Ben went lame earlier this week, cause unknown. Probably a minor injury that stiffened up overnight, but on Monday morning Ben couldn’t walk and was also acting very sick. Tuesday he had a 106 fever (in the danger zone for dogs). Apparently, he also had an obstruction in his small intestine… and tumors all over his x-ray… and arthritis so massive in his hips that the vet was impressed he had been able to walk at all before the injury. With antibiotics and pain meds, we kept him comfortable this week, hoping he would rebound, but instead his leg got more and more swollen, and he started developing a sore lying the only way he could lie without being in too much pain. The picture is of Ben this week surrounded by pictures Tucker drew for him to cheer him up. Half the pictures are portraits of Ben, and half the pictures are pictures of food.
This morning, my yellow man, my first baby, went to go meet his first master, my Uncle Brian who passed on in 2004. It is sad to come home to an empty house, sad not to have to hide the laundry up high so Ben won’t eat any socks. But I’m happy that he’s out of pain, and happy that this world is not all there is.
I will remember you, Benny:
…lying next to me on the couch, snuggled in close.
….driving with you in the passenger seat, your paw on my arm just so I wouldn’t forget that the primary purpose of cars is petting.
…for the softest ears I’ve ever felt.
…for snoring so loudly that you’ve made whole groups of people laugh in our living room.
…for being the best kitchen floor cleaner I could ever wish for.
…for your world-record setting eating pace.
…as mad dog chasing a stick around in a circle.
…as the slowest (but enthusiastic) running companion ever. I always knew you were built for love, not for speed.
…for the total lack of grace you had swimming even though you loved it. It took me a long time to stop worrying that you would drown with all the water you ingested.
…and for so much more.
I will miss you, my boy.
