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I know I will miss you so much…rest in peace Rachel Manatee, you have been the best dog ever! 
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16 comments:

Unknown said...

I am so sorry for your loss. I know how hard it is. I have my sweet Mercedes, a schauzer, for 17 years. She has been gone since 2005 and I still miss her daily. God Bless and cherish those memories.

~Laurie~ said...

So very sorry for your loss Ellen. I just started reading a book called Heaven is for Real - a story about a little boy that dies-goes to heaven-and then comes back to life. He reports that he saw LOTS of animals in heaven! More proof that your baby is free of disease and living among the angels!!

jess said...

lots of tears reading your post...sweet puppy. you guys gave her a happy, full life - and she loved you unconditionally in return. there is nothing sweeter.

love you guys!

Unknown said...

Losing a beloved pet/family member is never easy. We hope we have as long and happy a journey with our furbabies as you.

Unknown said...

I'm a new follower to your fun blog via the blog hop. Have a great week!

Josh and Liz said...

So sorry, Yaya... We will miss Rachel!! She was a good dog...

Carol said...

Very sweet post, Ellen! Rachel was really a great dog and I know you and Sam will really miss her. I have lots of great memories of her, especially out at "the farm". Who can forget the mama deer chasing her (and Bob) out of the field and into the woods! We will miss her, too!

Lily Bean said...

oh sweetheart i am so sorry for your loss! i am so glad you have so many pictures and great memories. there is nothing like a pups love and rachel will always be with you. sending you love and hugs

Holly said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. :(
Dropping by from the blog hop and sad to read this post. :(

Ann @ makethebestofthings said...

Ellen,
So sorry for your loss. What a sweet sad story which reminds me of our own pets' deaths, most recently the family Corgi who went downhill extremely fast with cancer. We also lost our loving Chow unexpectedly. We still remember them both with love. We were blessed to have them.

Breesmimi said...

Ohh, so very sorry for the loss of your beloved dog. What a beautiful story you have told about her life entwined with your family.
On a lighter note...Just stopping by to say hello. Found you on Sew Many Ways, Find a Friend Friday link.
I was going to follow you on Pinterest when I discovered I already follow you!

Honey I'm Home Blog said...

This story left me with a lump in my throat. I'm a dog lover & I also love dog lovers! What a sweet pup you had. I always believed there's a place for good dogs in heaven. I hope you will get to see her there. :D

Warmly, Michelle

barbara said...

I am so sorry for your loss. Please accept my deepest sympathies.

Kathleen said...

Ellen, so sorry for you and your son Sam. We lost our Golden 5 years ago and it was so hard on the family. I love how you honored her in your post. What an awesome dog.

Maggie said...

I'm sorry I missed this post before. So sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how you feel but it was lovely to see the photos with so many happy memories of dear Rachel. Maggie xx

Little City Farm said...

Oh Ellen. I'm reading this the day after we lost our beautiful boy, Danny (as you know) and of course blubbering like a baby. I know this is a few weeks old, but I also know that you still miss her so I wanted to say how truly sorry I am that she is gone from your life. Big hugs from me.