Cleo...
I'm taking a break from art posts to pay homage to a lovely old lady.
Just over a year ago, at the end of March, 2012, I lost my heart dog Owen. Just 2 weeks shy of his 15th birthday. His passing left us boxerless for the first time in nearly 20 years.
That void was filled 10 days later when, with the help of Tracy Hon of Chico Boxer Rescue, I volunteered to foster a senior special needs girl who had been at the Sacramento county shelter for 3 months. Her time was up and - not for lack of trying on the shelter and Tracy's parts - she was out of time.
I drove down to collect her on her "death day".
She underscored everything wonderful about opening one's home and heart to a used-up old dog; yes, she was blind. She had tumors all over her lovely body. Her hearing was so/so, her teeth rotting nubs, her ears were full of scar tissue, and she had a pretty significant cardiac arrhythmia.
Her spine was fused from the pelvis nearly to the rib cage and a big spikey ball of bone growth in her pelvis gave her her "old lady waddle".
BUT she was also house trained. She was crate trained, spayed, easy with other dogs, not bothered by our 7 VERY dog-friendly cats, quiet and friendly with people. And always happy. Always.As naturally as she came in and claimed Owen's big bed for her own, she also claimed our hearts.
Now, a little over a year later, and quite likely in her 13th or 14th year, she's telling us she's ready to go now. There's pain, little strokes, the indignity of incontinence. A heart on it's last legs, and a rapidly shrinking world.
That's OK - we had her much longer than we expected, and have never regretted our time with her.
I won't ever think of her and be sad - what's to be sad about? We got as much as we gave (or a little more), and too, are able to give her a far better end than the shelter could have. Dr Mike will come Wed and we'll help her across the bridge, in her own home, on "her" bed. Till then, its cookies and premium canned food and peanut butter bones without end.
So, I guess I just wanted to share our sweet old gal with you.
She was just a backyard-bred boxer, but if I could give her a good registered name, she would be BoxerTribe's Always Look On The Bright Side
Yeah, that's her. That's our Cleo...
Thanks for listening.
More art soon.
CMCK
When she's awake, every step is tough, but in her dreams,
the bunnies run for their lives!
