Well, everyone who has ever met Cookie admired her spirit. This little
Jack Russell terrier, born on an Amish farm, stood little chance at life. She was born with subluxed elbows, and if it were not for the mercy of the
son of an Amish man, Cookie would have died long ago. As it was, David remembered ASAP, having admired the Standardbreds that we
try to find homes for. He remembered that the spirit of ASAP is often
compassion, and hired a driver to bring the six week old crippled puppy to
our farm. I remember I was pregnant with Rachel then, almost 13 years ago, when
David arrived with a little brown and white bundle wrapped inside his
coat. Her head peeked out, totally helpless, with those little prick ears
and sweet brown eyes. David asked me if I would take her. I melted. Destiny and God's mercy and unending love kept us together for 13 years. Cookie and I have been joined at the hip, to the point of frustration on
the part of my family that she always had to "come with". Cookie needed
me, and I needed her. Now, I ask myself how I will go on without her
there. Cookie's troubles began in May 2010, when she was diagnosed with glaucoma.
Despite much effort by the veterinarians, Cookie lost that eye and then,
sadly, lost the other eye to the disease in December of 2010. For almost
one full year, Cookie has carried on, following me around the house
despite her blindness and crippled legs. She could find me when no one
else could. She was always there at night for "treat time", barking with
that throaty RUFF RUFF, as if to say, "Right Now!". She loved car rides and up until this week was going with me everywhere. I gave her extra special steak treats and meat treats. Still, this summer
I detected something else was wrong, and the vet revealed she had
congestive heart failure. That was in February or March, but I remember
thinking I would not entertain any thoughts of losing her, and started her
on medications to make her comfortable and help the function of her heart. This past week I have sensed she has been more distressed, and took her in
to the vet, but her lungs sounded good at the time and blood tests were
normal. I anticipated much more time with her, but fate had different
plans. Cookie became more distressed this week. Last night I prayed that
if it were time that God would take her, but she was resting comfortably
this morning and seemed bright. I fixed her steak and soft food and she
munched it up and drank water. She went potty outside. I propped her up
next to me while I worked on the computer and she seemed very content. Then I came in after the farrier left this afternoon and noticed Cookie
had moved into the living room and was very labored in her breathing. She
scared me. I picked her up and we walked outside and she seemed to calm. She rested in my arms and I walked up and down the driveway, crunching
leaves and listening to the birds singing in the trees. I gave Cookie
permission to go, if she had to, and didn't want to see her suffer. She
nestled closer in my arms, and her breathing seemed to calm. In my grief, I will share that I am both happy and very very sorrowful
that she decided to go. She was suffering, and her time had come. I,
being selfish, have so much trouble with the loss of my pets. She simply
stopped breathing, and her nose dropped further down into the crook of my
arm. There. We had shared her last moments together, and I hadn't missed
anything. I praise God for the 13 years, I praise God that I was not
distracted by life's circumstances, preventing me from seeing the signs,
spending every moment possible with her, and holding her when she went
from my arms up into Heaven where the Lord is now caring for her until I
get there. I have lost two dogs that have each taken a piece of my soul with them
when they left - one was Mamie - who was 15, and now Cookie. Tina is
still with us at age 16. Looking at everything, we are truly blessed. Cookie, though, my heart is broken in two and my soul questions why living
things must suffer. Some day we will know the answer, but in the
meantime, thank you for being my best friend!!!
Jack Russell terrier, born on an Amish farm, stood little chance at life. She was born with subluxed elbows, and if it were not for the mercy of the
son of an Amish man, Cookie would have died long ago. As it was, David remembered ASAP, having admired the Standardbreds that we
try to find homes for. He remembered that the spirit of ASAP is often
compassion, and hired a driver to bring the six week old crippled puppy to
our farm. I remember I was pregnant with Rachel then, almost 13 years ago, when
David arrived with a little brown and white bundle wrapped inside his
coat. Her head peeked out, totally helpless, with those little prick ears
and sweet brown eyes. David asked me if I would take her. I melted. Destiny and God's mercy and unending love kept us together for 13 years. Cookie and I have been joined at the hip, to the point of frustration on
the part of my family that she always had to "come with". Cookie needed
me, and I needed her. Now, I ask myself how I will go on without her
there. Cookie's troubles began in May 2010, when she was diagnosed with glaucoma.
Despite much effort by the veterinarians, Cookie lost that eye and then,
sadly, lost the other eye to the disease in December of 2010. For almost
one full year, Cookie has carried on, following me around the house
despite her blindness and crippled legs. She could find me when no one
else could. She was always there at night for "treat time", barking with
that throaty RUFF RUFF, as if to say, "Right Now!". She loved car rides and up until this week was going with me everywhere. I gave her extra special steak treats and meat treats. Still, this summer
I detected something else was wrong, and the vet revealed she had
congestive heart failure. That was in February or March, but I remember
thinking I would not entertain any thoughts of losing her, and started her
on medications to make her comfortable and help the function of her heart. This past week I have sensed she has been more distressed, and took her in
to the vet, but her lungs sounded good at the time and blood tests were
normal. I anticipated much more time with her, but fate had different
plans. Cookie became more distressed this week. Last night I prayed that
if it were time that God would take her, but she was resting comfortably
this morning and seemed bright. I fixed her steak and soft food and she
munched it up and drank water. She went potty outside. I propped her up
next to me while I worked on the computer and she seemed very content. Then I came in after the farrier left this afternoon and noticed Cookie
had moved into the living room and was very labored in her breathing. She
scared me. I picked her up and we walked outside and she seemed to calm. She rested in my arms and I walked up and down the driveway, crunching
leaves and listening to the birds singing in the trees. I gave Cookie
permission to go, if she had to, and didn't want to see her suffer. She
nestled closer in my arms, and her breathing seemed to calm. In my grief, I will share that I am both happy and very very sorrowful
that she decided to go. She was suffering, and her time had come. I,
being selfish, have so much trouble with the loss of my pets. She simply
stopped breathing, and her nose dropped further down into the crook of my
arm. There. We had shared her last moments together, and I hadn't missed
anything. I praise God for the 13 years, I praise God that I was not
distracted by life's circumstances, preventing me from seeing the signs,
spending every moment possible with her, and holding her when she went
from my arms up into Heaven where the Lord is now caring for her until I
get there. I have lost two dogs that have each taken a piece of my soul with them
when they left - one was Mamie - who was 15, and now Cookie. Tina is
still with us at age 16. Looking at everything, we are truly blessed. Cookie, though, my heart is broken in two and my soul questions why living
things must suffer. Some day we will know the answer, but in the
meantime, thank you for being my best friend!!!
