HEARTBROKEN

It was a bad weekend for Sherika. I had to put my second Old English down.

God....it was the last thing I thought I would be doing last Monday. Don't bad things always happen when you think life is just a little too good?

I feel a sadness that is almost unbearable. She was the best dog ever. She didn't bark, never had an accident in the house....just the biggest lover girl ever with huge brown eyes that pierced your soul.

I rescued them together even though they weren't related. 2 different people up in Rome, Georgia bought them to breed but she would have nothing to do with that:) My sister [the bunny] and I drove up from Atlanta to get them and it changed my life. They were 2 years old.

To say they were wild animals was an understatement. My first hint should have been when they asked "do you have cages?". I looked at them all wide eyed and excited and said "gosh no"....I'm just going to put them in my car. I then asked if they were house trained and they said...."well I don't think so cause they have never been in the house".

Oh.

That was an experience. What they neglected to tell me was that she was in heat. Holy crap. I mean we are driving down the highway and he is trying to get to her and she jumps in the front seat....in my lap and he is going crazy....he took a big poop and was stomping all in it. We had the windows down and were gaging for the 75 mile home.

Whew....maybe I bit off more than can chew.

Long story short.....I bought 2 huge cages....put my LR furniture in storage.....spent 5,000.00 on medical bills for mange, ear infections, eye infections, getting them both fixed.

I hired trainers....and finally sent them both to boarding school. It was a huge undertaking. To say my husband was not happy was an understatement.

But after a year and a half I put up the cages and they became part of the family. I loved those rascals so so much.

They both had a lot of medical problems. About the cost of a new car. Which is why my car is over 10 years old.....but the love they gave was worth every cent.

She loved to be outdoors.....

On Tuesday I took Patches in for her summer shave. When we picked her up they alerted us to a growth on her rear. It was about the size of a tennis ball.....we couldn't see because her hair was so long....

After a trip to the vet the news was not good. Anal Carcinoma. Fast growing. That tumor had probably grown to that size in less than 2 months. Even if it has not spread....no cure and if we have it removed it will just come back that fast.

I felt like someone punched me in the stomach. Another opinion.....yes....that is what we will do. I called and made an appointment with the oncologist for Monday [today].

Honestly she did not seem sick at all....so that gave me a glimmer of hope. Even Friday everything was OK....but y'all the tumor doubled in size in 2 days. That brings us to Sat morning.

I noticed she did not seem like herself before I went to teach my class at the gym. I had that dreaded feeling the whole class. In my heart I knew.

When I got home at 10:00 I could tell she was in pain. This tumor was preventing her from going to the bathroom. She kept looking at me with those beautiful eyes and I knew it was time.