Born November 1995
Diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus in the summer of 2005
Went to rest at the Rainbow Bridge May 31, 2007
to wait with Duke and Pekoe
That one place in my heart belongs to you and always will. 
I miss you terribly and will always, until the day we meet again.

Over the years.....he proved to be the funniest little character, and constantly demonstrated how intelligent he was. I swear he understood every word I said.  Over the years he was my best friend, my playmate, a soft white furry pillow for me to cry on, and always gave me a kiss when I needed it most. 

In the summer of 2005, Nicky became very lethargic over the period of 3 or 4 days and wouldn't eat or drink. To say the least...he just laid in the same couple of spots all day and was not himself. We took him to an emergency 24 hour veterinary clinic one evening to see what the problem was. He stayed the night for tests and the next morning, the nurse called and told us that he was very ill and needed to be transferred to the nearby University Veterinary Hospital. At that time we were not willing to accept any alternatives...so my sister went to pick him up and took him to the Hospital. We were told by the resident Vet that Nicky had advanced Ketonacidosis as as a result of Diabetes and was not sure if he was going to make it as his blood was so full of Ketones. (Looking back now, we didn't see the signs because we didn't know the symptoms.) I was not able to actually go and visit him until a few days after. When I got there, the Nurses told me that they were doing everything they could but he was still very ill. Before I went in, they warned me that he didn't look very good, so to be prepared. I think at that point in the waiting room...I just broke down. I had to go into a private room for a while before I went i to see him just to let it all out and then pull my self together. I finally did that and let the nurses lead me into the room where he was. When I waked in to the room they pointed to a baby crib style bed where he was laying.  They had  put a little gold crown with angels on it around the corner post of the bed. They told me that that crown was reserved for the sickest animals brought in who were in need of extra prayers and help. When I walked up to the bed...I was taken aback buy how skinny and weak he looked. He had a catheter and IV and had been shaved in several places. He was lying on his side sedated, looking away from me and didn't notice that I was standing in front of the bed looking down on him. I softly said his name a few times and he turned his head to look in my direction. I'll never forget the look in his eyes...when after a few seconds at looking at me and opening his cloudy eyes a little wider, he finally realized that his best friend had come to see him. The expression in his face and the look in his eyes was almost human. The nurses in the room were amazed when he got up on his hind legs to put his paws on the top rail of the crib to shower me with kisses. I cried like a baby for about 10 minutes as we were reunited. The nurses couldn't believe it. That day...I knew that we had the most special bond within our family. After our visit Nicky started to improve! A week later he was able to come home and everyone was so happy. He was put on a strict diet and an insulin regimen of two shots a day. Over the past two years, Nicky did really well condisering his illness....however he did lose his sight. He did not let that stop him though...he was just as spunky, playful and lovable as ever. He knew our house like the back of his hand and was able to find his away around easily. He was so smart.

At the beginning of last week, Nicky was vomiting a lot and was very sleepy. He was urinating and pooping all over the house which he never did.  He had been sick a few times since we'd started the insulin treatment but he was never this bad. My mom took him to the Vet while I was at work to have some blood work done. The Vet called later that day and told us that Nicky was dying due to complications from the Diabetes. We knew at that point that we had to let Nicky go. He was in pain and was suffering and we didn't want to put him through anymore tests or treatments again. We knew the day would come when we would have to make the torturous decision to end his life, but we hoped that it wouldn't have been so soon. I knew when he was sick those couple of days when he was still at home that the end was near. The night before my Mom took him to the vet, I laid beside him on the floor where he was lying on his favorite carpet in my bathroom in front of the sink. I laid there for hours just petting him and telling him that it was okay for him to go. I laid so close that our noses were almost touching.  I told him how much I loved him and how we would see each other again one day. I knew that I had to say my goodbyes to him that night in case I didn't see him again in the morning. The next day, he was put to rest. I was not there, but my Mom was. I just couldn't handle watching him slip away and close his eyes. It would have been to much for me to bear. I took comfort knowing that he was with his mom in his last moments and she held him and loved him until his last breath. And now as I write this.....I know we is waiting for me at the rainbow bridge.