Farewell our friend

rescued Spring 2014 by Lucky Labs Rescue

adopted June 21, 2014

farewell April 27, 2015

"Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really."

Agnes Sligh Turnbull

Whether it is 10 months or 14 years, saying farewell is never easy.  This morning, we shed our "happy-sad" tears in a bittersweet goodbye to Oakley.  Dobson left four big paw-prints to fill for our second dog.  And what we could have never known, is how perfect Oakley filled those paw-prints in his own special way.  

welcome home Oakley!

Oakley steadily declined after his surgery, and last week's pathology results confirmed lymphoma in both his spleen and liver. Over the past several days, even those tried-and- true goodies such as peanut butter, cheese, chicken, ham, salami, hot dogs and pot roast were not enough to wet his appetite.  The boys were aware of his changing habits and his body language told us he was tired of fighting.  While never easy, we know the most loving decision we could make, was the decision to saw farewell.  

Oakley was a "good 'ole soul" whose presence brought a unique calmness to our family and home.  He simply loved people and loved affection.  And that, we offered.  What will we remember the most about Oakley?  Lots...

• Driving to Charlotte to pick him up (a surprise for the boys)
• Learning the secret of the frozen peanut butter-filled Kong to help time in the crate not be so bad.  (Although, we eventually said farewell to crating and offered him free roam of the house.)
• His quilt.  Where ever it was, he was.
• His pawing to request you love on him
• His morning whining (I think he eventually learned to count, because he learned to wait until after the 3rd snooze on the morning alarm clock.)
• His occasionally morning reflux
• His preference to sleep on his back
• His letting T & W lay all over him
• Hanging out in the "side yard" while the boys played
• Excursions in the Arboretum and Bent Creek
• Cooling down in the creeks and streams
• Running through the woods with his four-legged buddy Dexter
• His lying under the dining room table while we ate dinner
• His post-surgery onesie
• His hair (It appeared everywhere.)
• His freckled nose and blonde eyelashes
• His super-soft coat
• His loyalty and resilience

We have reminded ourselves we can never predict when cancer will rear its ugly head, and that although his time with us was short, by being rescued and adopted, Oakley was afforded a life he might not otherwise have had. 

Oakley, while we often wondered what your pre-resuce/adoption life was like, we know that in 10 short months, you brought your one-of-a-kind joy to our home and developed a special bond with our boys.  You loved them and let them love you.  And you never once waivered.  In these final weeks, your devotion, steadfastness and stoicism shone through; you were a fighter until the last breath.  Today my friend, you have to fight no longer.  And, you never need fear thunderstorms, static electricity or fireworks again.  As William so simply stated last week prior to your surgery, "it is OK if Oakley dies because he'll be in Heaven with Dobson and God.  And that's a great place to be."  We will miss you.