My Dog Katy

In Memoriam

It was hard for you to keep up
As the old legs failed
But, being an old friend
I always waited for you
And took an occasional backward glance,
Making sure you were still there
Dragging your weary body forward
For yet another day, another walk
And another roll and tumble in the park.

I traced the route back to the plot for another visit,
With grass freshly mowed,
Erasing the scent of old yeller
Who used to pounce and dance in the sun.
I went home alone slowly
As if you were still staggering behind
But the path behind me was empty.
Should I have waited for you a little longer, my friend,
When age finally caught up with you
And the luster of your eyes had all but vanished?


My Dog Katy

We must open our wounds to treat them and make them heal. If we don’t deal with them properly, they will remain fresh and they will hurt just as bad as the day we were afflicted every time we think about them. Speaking or writing about our hurts is actually quite therapeutic. So bear with me and listen to the hurt that I recently experienced.

I knew the day would come, but it was still way too soon when it happened. Katy had a couple of bouts with serious illnesses, but being a resilient dog, she pulled through both times. She had serious food poisoning one time and a stroke at another, but she lived to fight for another day. But the situation became irredeemable when she had trouble walking. I didn’t want to give up, so I still urged her on and took her to her favorite park twice a day, but she simply could not make it. I knew it was time for me to take action when she had difficulty getting up one morning and hadn’t been eating for several days. I knew I had to bid farewell to her for the last time. We had her for over thirteen years and her real age might have been over fifteen. Quite old for a large dog.

I managed to get her into my Buick and drove to the vet. There was nothing they could do and I had a choice to make. Katy could no longer be a dog and I was the one to bring her misery to an end. Katy lay on the floor in the waiting room while I was doing the paper work. I could not make myself look at her for the last time and rushed to my car and drove away with the profound sadness of losing her and thirteen years of happy memories with my English Golden Retriever who was so much beloved by her family and friends. She will be dearly missed.