FAREWELL MINNIE

I've tried to do Minnie's farewell all week.  But, I couldn't.  I had to stop and think about her more.   She died on January 13, but I only told a few friends.  It was if I needed to hold it close for awhile first.  

Minnie came into rescue in May of 2018.   She came in with Koko (her dad), Jodi (her mom), and Andy (her son).   Jodi was in severe heart failure and we gently helped her go to the Rainbow Bridge.  Koko was almost 14 and was adopted.    Andy went to a wonderful home.  

Minnie stayed here.  She had PTSD and had to go on prozac.  She was terrified of so much.  We know her original owners died, and then she went to live with their son.   He died shortly after that.  We don't know what happened in that year or the rest of her life.   Minnie had to have one eye removed when she came to us.   I sometimes had to look twice at her and Zoey to see which one it was.  💜

Minnie slept a lot.   She was just short of 13 when she came to us.  

She loved the beds in front of the fireplace.  

She was really a loner, though, so pictures of her in bed with another dog were rare.

She usually liked to be where she could see me.  She couldn't hear me.  

Minnie couldn't be handled much at all.   If I did pick her up, it had to be on my right side, or she would panic.  

Giving her a bath, or trying to trim her could only be done if she had medication and even then, it was a struggle.   I don't know why she was like that.

She still sought me out though.  

She was a quiet soul, until the last 6 months or so.  

She began to have dementia and would forget she had eaten.  So, she would bark.  And bark.  And bark.  

Even if she had been fed an hour before, she didn't remember.  It was okay.  I fed her again.

Minnie was going on 17.  She slept more and more.  She began sleeping by herself in the front hallway.

A year ago, Minnie had a seizure.  She tried to get to me but kept falling over.  Dogs often try to get to their "safe place" and she knew I was safe.  But, she kept falling and shaking, with her eyes moving quickly.  She was having a seizure.  She was 15 1/2 and seizures beginning late in life aren't a good thing.    Her neuro issues became more prevalent.

But, she kept going.    I noticed she was having more trouble recently.  I would carry her outside and she always used to do her route.  Walk the perimeter of the yard, and then come up the stone steps back to the back porch steps.  (I always carried her up.)   But she started getting lost in the yard.  She would get to shrubbery and not know what to do.   She was having more accidents (no problem, I'm good at cleaning up).   She began stumbling more.  She began getting lost in the house.   

So, we went to the vet to decide what was best for her.   Sissy and Gidget were there with us.  And they kept going up to Minnie-- it was as if they were making sure she was okay.  Then, they continued, and I realized, they were telling her good-bye.   

I had talked to my friends about her-- they gave me wise counsel, "We learned long ago that when the mind "goes" the body is often doing ok and chugging along.  When the body goes, the mind if usually functioning well.  Rarely does it seem they loose both mind and body at the same time.  It seems easier for us to recognize the need for crossing the rainbow bridge when the body has deteriorated.  However, we have had to do both.  Dr. Susie was the best at recognizing the mind has "gone" and nudging us toward the most humane decision.  She felt their living not really knowing what's what was unkind.  We are not her caregivers' so only you really know the "when".  However, we fully support  you when that day has come.  All we ask is that you not torture yourself; Minnie would never want that for you either."  Their words gave me great comfort.  Minnie's heart never had problems.  Yes, she was old, but her body was still going.  

The vet said she would rather owners not wait until an emergency happens, when the animal is suffering and emergency "letting go" has to be done.   As we talked, Minnie came up to me.  She got into my lap.  She rested her head on me.  She had never done that.  I felt like she was at peace.  I felt she was saying, "Mom, it's okay.  I'm ready.  I love you."    

We very very gently let her go.   We did it a different way.  First, she had a shot to relax her.  We did this because of her PTSD and did not want her to stress at all.  After she was relaxed, then the IV went in and she gently left me.  Quietly.  With no stress at all.  In my arms, and at peace.  

I loved my Minnie Mouse.  She had been through a lot, but had almost 4 years of safety and love here.  Like each of them, she will be missed and always loved.  Always part of our Peke family.   

I know that so many met her-- Max and Kai Kai.  Nala and BeeBee.  Kenobi, and Clara, and Starlight and oh so many more.  So, she can be peaceful now.  No more stress. Always loved.   💜