Lost My Buddy

Snowball's last day on the planet was last Thursday. I haven't been able to do anything since. Today I'm determined to mine the muck and pull something through that needs doing. The poor guy had snarfed an antibiotic for a tick-borne disease up into one of his nasal passages, burning it shut. About thirteen grand later and several trips to Manhattan for surgery, he had four tubes in there that helped him breathe.

It seemed like no sooner did he get his feet back under him then this gorgeous, white-blond Golden Retriever came down with cancer in his lymph nodes, and it quickly spread to his liver. Repeated chemotherapy and steriods did nothing other than give him temporary bursts. We tried, we threw another ten grand at it, but he never went into remission, he just kept growing steadily worse. Then finally last week we made the call.

He was six years old.

My seventh out of nine dogs, so far, and he was a special one. There was an intelligence in his eyes that's been matched with another dog I've had, maybe two. An emotional intelligence, where you know you both know what you're thinking. A real dog owner/lover knows what that means.

Hears to you, Snowy. Our hearts are heavy and we miss you, pal. You were a great friend. Those walks in Central Park were special.