....When I lose a pet, life stops for a while. Having our Misty Girl die so suddenly devastated both Dan and me. She was the sweetheart of our house. A friend a work just had to put her 5 year old German Shepherd to sleep due to kidney cancer. Yet here she is this morning, laughing and giggling with other co-workers, talking about the company Christmas party that is this weekend, talking about dresses and hair and all that BS. I don't get it! The last thing I would feel like doing is partying. I guess some people hide the pain by being jovial. I can't hide anything, ever. Sometimes I wish I could, but if I am sad, I can't pretend I am happy. My feelings are ME. What you see is what I am feeling. I am doing good to get up out of bed and do what I am supposed to be doing, like go to work, when I am mourning.
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2278/2091541810_b75b92580e.jpg)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2260/2091539762_6259fde74a.jpg)
I am with you Patty. I wouldn't be able to be that happy after loosing one of mine. It really makes you think doesn't it? Did she love her dog as much as we do? I hear people say that dogs are just pets. But my opinion is that they are family. I would not be excited to go to a holiday party right after! If one of mine are sick or just acting funny I am upset. So it would be really hard for me if I had to put one down.
I am with you Patty - if something sad has happened to me, I will carry on, but not in the normal fashion. I have to work my way through the grief. I don't even like to think ahead as to what may happen with Rudy and Brandy.... I know it will come and I know I will be a basket case. I would hope that your friend at work is getting through the way she can - I would think going home is very lonely.
Misty Moon....what a blessing she was to your family...... just cut way to short. Godspeed Misty-Angel...
I'm with ya. I fully expected to need to be sedated when Zuzu goes to the Bridge.
I am the same way, when I lose a pet I mourn and am basically non-functional for a few days.
When I lose a pet, I am pretty much non-funtional for a day or two, and barely functioning for a good while after that. Not everyone is like us, though. My cousin had a dog that was hit and killed by a car the morning of a family gathering at our home. When they arrived, they mentioned Reggie's death as if it was no big deal to them. My sister's husband talked her into having their Westie and Scottie PTS because someone was peeing in the house.
I think we are in the minority, but I don't believe we are wrong to love the little creatures God places in our care. Sad to say, but I think that most people don't develop such a strong attachment. They are in the wrong, and they are the ones missing out, and it hurts to know how many people are broken.
I agree with you....I love my furkids as my children and am devastated when something happens to one of them...whether it is sickness or their journey to Rainbow Bridge. I think people who act like it doesn't bother them must be :idiot:
What a sweet little girl, Misty-Angel was. I wish I could have known her.
I am soooo with you on losing our babies. It must be because those of us that see them as part of the family, include them in family situations, thus, memories are made. Those people you are talking about, see them as an inconvenience most of the time...except when they need the pups attention because life has not gone their way...THEN they love their pet...yeah, right!
Angus and Ingrid devestated us, I felt and still do that part of me is missing. Emma's passing was just as emotionally draining, as we did not want her to go, but she was wanted to, the other two were sudden and not expected.
The first few days you wait for the patter of in Emmas case thud of paws in the hall, you know you cannnot reverse it. I think it says a lot about a person that can dismiss a life so easily, you just wonder how they treat other parts of their life.
When we finnish the house we are thinking of finally putting the ashes of Emma Angus and Ingrid into a special spot, we have never done it as we did not want to leave them behind if we moved.
I only hope we have the pair we have a for a good more many years.
roberta
Everyone grieves differently. I know I will be lost when Clifford is gone. But I would attempt to be happy at a social event in order to not bring everyone else down. And who knows, maybe by making the attempt the pain will be alleviated for that little while.
Everyone does handle grief differently. Patty, I'm like you.....it hurts so bad when a loved one whether it be four legged or two legged, a piece of your heart passes also. I still tear up when I think of Looie and I miss the little guy so much! Never in my life did I think that when I took him to the vet that sad day in October that he wouldn't come home with me. It's been two months now and I remember him in my heart and with pictures that we have. I'm so thankful that I took so many pictures.....of both my boys. Sarge knows when I'm feeling sad, he comes and sits with me and becomes velcro dog. I'm not one to show my feelings outwardly so it stays inside of me and I quietly go somewhere and let the emotions flow. We have Looie's ashes in a special oak box with his picture and a poem that sit in my hutch -- a special place of honor for him. He was our rescue boy and only with us for two and a half years of his five years on this earth. They were the best two and a half years for him and he knew how loved he was. He was my lover dog and loved everyone -- he had a heart of gold.
Quote from: DeeanDave on December 06, 2007, 07:18:12 PM
Everyone does handle grief differently. Patty, I'm like you.....it hurts so bad when a loved one whether it be four legged or two legged, a piece of your heart passes also. I still tear up when I think of Looie and I miss the little guy so much! Never in my life did I think that when I took him to the vet that sad day in October that he wouldn't come home with me. It's been two months now and I remember him in my heart and with pictures that we have. I'm so thankful that I took so many pictures.....of both my boys. Sarge knows when I'm feeling sad, he comes and sits with me and becomes velcro dog. I'm not one to show my feelings outwardly so it stays inside of me and I quietly go somewhere and let the emotions flow. We have Looie's ashes in a special oak box with his picture and a poem that sit in my hutch -- a special place of honor for him. He was our rescue boy and only with us for two and a half years of his five years on this earth. They were the best two and a half years for him and he knew how loved he was. He was my lover dog and loved everyone -- he had a heart of gold.
I know exactly how you feel, Dee. We lost our Misty last February and we still miss her like crazy. We have her ashes on the window sill along with her picture, and her candle that we light every night. I find that as I go along in life, I only let the emotions show with certain people, the ones who understand and have "been there." The others aren't worthy of hearing about how much I miss my Misty Girl. I guess I've learned to not seek understanding where there is none to be given, and that saves me a lot of heart ache. Its not that I go through life with a long face, I just save my sadness and reflection for the private times that I have. I have a photo album of my life from my first three weener dog, Hasen, Harry and Christopher, up through Domingo and the adoption of Misty. I realized that its my life and most of the life that is in that album has passed on. Very few people get to view it, because its my heart and soul, and I couldn't bear for someone to take it lightly.
No you are normal furkid loving person I'm with you but some people are different in the way they grief maybe she is very private about it would give her the benefit of doubt I hope she loved her GSD very much would be sad if she did not care about her Furkid.
Papbouv
Growing up we had three childhood dogs. Two of them lived to be very old and we had to help them to the bridge and one lived to be around 10 but had diabetes and cancer and we did everything we could but ended up helping him to the bridge as well. All three were extremely painful! Drew and I have only had Mr. Tucker and Penny as furkids and I can't imagine how hard it is going to be when the time comes.
We have family that asked us why we just didn't put Penny to sleep earlier this year - why spend so much money...it is just a dog. You can just imagine the wrath that we unleashed on them. They will never understand that Penny and Mr. Tucker are part of our family. They honestly think we are crazy. They tell us that we will never understand until we have "real" kids. It just makes me so mad! I think back to the three times we were in the ER with Penny earlier this year and how my heart broke because of her pain...I could hardly breath! Don't sit there and tell me I don't understand!
I am with you Patty. I was devestated when we lost Zelda. She was so great I have to have two babies to help get over her. I know she is giving me kisses from the bridge. They are not pets or dogs they are part of the family!!! :thumb:
I'm with you too Patty. I remember when Annie went to the bridge, I had to take a few days off from work because I was an emotional wreck. We also went to a Cold Play concert a couple of weeks after (ah...my beloved ex and his sentiment!) and I just cried the entire time. It was horrible. I'm sure I was quite the site, but my heart was just broken!
Quote from: Kari on December 07, 2007, 08:46:13 AM
We have family that asked us why we just didn't put Penny to sleep earlier this year - why spend so much money...it is just a dog. You can just imagine the wrath that we unleashed on them. They will never understand that Penny and Mr. Tucker are part of our family. They honestly think we are crazy. They tell us that we will never understand until we have "real" kids. It just makes me so mad! I think back to the three times we were in the ER with Penny earlier this year and how my heart broke because of her pain...I could hardly breath! Don't sit there and tell me I don't understand!
Ugh- we got that comment too- why would you spend so much money and not just put her to sleep. :cussing:
Cookie is our baby too- and I can't even think about the day she leaves us... :sad7:
FWIW- I have a couple of dog lover friends WITH kids who tell me its no different- you love them all in their own way and its still devastating to lose them.
Quote from: Jenny G on December 08, 2007, 08:08:27 AM
I'm with you too Patty. I remember when Annie went to the bridge, I had to take a few days off from work because I was an emotional wreck. We also went to a Cold Play concert a couple of weeks after (ah...my beloved ex and his sentiment!) and I just cried the entire time. It was horrible. I'm sure I was quite the site, but my heart was just broken!
Oh geez, I sure know what that is like. One time I tried to hold it together at work, and the pressure in my head from holding back the tears caused a bloody nose. I don't hold back anymore, if I have to leave or not go somewhere or whatever, I just don't do it, I don't care what is going on. If the world can't understand my grief then to heck with them. Thankfully now I don't have to depend on the understanding of people at work, I usually don't even bother telling them when something bad happens. I have this place with all its wonderful people, you are all such a great support group.
I've never been able to understand how people can go on and act happy either. I have had so many huge losses in my family there is no way I could even go into public for a long time after each one. You just can't hide that kind of pain and you never get over it I miss each one of them a ton every minute of the day. I was so distraught after losing Jessie, I was in the hospital for 3 and a half months. I couldn't work for months. This is why I try and literally make every minute the best possible with Hallie and why I rarely do anything without her, every second with them is so precious. I will never be able to come back to this board if I lose Hallie one day I just couldn't bear to come here without my little girl. I couldn't bear to do a lot of things I'm sure without her. The people who have told me I was being silly to be so upset over a dog or that I didn't feel it as much as if they were my human children, just don't get it and are no longer my friends, I just won't deal with that kind of comment and attitude. I have a feeling Hallie will be the roughest yet and I just pray it will be many years from now.