"Shady"

 He was born around 1994.
"Shady" was about a week short of being 11.
Rainbow Bridge:  Jan. 16th, 2005

THE RAINBOW BRIDGE

"Just this side of Heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here,
that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all our special friends 
so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, 
and our friends are warm and comfortable. 

All the animals who had been ill or old are restored to health and vigor;
those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again,
just as we remember them in our dreams of days gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing;
they each miss someone very special to them who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together,
but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance.
His bright eyes are intent;his eager body quivers.
Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass,
his legs carrying him faster and faster. 

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet,
you cling to each other in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. 

The happy kisses rain upon your face;
your hands again caress the beloved head,
and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet,
so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together........" 

Author - Unknown 

My wife & I managed a Motel in Santa Fe Springs. We had just lost
a little Maltese. She was run over by a truck. The Security guard
brought "Shady" in to us about 3 am. He was a mess. Dirty, flea's
just awful looking. I didn't want another dog I was still grieving for
our little Buttons. My wife gave "Shady" a bath & cleaned him up.
I don't know why I had gotten up so early (3 am) but I was sitting
at the dining room table having coffee & after his bath "Shady" came
to me & sat on my foot under the table for about 2 hours. 
It was like he knew he had to win me over.

He was a stinker. The Security guard said there were about 6 dogs running
around together & "Shady" was at the head of the pack. So I named him
"Shady" for being a Shady character. As you notice I always put " around 
his name. Just a little special respect I show him. 

He was dx with diabetes around June 2004. As for his 
complications. Judy, he didn't have any that we noticed.
On a Friday morning he started to drink a lot of water & 
started throwing up. At first some yellow stuff but soon 
after just the water. I watched him like a hawk all day
& night. He started to get wobbly & weak & then wouldn't
drink any water at all. At 4 am Sat. morning I took him to a 
Emergency Specialist clinic about a hour away. I drove over every 
day to visit him. Each time I went, I talked to a different Vet
about "Shady". I wasn't fond of that. To make a long story
short they let me bring him home on the following Fri. I was
so happy. "Shady" seemed ok on the way home. When I brought
him into the house he went straight for the water bowl &
almost drank the whole bowl. It wasn't a hour until he started
throwing up the water again. Again a long night, He was almost
as bad as the first time I took him in. I took him back at
almost the the same time Sat. morning 4 am. The Vet called me
Sat. afternoon & told me he probably wouldn't make it thru the
night. He was hinting around about putting him down. I couldn't.
He did make it thru the night, I called at 6:30 am & they
told me to call back, his blood work wasn't done yet. I called
at 11 am & the vet who said he wouldn't make it thru the night
was amazed. He said all his blood work was good & "Shady" was
sitting up in his cage & was looking all around. All day & night
he had been in a Oxygen tank cage & he was so good they had taken
him out. I was excited & happy. About a hour later he called &
said "Shady" had passed away. From a high to a low in a hour.

IN OUR HEARTS

We thought of you with love today.
But that is nothing new.
We thought about you yesterday.
And days before that too.

We think of you in silence.
We often speak your name.
Now all we have is memories.
And your picture in a frame.

Your memory is our keepsake.
With which we'll never part.
God has you in his keeping.
We have you in our heart.

Author: Unknown

This is The New Guy in Mike's Life!

Dusty aka Gus
We've had the new guy for almost a month now.
He seems to be a good little guy. 
They said he was between a year & a year & half old. 
He sure has a lot of puppy in him so I kinda think he's
about a year old. His name is Gus? I want to change
it to Dusty because he answers to it. I think he
was called Gussie a lot & Dusty sounds almost the same.
He looks a lot like "Shady" but the biggest thing is
he acts so much like him. So, So many things he does
is almost like things "Shady" did. His Personality is
almost a carbon copy of "Shady". Makes me sad some
times, but sometimes it makes me feel like "Shady's"
spirit lives on. Corny, Huh? I catch myself calling
him "Shady" or almost calling him "Shady". I don't know
if that's habit or that he is acting just like "Shady"
& I think I'm talking to "Shady". It's kind of Spooky.
In fact We thought of naming him Spooky because of it.
He's a good dog & likes people
so I know he will turn out to be a great dog.
The Rescue group we got him from, said he had been brought
back twice. They didn't tell me that when I adopted him,
it was about a week later. They said he had Separation
anxiety & was a barker. I think "Shady" was the same.

Mike ("Shady's" Dad)