Empty Blue House

It's been quite awhile since I found some time to blog.  Right now the kids are being calm but I have a feeling that in five minutes the office will be trashed again.  Things have really been hard in this house the last few months.  First we lost Decaf, Joel's beloved dog.  He was the most amazing dog I have ever come across.  That dog was smart!!  He lived a pretty long life of 17 years.  Very unusual for a big dog.  Joel was devastated. I think it was a bit easier because we knew it was coming.  Not that it didn't make it any less upsetting.  But we got thru it, and finally started getting used to not seeing him when you went into the bedroom.

About that time, we notice Chili's fatty pocket started getting bigger.  Decaf had them and we had to have a few removed because they were bothering him.  We were told they could be left alone until they started bothering him or hardened.  Unfortunately, when we were on our way to Louisville for Spring Break, Joel noticed a change.  So we called Chili's old vet and he got us in.  Dr. Watson was pretty confident that he could remove it with no problem. And if it was cancer, we could come up with a game plan to make the rest of his life comfortable.  We dropped him off on Thursday morning.  I gave him an extra hug because after what happened with Romi, I had to make sure he knew I loved him.  We stayed til he was completely sedated.  He fought it all the way.  My stubborn dog.   After noon, I got the phone call.  He had made it thru surgery.  But had stopped breathing in the recovery room and they couldn't revive him.  I was just devastated.  Another pet that I lost unexpectedly.  Chili was my first baby.  I got him when I was 19 when I was at EKU.  I wasn't ready!  But, I was just being selfish.  As a big dog with only three legs, I was warned early on that his body probably wouldn't make it past 10.   So I got an extra two years with him. His legs were definitely showing his age.  And know he's off running on all four legs with Decaf, just like the did when we lived in MI.  It's so hard to believe that it was almost 10 years ago that we bought the house in Detroit.  They were still babies then. 

So we have gone from a 4 animal house to just Skinny.  And as much as we love her, she's not quite the sense of protection I have had for so long.  I miss seeing Chili's goofy smile with one ear up and one ear flopped over.  And when someone knocks on the door, it's way too quiet.  We will have dogs again, but it will be awhile.  I think Chili knew the stress we were facing in not being able to take him on our next adventure.  He made the choice for us.  I am still grieving but it gets a little easier each day.  My kiddos keep me busy enough to not be sad.

And the thing that killed him.... was the thing put in him to help protect him.... his ID microchip.   Per the pathology reports, they believe that the chip caused the tumor and the fatty pocket was the bodies defense. I still haven't read thru the whole report.  But even if the tumor was successfully removed, because of the type, it would be back in less than 2 year.

So, we close a chapter on our life.  I love you Chills and Dee!!