We lost our beloved Potter Girl yesterday afternoon. She became very sick and the vet discovered a tumor growing on her organs. He recommended we spend one more day with her on some pain relief and then end her suffering. Our hearts are so sore, but we hope she is at peace today.
Jason wrote a letter about the last two days to the boys to have waiting in their e-mail accounts for when they're older. I thought I'd share it:
" This afternoon, we had the awful task of bringing Potter to be put down.
It all happened so suddenly. On Thursday night and Friday she was
doing some things that were not normal for her (like asking to be let
out and then staying outside). On Saturday she wouldn't eat and
appeared to be uncomfortable. Mom and I (with Jude) went to the vet
while Aunt Jacki and Uncle Jeff watched Jack and James.
The vet did some tests and confirmed Mom's intuition - Potter was
dying. She had an aggressive tumor in her abdomen and his
recommendation was to put her down and end her suffering. There were
no other good options.
Thankfully we were able to make arrangements for the following day
(today) in order to spend time with her and say goodbye. We also
wanted you guys to be able to see her again. She was given some
medication which seemed to really ease the pain. She even got her
appetite back - but only for her favorite treats, which we were very
grateful to be able to provide her (bread, cake, peanut butter,
sausage, popcorn). We were even able to go on a short walk and Potter
took a short swim - her favorite activity. Afterwards, you guys sat
with her for awhile in the big field next to our house. It was in
that field, just a week or so ago, that she got the opportunity to
play ball with a few other labs (although much younger and much
faster). It reminded Mom and I how how often we brought young Potter
out to play catch or frisbee and how fast she used to be! Jack and
James - you were both impressed with our stories of how athletic she
once was and remorseful that those days were over.
Yesterday, when Mom and I returned from the vet, we sat down Jack and
James to deliver the bad news. I hope I always remember James' two
responses. The first, immediately after we explained the situation,
was: "Well, she'll feel better in heaven. She won't have any boo boos.
And then in a little while we'll all be there and we can be together
as a family again... It's gonna be crowded!"
And then after we all spent some time with Potter and told stories
about how we got her and things she had done (both good and bad), you
said: "dying is more sad than I thought."
James, you continued to make really great, meaningful comments
throughout today as well, such as: "When she rises up to heaven, her
boo boos will feel better and better. (pause) But we'll still have
pain from being sad." You have also prayed for Potter and "all the
animals and people that are dying."
Jack, you've asked us over and over again for more stories about
Potter. It has been really fun and helpful for both Mom and I to
retell a dozen years worth of memories about her. One of your
favorites is how she would position herself between you guys (when you
were each babies) and any stranger that came into the house. She was
so protective of her boys!
Jude, you are obviously too young to know what is going on right now.
You simply continued to play with (on, over, and around) Potter today
as you normally do. You probably won't remember much about her but
you truly enjoyed her company and she certainly enjoyed the food you'd
throw off your high chair tray! In fact, at dinner tonight, the
pieces of PB&J sandwich underneath you were one of the first signs
that Potter is no longer with us. But as James just told me, as I
walked him back to his room, "Potter has a great view of the sky
tonight!"
Yes, she does. A great view for a great friend that we will all miss dearly.
I love you guys,
Dad "
