Thursday, December 30, 2010

Thank you, Pia. And good-bye.

So, with the holidays and craziness, I haven't had time to write in about 3 weeks.

This last week has been a tough one. My 2 yr. old threw up 3 times on Christmas Eve morning, then my husband started throwing up and having the Big D (you know what I'm talking about) around 9 pm Christmas night, and then I started with both around 3:30 am that night. We both threw up about every 20 minutes for hours. Every thing in our house that could have been thrown up in was thrown up in.

Then, the following day, my mother got it. We sent our 3 month old to stay overnight with my husband's sister to keep him protected, but a few hours after we picked him up from her house the next day, my sister-in-law started throwing up and had to go to the ER twice! Luckily, our newborn has so far been saved from all of this. Babies are born with such strong immunity.

Then, yesterday, I had to have my dog, Pia, put to sleep. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.


She was only six. Her seventh birthday is tomorrow. She had liver failure. She was diagnosed with it in September and had been taking pills ever since. But, in the last month or so, the pills stopped working and she ballooned up with fluid in her abdomen. She has also been using the bathroom on the floor lately because she couldn't make it outside.

I took her to the vet yesterday and he said the pills were not going to help her anymore and from here out, she would be miserable. And I couldn't let her suffer. I've seen dogs suffer because the owners love them too much to have them put down, but I loved her too much to let her suffer. The vet recommended she be put to sleep soon, so I had it done yesterday, before she got too miserable.

Pia was an awesome dog. She was a toy rat terrier and incredibly smart. She had the best instincts. She was kind and loving to kids and she loved me so much. She helped me through some really tough times in my life and she is the one who taught me how to take care of someone else besides myself. She used to lick my face when I cried and she loved to play with her food, like it was a toy. She would take a piece of food, carry it into the living room, and throw it around the room and chase it. She loved going to Grandma's house, loved being outside, and loved taking rides in the car. She knew what I was saying even when I wasn't talking to her. She was the best dog I have ever had and she can never be replaced.

I used to take her to the hair salon where I worked and she would just lie on the receptionist's desk and hang out. She was never a problem.

I'm sad that I only got to be loved by her for six short years. I should have been able to have her much longer.

When the vet left the room to get the anethesia and the meds that stopped her heart, I got to be alone with her and tell her how much I love her and thank her for all the gifts she has given me in the last six years. And then, I held her while she went to sleep.

She was the last bit of my pre-married, pre-parenthood life that I had left. She was the last piece of me that reminded me of who I was before I was making lunches and cleaning thrown food from the walls. And she was the only other estrogen in the house besides me!

I will miss her like crazy and have done more than enough crying in the past two days. And the crying will continue, I'm sure.

She was part of the family. Pia, you will never be forgotten and I love you.

9 comments:

  1. Oh sweet girl. I am so sorry. Thinking of you.

    Our fam also got hit with the holiday stomach flu. No bueno.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm so sorry about Pia. : ( She sounded like an awesome doggie.

    And we had the bug over christmas too, I feel for ya! Hope 2011 brings you all good things. : )

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pia's running with the big dogs now, and is free of pain.

    I hear the kibble in pet heaven is mighty tasty, and has a nice bounce to it when you swat it around.

    I'm sorry that you're having to grieve the loss of Pia...and glad that you're all over the flu thing.

    It hasn't come to our house so far this season.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So difficult to make such a hard choice. But know in your heart you did the right thing in not letting her suffer. Big hugs for you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. oh amy...im so sorry to hear about pia! i know you had to do a very brave and hard thing to help her! my heart goes out to you! so far, im the only girl over here too...and it's not too bad!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh my gosh! Amy Im so sorry! I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face. I can't believe this. You are so brave and so strong. I don't think I could have done what you did by holding her until the end. I'm seriously heart broken for you! You will be in my prayers! I'm just so sorry! I loved pia too! :(

    ReplyDelete
  7. Am more than sorry to hear about your last few weeks. Especially Pia. I know how tough it is to lose a pet. And esp. to have to watch them suffer like that is so terrible. You made a good decision, but I can only imagine how hard it must have been. Also sorry about your stomach flu. It has been non-stop vomit season hasn't it? Seems like eveyone I know has been hit. Hope you are feeling better soon. And I really hope the baby doesn't catch it! Lots of love and warmth to your family in the new year.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am so sorry to hear about Pia. Just know that she is in a better place with no pain now. You have all of those wonderful memories that you can share with your children. Love the last photo of her too!

    My family has had what sounds like that same sickness. Luckily my hubby and I only had a very mild case of it, and my oldest and baby have not had it, but it hit our other 3 and our 2 year old has had it pretty bad. I hope you all are feeling better now and that the baby has not gotten it. Time to get the lysol out. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm balling! Reading that made me so sad...I miss little Pia. Loved her so much. She was such a good dog.

    ReplyDelete

I love your lovely thoughts...