Friday, October 19, 2018

Isabella


When my son came to Iowa it was to take care of his father. My ex-husband was dying of cancer.

There were hospice nurses who came a couple of times a week and he was paying his wife to be there during the day and to take him to medical appointments. He needed someone to be here all the time like when he had to use the bathroom at night.

My husband's family had lived not far from here and I grew up in this area. My son loved it here.

After his father died my son decided to stay. I had always intended to come home when I retired. But I was not quite ready at that time.

My son was all alone. He knew no one except for one aunt and one neighbor.

We have always had a dog. My son loves dogs so he went to the veterinary office in the next town to see if anyone had a dog that needed a home. He got lucky because there was only one dog looking for a home.

She was a female and he wanted a female. She was on the large side of medium and that was the size he wanted. Her name was Isabella.

Isabella was almost 2 years old. She had been rescued as a small puppy. She was found in a empty house with no food and no water. She had been abandoned to die.

Isabella had also been physically hurt. It was apparent that a man or men had hurt her. She really did not like men. At all.

It took a long time for her to warm up to my son. She was smart enough to know that he was the one taking care of her.

Eventually they became good companions. She even learned to know when his blood sugar was not right. Very smart.

Isabella began having problems walking a few years ago. The vet said arthritis and prescribed Glucosamine to help her joints.

Here lately it began to get harder and harder for her to outside to take care of those natural functions. She was listless.

Saturday night she went out with a great deal of difficulty. Then she came in and went straight to her bed.

She did not get up at all on Sunday. She slept in my son's room so he took water to her. When it had been so long since she ate he took her some doggy ice cream that we kept as a treat for her.

Monday we took her to the vet.

Isabella had bone cancer. The vet said he could prescribe pain killers which would make her more comfortable until the end. Or he could give her shot and euthanize her.

My son decided to end her misery. We were both with her until her life ended.

It has been a hard week. I work so hard at not getting attached to the pets but it happens anyway..My son feels like a part of him is missing.

I am sure he will get another dog someday. He has wisely decided to wait until he is over his grief.

11 comments:

  1. Some people are able to replace pets immediately to "fill the void" but we couldn't. U had to wait four years after Jethro died to even think about getting another pet. I would have felt disloyal to his memory somehow. Now we have a rescue female, Abby, who we got just before Christmas from the humane society in the next county over. She turned two in June. We are definitely dog people, but cats not so much. I'm so sorry to hear about Isabella but glad she had a good home for all those years with your son. They say that rescued dogs know that they have been rescued and are always grateful to their rescuers.

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    1. We always choose rescue dogs. They make excellent pets. We usually have females too. A female tends to attach sooner than a male for some reason.

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  2. That is sad, Emma. I never had a dog, but can feel with him. And yes: waiting a bit seems a wise decision!

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    1. It is always sad to lose a pet. Isabella had such a harsh beginning to her life. My son gave her a good loving home. The ending of her life was full of pain. That is the hardest part.

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  3. What a sweet dog! Your son--what a caring man!

    Sorry about your ex. Hospice should be in a hospital is my vote. We were involved with his fathers death at home. Once a day a care giver came in, checked his meds, changed his bedding and diaper.

    At my father's time at home was horrible. Mom needed help and hospice did not help her. She was alone all day and night to care for him. Dad was a large man. Flying from CA, I helped her in the last days. It was hell. Hospice did not provide adequate care.

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    1. My son was extremely grateful to be there for his father. He has some beautiful memories of that time. Way out here in the country where he lived was where my husband wished to spend his final days. My son was happy he could fulfill that wish.

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  4. Your son did the right thing by his father and he will never regret the time spent. Sorry to hear of Isabella’s passing. As former pet owners, we have lost dogs and cats over the years and it does take time to grieve for them as we would a loved human. But knowing that humans and pets are no longer in pain is what we can appreciate most.

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    1. My children got their wisdom from my mother-in-law. And my son is proud that he was the last person his father recognized before he died.

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  5. this is so touching dear Emma!

    when your son found her she was in great pain as a living being how could she forget what somebody did to her !

    your son had beautiful heart and loved her until she was destined to live !

    i hope he will have another pet soon if he wants and will also keep lovely memories of Isabella in corner of his loving heart

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    1. Right now we still expect to see her in the house. He gets ready to feed her. Until he is over her death I am glad he is waiting to have another pet.

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