"Nothing Gold Can Stay"

It has been an extremely sad week at our house. Molly, our twelve year old golden retriever started losing weight about five weeks ago. I attributed it to old age and didn't pay much attention. However in the last two weeks it was melting off her and she did not want her food any longer. Last Thursday I took her to the vet. He did blood work and called me later that night. I took her in the next day for an ultrasound. The ultrasound confirmed his suspicions and also what the bloodwork showed. She had a horrible cancer. It is the kind that attacks the blood vessels of the spleen and it had also already moved into her liver. To say we were devastated is to put it mildly.

My oldest daughter and I picked Molly out from her litter when she was just four days old. We visited her every week and brought her home as soon as she was eight weeks old.

She was a character from the beginning. Till the end of her life the retriever in her was alive and well. There are still some socks outside in the yard that I can't bring myself to pick up just yet. She ALWAYS brought us something when we came in the door from being gone. Whether it be socks, a stuffed toy, an old manky bone or someones undies.. She didn't care, she HAD to bring us a present..

My brother used to call her a "science project". Probably because she did not look like a typical golden.. She was purebred but she was a curly girl. She had a pink nose too!.

Our vet told us that with the spread of the cancer surgery would only prolong her life a few months at the most. We took her to a specialist on Monday, but she confirmed our vets diagnosis. Molly was so very tired. She just wanted to sleep and I could not get her to eat. We tried pain pills and anti nausea pills and they helped a little, but she was just not herself.

Emily and I made the decision that as hard as it was for us to let her go, we wanted her to go when she was still able to enjoy a walk along the river where she could chase squirrels and birds. We did this on her last day and also took her to her favorite pet store where she roamed around and stuck her nose into everything.

Tuesday night our dear sweet Molly crossed the rainbow bridge. No longer is she here to greet me when I come home. No longer can I look into her beautiful brown eyes nor pet her soft velvet ears.

Our hearts are broken still, but we know we gave her the best gift we could. Leaving us while she still had her dignity and a small zest for life.

Good Bye Angel Molly......

It has been a loooong winter. My father had a couple of relapses, and we thought for sure that we would not have him for Christmas. It isn't that we are pessimists, but the doctors even told me to have my sister come home asap at one point. But darn!! that man just loves us too much!! He is back home and doing pretty good. I am thankful and grateful to have him around as long as possib