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Irish has gone to the Rainbow Bridge….

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Bob McElwee

Bob McElwee

Jedi Knight
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…to be with JayBee and Gus, plus a host of other dogs and cats from years ago. We were at the Cotton Bowl with our sons family, she is OSU grad, and were thinking of coming home Sat night to beat the storm but got hung up for 2 hours on I-35 northbound south of Norman.
While we had a young vet student coming by to feed and play with them, she told us she was barely able to make it over Sunday morning and didn't think she would be able to make Sunday evening. Another neighbor agreed to take care of the evening feeding. We didn't want them alone with the subzero temps predicted. Irish has been having mobility problems recently and we didn't think the deep snow and cold were going to be a good mix.
We checked with MODOT and they said they try to have the Interstates plowed by 3 hours afer the snow stops. We left Edmond, OK at 10:00am and arrived home at 10:00 pm on what is normally a 7 - 8 hour drive to the St. Louis, MO area. We drove the last 200 miles on snow/ice covered I-44 (plus a 1 ½ hour wait just east of Springfield for multiple accidents). Fortunately we never really had to drive in any significant snow.
When we got home Irish almost seemed as if she didn't recognize us. After a few minutes she got better and we thought things were back to normal. My wife did mention she almost fell over when she went outside to pee. About an hour after we got home, Irish had a seizure (?). It lasted a little over a minute, shaking uncontrollably and biting her mouth. After being in never never land for 10 minutes she seemed to be OK. We brought her sleeping pad from the bedroom and Irish and I slept in the family room. She even slept on the pad for an hour or so. This morning around 6 she had another seizure - same symptons and duration. When she was having the seizure we really felt helpless to help her.
Talked to her regular vet this morning and he said if we thought it was time he agreed with us. It was tough but peaceful and Irish is healty again and waiting for us some day.
Thanks for listening.
 
Never ever an easy thing. Just had to put down our Jack Russell, Rocky, a couple months ago. He made it to 15 years, but it was still tough to let him go. BTW, a good book related to this topic: Rescuing Sprite, by Mark Levin.
 
Sorry - took me awhile,& a lot of reading,to realize that
you were talking about your pets.Still don't know who JayBee & Gus are......

- Doug
 
I'm sorry for your loss Bob, but like you said Irish is healthy again and will be waiting for you someday. I lost my 16 year old dog last winter, and I'm just happy he died quietly and quickly.
 
This kicks me. We lost our boy Merlyn a couple years ago this month, it doesn't matter if they're furry or fleshy. All are family, all are horribly missed.

My other thoughts can't be expressed. They'd be the things I'd be banned for.
 
Oscar used to have the same thing, happened twice at ~3 a.m (two separate nights). With him I think it was pinched nerves causing him pain. This is why I slept on the floor for three months, just in case he needed me. Seeing yours had mobility problems this could have been the case.

You made the right call, last thing anyone needed was emergency at a time where travel would have been prohibited, not to mention moving them in that state only makes matters worse. I've come to the realization that once they're in the "final funnel", sooner is much better for them than later. It sucks for us but what can you do?

There's never a "good" time but some circumstances are certainly better than others. Needless to say I understand completely.
 
Almost forgot, our lab had seizures which were diagnosed as a brain tumor...like I said, not anything you could have done.
 
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Bob, a sad day indeed. You did the right thing. Been there, done theat several times. We all feel your anguish. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.
 
Thanks everyone, it is appreciated.
Irish had arthritis for several years and it was getting much worse.
For clarification - JayBee was a black Lab and Gus was a red Shepard we got from out daughter when she moved into an Apt we thought was too small for a large dog.
 
It's never easy to lose one of our four legged friends. I hope the pain of his loss will soon fade so that only the happy memories remain.
 
Bob,

Sorry for your loss,but I thought the thread was about a gay person,
from the header.

- Doug
 
Doug, Google Rainbow Bridge, someone sent it to us when JayBee died. It is very comforting and I'm looking forward to the reunion.
 
:lol: Doug, this place wouldn't be complete without you!


EDit: our LAB had a brain tumor.
 
Such a difficult decision to make but I am so happy you guys were home with him to let him know he was loved to the end. Peace be with you, Kelly and Irish.
 
AngliaGT said:
Bob,

Sorry for your loss,but I thought the thread was about a gay person,
from the header.

- Doug
Click to expand...

I did google it and now it makes more sense, here the bridge to the USA at Niagara Falls is the Rainbow Bridge - took me a minute to figure it out also Doug
 
When you think about it, Doug's thoughts actually make a lot of sense. I have a cousin that "crossed over the rainbow bridge" and he's never coming back. :grin:
 
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