Goodbye beloved Mollydog

[bunn]

I so much hoped that my beautiful Mollydog would recover from her latest illness. She'd been through so many medical problems of one kind or another and always come back strong and happy. I suppose I had begun to hope, despite her age, that she was indestructible.  

But last night she began struggling to breathe and we could not get her comfortable. We rushed her to the vet (who came in specially at half past midnight, poor man).  He thought at first that an emergency operation might be worth a try - which was a terrible dilemma, as I had made up my mind that I didn't want to put her through yet another major surgical procedure.  But in the end she went downhill too fast.  I and philmophlegm were both there to hold her and rub her ears as she was euthanased. 

Molly was supposed to be my dog, but as soon as she came home she decided  philmophlegm was wonderful and she was always convinced she was his dog really - so I'm really glad things worked out that he was here at the end, and feel very lucky that he is the kind of person to understand why that's important. 

I can't tell you how much I loved this dog.   There are some people who think that if you love an animal so much, you somehow waste the emotion, as if you only get so much love in a bucket doled out by order, and have to eke it out.    I think caring is something that it helps to practice, myself, though the heartbreak is terrible today, the memories are still worth it. 

And she was so beautiful. Even sleeping weirdly upside down on the top of the stairs with her head on the next step down.  And loud, and silly and opinionated and greedy and friendly.   
I feel so lucky to have known her. 

  
  
 
 
  
   

Comments

[seasight.livejournal.com]

*big hugs* I'm so sorry, hon.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I do appreciate it.

[seascribe.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry. *hugs* She was beautiful, and it is good that both of you were there when she went. And I can't believe that it is ever, ever wasted to love someone as much as you clearly loved Molly, especially when she gave so much love back.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Awww, thanks. I do feel she gave me at least as much as I gave her.

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that she's gone, but glad that her end was peaceful and that you could both be with her. She was beautiful and that picture of her on the rocks is particularly lovely.

And I agree with you. Love is love -- it's what's inside your heart, and it doesn't matter whether you're loving a person or a dog or a teddy bear.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thanks. She took me so many places I would probably never have gone on my own...

[huinare.livejournal.com]

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

I'm so so sorry. She was such a beautiful girl. People who think you can love an animal too much don't realise how much richer life is for doing so.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

It is! Richer and *better*.

[kargicq.livejournal.com]

Oh no. Very sorry to hear this awful news. -N.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

So Sorry

[skeptic7.livejournal.com]

I have been lurking around your journal for a while and I always love the pictures of Molly running and being just being her totally elegant greyhound self. I love watching her pose along the landscape and then move in such an amazing way. I am so sorry that she is gone.

Re: So Sorry

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Oh, hello.
Thank you for your message, it's lovely to know other people appreciated her too.

[firin.livejournal.com]

So sorry. Sending hugs and thoughts your way.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you - it is truly appreciated.

[andrewducker]

I'm so sorry. Glad you could be there with her at the end, the poor thing.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear this. She was indeed a very lovely and character-filled dog.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thanks. She was so full of life almost to the end, I think we are both still feeling a bit punched in the stomach at the moment. But it will pass and we'll have a hell of a lot of memories.

[ideserveyou.livejournal.com]

So sorry she didn't make it. But I'm glad her end was peaceful and that both of you were able to be there. You are right, that sort of thing is very important. And it's never a waste to love your pet... the folks who say 'but it's only a dog' are totally missing the point. Thank you for sharing your lovely memories.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the lovely message. I am so grateful to have had the chance to make all those great memories with Mollydog.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm so sorry you've lost her.

I know how much it hurts.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Dogs just don't live long enough :-(

[puddleshark.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry. Such a beautiful, quirky girl... Our love for our animals make us so much more than we were before, but that just makes the parting all the harder.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you... She gave me so much, what I gave her pales in comparison.

[chainmailmaiden]

Oh I'm so sorry to hear this, I hope you're ok. Molly was lovely and had such a large personality. I don't think love is wasted at all on animals, they are very distinctive beings in their own right, generally far nicer than a lot of humans and the love you get back from them is amazing. Even if that does make it painful when we lose them. However much it hurts though the memories of the times together make it worth doing. Molly was a lucky dog to end up with owners like yourselves and I'm sure she knew it.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I'm not OK yet, but I will be. It was, a hundred times, worth the pain at the end.

[rustica.livejournal.com]

I'm really sorry to read this - I had hoped that she was on the road to recovery.

Seen today in a book on the Christchurch earthquakes a quote from Prince William, of all people - "grief is the price we pay for love". I am glad Mollydog had so many years of being loved.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thanks - a good thought.

[mcmurphy79.livejournal.com]

I can't tell you how sorry I am to hear this and while I only sort of lurk on your journal it has made me cry.

No emotion is EVER a waste and I am sure molly dog was worth every drop and gave you so much back.

When I lost Penny it was the most painful thing ever.

Take good care.

Much love.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

She was totally worth it. Thanks.

I've just realised I thought I'd added you to my flist and I hadn't. So now I have.

[the-marquis.livejournal.com]

*HUGS* Oh, so sorry to hear that. But she was a lovely dog and well loved by you two, and while it's very upsetting for you right now (I'm crying too and I only met her through your lj posts) she's not in any pain or struggling to enjoy her life and you have many wonderful memories of her so she lives on and not just in pictures.

[sally_maria]

This, exactly.

I'm very sorry for your loss.

[thecatsamuel.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry - it's always so sad especially when you have to make the decision. It is a very hard thing and am thinking of you today.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you. It's much appreciated.

[alitheapipkin.livejournal.com]

So sorry for your loss. It looks like she had a great life with you though so I hope you have many happy memories to comfort you at this sad time.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Seven and a half brilliant years, it was worth it.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Oh I'm so terribly sorry. I know just how wretched you'll be feeling today but this a lovely tribute to a much loved friend. Sending *hugs* and lots of sympathy.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much.

[helflaed.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry- it is such a hard thing to do, and it hurts however you lose them.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you. It was so hard, I didn't think I could do it, but you just have to don't you. :-(

[purplecat]

Sorry to hear this.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[skordh.livejournal.com]

:-( sorry to hear this news. Molly was a great dog, I hadn't seen her for ages but enjoyed keeping up with her antics via LJ. She also had the great owners she deserved and a lot of love and fun in her life.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you. She would have remembered you, I think. She had a great memory for people.

[jane-somebody.livejournal.com]

Skordh told me the sad news. I am so very sorry for your loss. Love can never be limited. Please be extra kind and gentle to yourself right now. And I hope Az is coping okay.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thanks - it's hard at the moment but it will get better.

Az is doing quite well, considering - I think having little foster Tommy here is reassuring for him, even though he is rather shortlegged to be an ideal buddy for him!

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

The selection of pictures you have chosen are a great tribute to Mollydog. Her personality exploded across the internet, and will continue to do so.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your kind message. She was indeed a big personality.